Fourteen years ago, we at LifeWay began working in the Russian town of Bryansk, 250 miles southwest of Moscow.  We still participate in work there today.  But just as the city itself has changed, with new restaurants, coffee shops and shopping malls the work has changed dramatically as well.  In 2013, we are encouraging church groups from all over our region, and even our nation, to go and take on a strategic project in the Bryansk region.  The projects: (1)serving for a week of English Camp, where secular young people improve their language skills and build relationships with American Christians; (2)working with teams to build up the critical kids and youth ministry of a small church thatt is striving to grow up and connect with their community,(3) working at History Makers Church camp, where 200 young adults from the area come to build relationships with Christians and hear the gospel;(4)caring for childcare who will go to summer camp and experience, for the first time  in their lives, a healthy Christian Community.  If you are ready to take a step in overseas missions, we have opportunities at LifeWay, and one of the them is Russia.  It will change the way you do missions in your town as well.  Contact Billy Arnold at LifeWay Church. 253-517-8630

Tags: LifeWay Church

Making History and History Maker Camp 2012 Four Summers ago, in 2008, the group of Young believers from Bryansk Russia felt led to start a new Church in their city that would be a tool used by God to build a bridge into the lives of secular young people in this city of 500,000 people. Frankly, they emerged out of controversy, having been basically “run out” of a couple of more traditional churches. But we used a summer camp with the help of another highly dedicated group of young people from Dallas called “Glowing Heart”. At this camp a new church was born. Like any new church they have slowly had to figure out their way and clarify their vision. But each summer they have used a summer camp to continue to clarify  their purpose. Each summer has been monumental. This summer is no different. The path has been cleared even more. Their is greater clarity than ever. Their maturity level has been raised once again. And lives are being changed.

At this writing we are in day 3 of a 5 day experience of the camp held at Camp Yolochka. There are just about 150 young people at the camp, plus Americans, and about a dozen children of History Makers. 173 people in all. (Easily the largest number ever) The vast majority are from Bryansk, but there are 5 from Moscow here investigating the truths of Christ. There are 30 from a church in the city of Dyatkovo who were led here by their pastor to build their outreach ministry. As for Americans, there  are 4 from LifeWay Church and 9 from Oahu Hawaii and a new church on that island that is a new house plant of about 65 people. Yet they are highly engaged in global missions and they, led by their pastor and worship leader, are the best team of missionaries one could ask for.  They are a fabulous example of what an organic and multiplying church can be an do for Kingdom work. We became connected with this church because two of their young people came for 3 years with the Glowing Heart team from Dallas Baptist University. From Seattle, to Dallas, to Honolulu, to Bryansk. A crazy world.

The pride that we all feel for the leaders of History Makers cannot be described in words well. You would have to see it. But I have 3 words to help us understand what God is doing.

Community

Creativity

Servant hood

Community: they have learned that the best way to show the love of Christ is to build a community around the love of Christ and love of others. Russia is often thought of as a relationally cold and disconnected world. There is truth in this history. Healthy mentoring is a missing concept most of the time on all levels. And genuine relationships non existing. At camp, there is loving, caring, fun, and meaningful community centered on a love for God. Even though they have done a nice job pulling of great events like wonderful outdoor concerts the last 2 nights, its all about genuine relationships in a godly community.

Creativity:  we are so impressed with the creative juices and minds that came together to make this camp happen. These are highly competent young people. They are creating an outdoor atmosphere and a daily program that is not about events, but allowing room for God to work through people.

Servant hood: the night of the Jazz Coffee shop outdoor cafe and concert, (concert by Scott and Diane Jackson…very cool) the leaders of the church with towel and tray in hand serving Starbucks coffee and tea with sweets to the 100 others around tables till after midnight. Then finishing that with the outdoor showing of the movie “The Blind Side”. Everyone stayed til 1:30am.  They truly are trying to bring Christ to people not just by preaching the word, but inviting people into their lives.

