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HOPE4KYIV #025 ---- 10/20/04
#1 · October 20, 2004, 3:31 pm
Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>
HOPE 4 KYIVNUMBER 025October 20, 2004The In-Pact Prayer Newsletter ofBob and Jo Ann TolliverMissionaries to Kiev, Ukraine
Dear Friends, Family, and other In-Pact Partners:
Our cups are full and overflowing as we write our October praise and prayer report to you. Please accomodate our letter being longer than last month's. Somebody somewhere is praying, and praying up a storm! And, God is honoring those prayers. Where do we begin????
Praise Reports:
As per our latest September prayer requests, . . .
+ Our trip to western Ukraine was exceptional. The praise team, children's workers, and pastor from Graceland Baptist Church in New Albany, Indiana, served us through their worship, ministry to MK's, friendship, and wonderful teaching as we met for four days. We even endured the horrendous "shake and bake" train rides, 18 hours each direction through the night. Little sleep, sore muscles, and aching bones made us glad to be home.
+ The Pastoral Shepherding Team has been formed, and is now actively leading the church and its varied ministries as we prepare to return to the States. We'll be in Sunday services only once more on October 31st. Our next service with them will be January 2nd, so it is a perfect opportunity for the PST to truly assume the role of pastoring and shepherding the church. God put on Bob's heart the names of eight men for this team . . . three Americans, three Ukrainians, one Angolan, and one Cuban. When he shared the names with some other men, they were identical to those they had been considering. The Church Leadership Council was in unanimous agreement. When asked to serve, all eight men agreed. So, it is clear that this is one of those "God things".
+ Bob has written to five seminaries as well as a number of churches regarding his successor. Four of the seminaries responded positively with gratitude over learning of the opportunity. Two or three seminarians have written expressing either curiosity or interest. We hope to be on campus at least a couple of the schools when we're home, and also possibly interview some of the students.
+ One of our IMB missionaries, Dalese Stockwell, has agreed to teach Jo Ann's advanced English class while we're gone. Sam Taylor will teach Bob's Tuesday night Bible study for the next four weeks, so we need someone only from November 23 to December 21, when we pause for a holiday break. There is still need for the PST to secure preachers for the Sunday services.
+ Nothing is happening yet concerning a new meeting place for the church. This will be a long, drawn out process involving lots of research and money. In the meantime, IBC continues using Central Baptist Church's building even though it's becoming increasingly difficult to get adequate space since both churches are growing and expanding ministry.
+ Nothing significant has developed yet concerning possible partnerships with churches in the States, although we expect some basic contacts to take place while we're stateside.
+ Nicole Grace is now four and one half months old! She continues strengthening and improving. Jim and Deanna are gradually adjusting to the new regimen, but still have times of exhaustion and emotional weariness. We will soon send a more detailed update to those who are on our e-mail list. If you haven't visited her album on our webshots.com website, please do so. We've added some pictures and a prayer that the Lord gave Bob to pray for her.
+ Bob, Cheri, and their five are seeing good things. Roma is still in Texas, working at a job, and trying to complete credits for HS graduation; he then wants to go into the military. The other four are still at home and in public school now. All are doing well scholastically, each one excelling in individual areas. Katya witnesses to everyone she sees. If we ever get some new pictures of them, we'll post them. In the meantime, we hope to see them in November and then again at Christmas when we return to the States.
Ministry Update:
+ As you see above, good things are happening in response to your praying. The special congregational meeting last September 5th, the 10th Anniversary celebration on the 18th and 19th, and the formation of the Pastoral Shepherding Team (PST) on October 3rd have apparently electrified the church into excitement and enthusiastic anticipation. Not only has the Pastoral Shepherding Team been formed, but we have engaged three students from Kiev Christian University to do their practicum program with us, and we have also formed a "Timothy Fellowship" of young men, which will serve as a "feeder" source to add to the PST when changes are made or people move away.
+ One of the students, Andrew, also serves as our pastoral intern and leads our newly formed Praise Team. In addition, we have secured Joe Bearden to join our worship team as choir director, allowing our worship leader, Lena, to focus her attention on general oversight of our worship time on Sundays.
+ Attendance continues to increase again, and new people are there almost every Sunday. Offerings have improved somewhat. Our adult Bible study class has resumed with former Precept Ministries teacher Marie Herling teaching. The women's Bible study group has also resumed, meeting twice a month on Sunday following services.
