SGA President Congratulates New Russian Baptist Union Leadership and Calls for Prayer

Arriving back in the U.S. after attending last week’s Congress of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (UECB) in Moscow, Slavic Gospel Association (SGA) president Dr. Robert Provost is issuing a call to prayer for the new leadership elected last week.Delegates named Pastor Alexei Smirnov to replace Pastor Yuri Sipko as the new UECB president. Also elected were Pastor Yevgeny (Eugene) Bakhmutsky as senior vice president, replacing Dr. Piotr Mitskevich who will now serve as vice president of theological education. Pastor Ruvim Voloshin continues in his role as vice president of missions. Pastor Bakhmutsky also maintains his youth ministry role as national youth director, and his role as pastor of the developing new Russian Bible Church in Moscow.

In addition to the key national vice presidential posts, the pastor-delegates also elected seven regional vice presidents who are responsible to oversee churches in local regions across Russia’s vast expanse.

Dr. Provost congratulated the new leaders, and noted the unique backgrounds of President Smirnov and Vice President Bakhmutsky. “Alexei Smirnov actually comes from an independent Baptist background and served as an evangelist and church planter in the Moscow region. In 2006, Yuri Sipko asked him to lead the UECB’s department of pastoral ministry, where Alexei served with distinction. He has a heart for the Gospel and desire to strengthen and develop strong, vibrant evangelical churches in regions still without a Bible-preaching church.

“Under Eugene’s Bakhmutsky faithful, servant leadership, the evangelical youth movement in Russia has grown to more than 25,000 zealous young people on fire for the Lord Jesus Christ. Eugene grew up in Siberia in a devoted Baptist family, and his great grandfather was executed by firing squad for his faith. Eugene’s grandfather was exiled to Siberia, but these heartbreaking tragedies helped sow the seed for powerful Gospel ministry today.

“As SGA has served as the official representative of the Russian UECB since 1997, we look forward with great enthusiasm to serving Pastor Smirnov and the new leadership for the advancement of the Gospel across Russia, to the glory of Christ. I would like to call all believers to pray for the new leadership and the UECB fellowship of 1,750 churches. The task before them remains overwhelming, with 90% of all the cities, towns, and villages in Russia still waiting for the Gospel. And these are increasingly challenging days in Russia, with growing official opposition to evangelism and church planting, and increasing restrictions on evangelical church ministry all across the former Soviet Union. We need to help them reach their people for Christ as long as the Lord grants us opportunities.” The Lord has raised up SGA to be their partners in the glorious Gospel.