Our prayer for years has been that a movement of God would come out of Bryansk Russia and spread to the world. I believe it is happening.

New Life Mission Church of Bryansk, Russia hosted a week long Day Camp at their property last week, with the partnership of Beverly Park Church in Burien. Beverly Park Church made this commitment 4 years ago to engage the city of Bryansk and walk with New Life Church  in prayer and missionary work.  That’s exactly what they did. This team of 6 led by their pastor, Travis McIntosh and worship leader Josh Davis worked side by side with the acting Pastor at New Life Sasha, along with  children’s leader Pavil. Josh reported that Sasha worked all day at the camp, then worked graveyard shift at his job in order to put this together. New Life is a small mission with about 25 people. But 40 children came throughout the week, with several life changing decisions to follow Christ. Beverly Park offered free scholarships to attend the week long kids camp,  ten children are going to camp when the larger Bezchitsa Church will  host that event July 9. The whole week was miraculous, Beverly Park is a church of about 80 people itself  and brought along 7 members. God is touching their heart to make a difference in the world. They are putting a stake in the ground in South Seattle, but also in Bryansk with New Life Church.

Stay connected to our missionaries by following along with Rich Long at his blog richlongrussia2012.wordpress.com

Tags: Russia summer childrens camp

Here we go. Our first missionary Rachel Pinon has already landed in Bryansk and is well on her way to serving alongside Scott and Diane Jackson.

This Thursday Billy and Patty Arnold will head over along with a few team members to jump into some camp work. Then the following Monday on July 1 Rich Long will begin the journey  to Bryansk along  with several other missionaries.  Please continue to pray for all of their safety and for God to move in great ways using these team members.

Tags: blogs, missions trip

History Makers Church Camp… summer 2011

As summer is approaching, so are all the camps and activities in Bryansk, Russia.  At the popular Christian operated

History Makers Camp at the Christian campground "Yolochka"

campground, Yolochka, 25 miles outside the city of Bryansk, God will be shaping many lives. History Makers Church, the church founded to reach the young people of Bryansk, was initially launched by using  a summer church camp in June 2008.  A ministry team from Dallas, Texas, “Glowing Heart,” came to help and host at this camp event… and a church was born. This year will be the fourth year for History Makers to to a Youth Camp, and they will be leading this for the first time on their own.

Leadership / Discipleship History Maker Camp. For two days a leadership core of about 20 young people will be living at Yolochka Campground for a leadership camp event. This will be to plan and prepare for the camp week.

History Makers Church Summer Camp

History Maker Evangelism Camp. For four days the History Maker Church will be inviting as many as 100 of their friends for a total outreach camp experience. All four days will be at Camp Yolochka. They will be doing sports, music, and a total package of events geared for young adults and older teenagers, which is the complete make up of this young church.

Yes, you can help…

Pray

• Pray for development of the leadership of History Makers, and that God would use this event to mold and shape this core group

• Pray for the many “fringe” young people who connect to History Makers Church to come to the camp
  

  Young people of Bryansk Russia

  experience. This is a critical week, and many lives could be changed eternally.

• Pray for these two back to back camp experiences. Pray that God would bless these events.

Help with Sponsorship:

• This young church is able to pay for 40% of the cost of the event, but could use some help financially with the rest.  The cost is $15 per day per person.  Our goal is to help with about $4300 of the $6300 it will cost for these two camps. You could help with this. Contact or write the offices of LifeWay Church for how to participate…

• Also, check out Glowing Heart Ministries at www.glowingheart.org then click on the “Russia Report” to
  

  History Makers Church Summer Camp

  better understand the History Maker Camps this summer and past summers.

