Russian Ministries was one of the main supporters of the conference, says the ministry's president Sergey Rakhuba. He said it was well attended. "Over 3,000 young people came together to celebrate God's faithfulness. And the main challenge was to mobilize them to go into missions work back to their former homeland."

According to Rakhuba, these young people left the former Soviet Union with their parents, who fled persecution during the Soviet days. He says many of these young people have a heart and passion for their native land and people, many of whom still have family members living there.

He says the congress had an impact. "So many young people came forward to pray asking God to give them opportunities — many of them were challenged by great messages from experienced evangelists and pastors there. And I really believe this is just the beginning of the renewal of the missions movement back to the former Soviet Union from the Slavic community here (in the USA)."

But these young people will need help with training and motivation. Rakhuba believes Russian Ministries can be the organization to help facilitate that movement. As these young people receive the training they need, "I truly believe that many of them will become leaders in their churches. They will go to colleges, Bible schools and seminaries. They will become true leaders in the evangelical community. And working with Russian Ministries, we'll expand God's Kingdom."

Some say the need there is diminishing, but Rakhuba says, "The need there is greater than ever before. That need is in training and equipping the next generation for ministry."

If you'd like to help support Russian Ministries work with Next Generation Church leaders through their School Without Walls program. Click here.

Russian Ministries is one of the sponsors. Russian Ministries' President Sergey Rakhuba says, "Working together with the Alliance of Evangelical Christian Baptist Churches of America, we are sponsoring this first Youth Congress that will take place at the end of March 25-27 in Minneapolis."

Rakhuba expects to see more than 3,000 young people from the United States and Canada attend. "Within the last 20 years, there are quite a few Slavic families from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, and other countries of the former Soviet Union, who moved to the United States and Canada. Now, they are of the age when they're ready to do something."

According to Rakhuba, this Youth Congress is expected to be similar to other mission mobilization efforts. He says the most important thing they'd like to see is "that they would bring their talents back and work together with youth in Russia, Ukraine or Moldova to learn how to minister back to their homeland — the land of their fathers."

The Youth Congress is being held at Grace Church in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, with the final session held at the convention center in downtown Minneapolis.

According to Rakhuba, "This is an opportunity for them to get spiritual motivation when they hear the Word of God from experienced missionaries and pastors; but at the same time, there will be an opportunity to learn about what's there for them, in terms of missions involvement."

Rakhuba is praying that God will motivate many young people to take the Gospel back to their homeland.

He's expecting many Christian colleges and universities to be present at the Youth Congress, which will give the young people options for their training.

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