+ We recently added a new Bible study class for teens, led by Sveta Smoktal, a young woman who came to Christ in a distant village at age 15 and has spent the past several years serving IMB missionaries as baby sitter, house cleaner, errand runner, and more. She is street wise and has a passion for teens. She recently brought some of her street friends to our apartment for a movie night, and promptly began talking with one of Kiev's more popular break dancers about Jesus. She is teaching the Alpha Course and is also mentoring a teen aged girl to lead the same. She is also trying to begin a "True Love Waits" emphasis in Kiev.
+ Bob finally began the "Timothy Fellowship" for young men last week. Tonight will be the second meeting. It didn't make sense to begin the group now, with our going back to the States for awhile, but we just could not see putting it off any longer. It is clear that this group will soon divide into two because of schedule conflicts, but that will be wonderful. Bob's greatest concern is that the group will continue and will stay focused on the real purpose while we're gone. He's thinking about communicating some study, discussion and theme suggestions by e-mail to one of the guys.
+ Attendance in Bob's Tuesday Bible study keeps on growing. Last night more than 50 people attended, 80% of them unbelievers. They're still studying Genesis, and concluded their study on the life of Abraham last night. He'll resume Genesis in January upon our return to Kiev. The atmosphere in those classes has been electric with interest and excitement since their resumption last month. It's like working with another congregation, and it's clear that God is doing something very powerful in the hearts of many. You constantly can see either conviction, grief, or hunger on the faces of the people. It's truly an "out of this world" experience every week. Between Bob's study in English and [REMOVED]'s study in Russian, we are averaging 70 to 85 people every week. Sadly, that doesn't happen in the States very often.
+ IBC co-sponsored with CCX (Ukrainian version of Intervarsity Christian Fellowship) our third week-end leadership conference earlier this month, with the biggest crowd yet. The end result was further connection with unbelieving university students, more training for several of our own people, and attendance increase both in our Sunday services and our ESL program as participants learned of our ministry. Following the last session on Saturday evening, Jo Ann was "mobbed" by a dozen or more individuals wanting to know about our ESL program. Most of them now attend, and several also attend one of the Bible studies to follow.
+ One of our Cuban ladies, Tania, has begun giving Spanish lessons in our apartment on Monday nights to two or three of the girls at TGI Fridays. Pray that she will have opportunity to share the Gospel with Irina and Katya, two of the sweetest young ladies we know. And, our Spanish work continues to develop even though 'Jesus, Carmen, and Tania are all in the middle of interviews for possible emmigration to the U.S.
+ The church recently agreed to resume a working relationship with a small Ukrainian church it planted a couple of years ago in a village about two hours from Kiev. Plans are in process to assemble a team of workers who will go out to the village once or twice a month to minister. Dr. Richard Price, a missionary colleague, is also coordinating medical clinics in the village, and Sveta Smoktal is preparing to begin English classes and Alpha Courses in the schools of the village. (Incidentally, if you'd like to help support that work in some way, just let us know. It takes about $100 a month to make two trips out there with a team of people.
Personal Update:
+ Bob's dental work is pretty much done, and now he has a much more beautiful smile (at least as beautiful as it can be on his face). Jo Ann discovered today that her work is not complete, and will have to carry over to January when we return to Kiev. We both have continued back pain, but endure it as it comes and goes. Jo Ann is concerned that she may have arthritis. She has a wonderful lady who is a nurse and massage therapist come once a week and work her over for an hour. It has been extremely beneficial.
+ We both will hopefully have pretty thorough physicals when we return to the States. Bob has written "Dr. Drew" (NOT "Dr. Dreg") to set up appointments. In spite of our aches and pains, we really are in pretty good health. Apparently the ulcer Jo Ann had has cleared up, along with the viral infection that caused it. We're so grateful to have Dr. Richard Price as one of our new IMB missionaries right here in Kiev. He and Christi, a professional counselor, are a blessing from the Lord.
+ We still have our "restaurant ministry" at TGI Friday's and UNO's. We love some of those kids as if they were our own. Every time we visit Friday's we gets yells, smiles, and hugs. Several of them attend our English classes and Bible studies on Tuesdays, and we see that little "family" steadily grow to include more and more. Even one of the managers attends. Our hearts cry out for their salvation. Last night as we had our weekly Tuesday night "pizza fix" at UNO's, Michael, the owner, stopped by and immediately came up to visit us and our six attendee friends. He's as lost as any man we know, but he is such a friend who takes personal interest in our well being.