Tags: Add new tag, Billy Arnold, Bryansk, Glowing Heart, History Makers Church Bryansk, LifeWay Church, Patty Arnold, Russia ministry, Yolochka

It was singing that I heard through the woods on the final night of camp. In July, it doesn’t get dark until after 11pm, but this was “bonfire night” at “Yolochka Camp.” Bonfire night is a very traditional event for any Russian summer camp, a tradition started long ago during communist times.  The kids come pouring out of their cabins after dark, and celebrate friendships gained through their week of camp around a huge bonfire… the kind of fire that is often so large it’s like burning down a small barn. But it was the songs coming out of the dark woods that struck me most. Familiar “praises to

Bonfire at Yolochka Summer Camp

God” music that we had sung all week, and these kids with a joyful noise and at the top of their lungs were belting them on their way to join the bonfire. It was here, and only here, that I realized that these children felt truly free to sing songs like this. Most had no school friends that were believers. Many of them did not come from homes of believers. They lived in neighborhoods where there were very few believers. Even those who attended churches, they were small with very few other children attending. Where could they go sing with this freedom? It was here, at Camp Yolochka. I was glad to be part of it and witness such wonderful joy that overflowed from their hearts. There is great life changing power in the summer camp experience.

Tags: LifeWay Church, Russia summer childrens camp, Yolochka

I would like to take a moment to share a story with you about one of the children who has attended our children’s camp for many years.  This story gives you a glimpse in to the bleak circumstances of these children’s lives year round.  When they come to camp, they are able to have a short respite from the realities of their hard lives and are able to be transformed back to carefree children and see the Love of Christ in action through the love of the people at camp.

Boris has been attending the Children’s camp that LifeWay Church has hosted for years now. Currently he is 13 years old. But he also comes from a very troubled home, raised by his grandmother because his dad is nowhere to be seen, and mom has so many substance abuse issues she is unable to raise him. Boris is also a handful physically and emotionally. He is a non-stop basket full of personal insecurities, and it comes out. There have been times when those who have worked with him have in frustration called him “bad Boris.” But Boris is really a good kid that needed a hero… a mentor… someone to look up to. Scott Jackson became that hero for Boris at camp. Last summer at the end of camp session, Boris asked Scott  from the LifeWay team if he could stay after the camp and help clean up for a few days. It was his way to find an excuse to hang out with his hero, Scott.  After these days were finished, we dropped him off at his apartment complex to rejoin his grandmother. The gang of drunks and drug abusers met him in the parking lot to greet his arrival back. They all knew him. He knew all of them. We quickly realized the incredible value that these few days of camp were to Boris. Yolochka camp was like a spiritual oasis in the middle of a year of darkness. A dark home, a dark neighborhood, dark relationships. At summer Camp there was life, light, mentors, and the love of Jesus Christ. That’s what camp is for Boris. This is why summer Camp is so important.

This is the reason that we are in Russia and that we put on our annual auction to raise funds to send kids just like Boris to camp.  For more information on this year’s auction go to http://www.facebook.com/?sk=ff#!/pages/Federal-Way-WA/Russia-Mission-Auction/110516972313436?ref=ts

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Billy Arnold

To register to attend the auction go to www.russiamissionauction2010.com

Tags: Bryansk Ministry, Bryansk Russia, Russia, Russia Kids Camp, Russian Kids Camp

When the rest of the world thinks of Russia, they often think of winter and lots of snow and cold. During the winter of 2010 winter has put on a great show.

Central City Bryansk Russia winter 2010

No one complains (well… not most of them). Snow and winter here brings a sense of pride. It also brings out amazing coats, hats and boots as well. This is NOT a country that has a problem with wearing the fur from animals. As you enter the bus or walk through the markets in the winter, its like walking through a fur fashion show.

Either way… the winter here is beautiful. Most locals say there has not been this much snow in 50 years. For many westerners who come to work in the camps or work on projects, they come in summer when it is warm or even hot. But Bryansk can be a cold place as well. Russians are typically proud of their winters. It becomes part of their national pride and culturally part of the way life is conducted.

Pray for Russia… and pray for Bryansk as you enjoy these beautiful photos.

Families enjoying the winter festival 2010 in Bryansk

Welcome to Russia from History Makers Church Bryansk