Sword & Trowel 2020: Issue 1


such as Christmas. Whilst the language difference does not separate us spiritu- ally, they do not want to be assimilated into the use of Russian. Freedom of worship here remains


relative. The authorities do not offi- cially allow our meetings but for some time now have not persecuted us for holding them.


Russian and Belorussian translations


We continue to publish reformed


books, although the demand is not as great as it was 20 years ago when we had no Christian literature at all. The books on current issues, however, re- main vital as all manner of teachings are introduced by Russian literature from other sources. In addition to our Russian translation


work, we now have several titles in Be- lorussian and have recently translated William Hendriksen’s The Bible and the Life Hereafter into that language. We provide pastors and ministers in Bela- rus with free literature and some goes to the Ukraine. We give thanks to the Lord that the substantial influence of this literature over the years is obvious as more and more believers turn to the doctrines of grace. At the outset, the Baptist churches resembled the Orthodox Church, only without icons, rituals and vestments. In the city of Sto- lin (south of Belarus) there are quite a lot of Baptist and Pentecostal believers who maintained a doctrine of female salvation through


New Russian translation of God or Mammon? by Robin Compston


childbirth. Many, breaking free from this error, ask themselves how they could ever have believed such a thing. Our freely-circulated magazine In the Beginning (shown above) prints mainly materials from the Sword & Trowel. Whilst many pastors appreciate this ministry, we still receive angry respons- es to it. The situation is changing, but very slowly. We are continuing with monthly study classes for a number of pastors from throughout Belarus. Currently seventeen are attending. In a month or two we will hold an assessment to see how they are progressing before we continue our studies of the doctrines of grace. We are still strongly disapproved of


by the ‘official’ Baptist Churches. Their main problem is the Five Points of Cal- vinism. I was once asked how I keep people in the church if I teach that it is impossible to lose salva- tion. It seems that they prefer to maintain a kind of Middle-Ages hold of fear over their congrega- tions.


Pastor Viazovski attended LRBS from 1992-94 and is supported by the Taber- nacle’s Overseas Ministry Fund (see page 18).


News from Belarus page 31


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