Russian pastor speaks in West Virginia church about life as a Baptist

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- While people might take for granted the religious freedoms they enjoy in the United States, a Russian pastor reminded parishioners at a Charleston church that people in other countries are sometimes not as fortunate.

Pastor Dima Mikava spoke about his experiences to several members of Charleston Baptist Temple Wednesday morning.

Mikava serves at a Baptist church in Korablino, Russia, which is about 120 miles outside Moscow. In Russia, the Russian Orthodox Church is the predominant religious organization. While all churches are equal under Russian law, in practice the Orthodox Church oppresses other churches, he said.

"Russia is a country where people think of Baptists as a sect," Mikava said through an interpreter. "It's hard to invite children [to church] because their parents are afraid."

Sometimes parents become so angry that their children are in his church that they walk in and drag the children out "by their ears," he said. Other times, officials have come to the church and taken the children out, saying the church should not deceive the children, he said.

When he first decided to become a Baptist, people from the Orthodox church told him that Baptists sacrifice their children, he said.

Mikava, who works in economic development with the Russia Mission Partnership of the West Virginia Baptist Convention, spoke about his call to the ministry.

He's been a pastor for four years and was a missionary for 10 years before that, he said.

When he first started his church, Mikava said no one attended no matter how much he tried. Mikava prayed and admitted to God that he couldn't do it on his own, he said.

Soon after that, and before a church service, Mikava left the 10 people who had gathered in the sanctuary before the service and prayed. He returned to find around 250 people crowded into the church, he said.

Mikava also told stories about several people he's baptized this year. He told one story of a convicted murderer who went blind, but prayed that if he regained his sight he would believe in God. The man regained his sight and lived up to his word, as he started coming to church, Mikava said. Another woman was baptized after years of not trusting God in the wake of her husband's death.

"I want to tell you that our God is almighty and he can make miracles," Mikava said. 

This is the first visit to West Virginia and the second trip to the United States for Mikava and his wife, Lena. They flew to West Virginia Monday and have several other speaking engagements coming up in the state.

Church member Mo Khan said after that he was reminded how lucky Americans are to have the freedom of religion and of speech.

"That's the basis of this country and we should appreciate what we have so that we don't forget it," Khan said. "We're lucky to be in America."

Pastor Dennis Johnson said Mikava's visit was intended to promote the work of the church's Russian Partnership. His experiences as a Baptist in Russia are similar to what Baptists faced early on from the Anglican Church in America, Johnson commented.

"It still goes on," he said.

Mikava will speak at an upcoming annual meeting in Summersville, Johnson said. His visit also marked the first time in at least 16 years that a Russian pastor spoke at the local church, Johnson said.