Displaying items by tag: Christian conversion

With his life and freedom on the line as he challenged Russia's dictatorial regime, opposition leader Alexei Navalny reached out to Christian leaders in a search for ‘eternal values’. Sergey Rakhuba of Mission Eurasia says Navalny found God as he was facing great challenges and ‘fighting for his life’. Navalny proclaimed that he abandoned atheism and professed faith in God at a court hearing in January. ‘I believe he pronounced the most powerful sermon out of that cage in the courtroom,’ Rakhuba said. ‘He referred to the Bible as an ancient book that the world should adopt and build their rules on for daily living. I think it was the most powerful presentation of the Gospel.’ Navalny quoted Matthew, ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled’.

The UN has declared South Sudan a famine nation. People receive food, humanitarian aid, and English lessons. A pastor passionately shouts slowly in English to the community attending English classes. In Juba there are 21 learning centres with 2,100 learners and 61 volunteer teachers. In Ugandan refugee camps there are 22 learning centres with 647 students and 32 volunteer teachers. They come to centres only to learn English, but through a discipleship programme some are giving their lives to Jesus. The impact of learning English is transformative, but what they read in English is the Word of God - even more transformative! Hostile groups are being transformed into peacemakers. They are learning to love God, and love each other. Only God can make this happen: this is the answer to prayer, the sword that cuts through war.