+ We still don't have a clue as to our future. And, as God continues blessing more and more as He has been, the thought of going home to stay seems more and more impossible. And yet, we want to go home to be with family and friends, do some traveling, and try to be missions mobilizers back there (maybe modern-day Annie and Andy Armstrongs?). On top of that, knowing that we will not be replaced when we leave the field, we know of some other things we could help do in Ukraine if we stayed on with IMB. And, of course, if we didn't extend with IMB but chose to stay with the church, even more opportunities surface. Frankly, all we've been able to do is take it a day at a time. The needs are so great, and our hearts are so torn! Sometimes we're a real mess!
Stateside Speaking Engagements:
+ We are scheduled to arrive in Missouri the evening of November 4th. Our schedule has become increasingly full, although we still have some open dates. In that we have shifted our trip one week, it has opened up a Sunday we did not otherwise have available to speak.
We have three objectives for this trip . . . spend holiday time with family and take care of some personal matters; . . . speak to churches, groups, and schools about missions and about the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering; . . . . and speak to churches about possible partnerships with International Baptist Church and to prospective volunteers and pastoral replacements for when we leave. With that in mind, here is our schedule. If you would like us to speak at your church, please let us know. You can see the slots still open. We are willing to schedule during week days as well as Sundays if needed.
+ You can also see where we are scheduled to speak. If you happen to live within driving distance of those places, we'd love to see you. If you know of other churches who might want to use us, let them and us know. We only have five Sunday slots still open out of sixteen.
+ Schedule as of October 20th:
Oct 24 to 30 -- International Baptist Convention Evangelism Conference and Annual Meeting in Aviano, Italy.
Oct 31 -- International Baptist Church in Kiev.
Nov 04 -- ARRIVE IN STATES, spend time in Collins with daughter Cindy and family before they leave for Colombia, SA.
Nov 07a -- Available in easy driving distance to Collins.
Nov 07p -- Available in easy driving distance to Collins.
Nov 09 -- Cindy and family leave from KC for return to Colombia, SA.
Available in KC area (such as seminary or church)
Nov 10 -- Available in KC, Des Moines, or Minneapolis/St Paul area.
Possible trip to St. Paul to see Cheri and kids, OR to LaGrange to see Baby Nicole.
Nov 14a -- Available in easy driving distance to Collins/Windsor area (two to three hours)
Nov 14p -- FBC, WINDSOR, MO
Nov 15 -- 6:00 pm -- SHBC ADULT SS CLASS FISH FRY AND MISSIONS REPORT, BOLIVAR, MO
Nov 16-20 -- Available anywhere.
Nov 21a -- FBC, DADEVILLE, MO
Nov 21p -- Available within driving distance of Collins (1 to 2 hours max)
Friends from Ukraine and U.S. arrive that night (McCreights)
Nov 22 -- McCREIGHTS AND UKRAINIAN FRIENDS HERE
Nov 23 -- TO LaGRANGE
Nov 24 -- LaGRANGE Available around Hannibal/LaGrange
Nov 25 -- TG DAY WITH FAMILY IN LaGRANGE
Nov 26 -- LaGRANGE
Nov 27 -- LaGRANGE
Nov 28a -- FBC, LaGRANGE, MO
Nov 28p -- SOUTHERN BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP, WAYLAND, MO
Nov 29-30 -- Available anywhere
Dec 01 -- FBC, ELDON, MO
Dec 02-03 -- Available anywhere
Dec 04 -- MISSIONS WEEK, SBU, BOLIVAR, MO
Dec 5a -- FBC, ELDORADO SPRINGS, MO
Dec 5p -- FBC, CLEVER, MO
Dec 06 - 07 -- Available in Missouri, Kansas, or Iowa
Dec 08 -- FBC, LAMONI, IA
Dec 09-11 -- Available in Missouri, Kansas, or Iowa
Dec 12a -- FELLOWSHIP BAPTIST CHURCH, SEDALIA, MO
Dec 12p -- Available in Missouri
Dec 12 week -- Available anywhere
Dec 19a -- Available anywhere
Dec 19p -- Available anywhere
Dec 22 -- Available in Missouri, SE Iowa, or west central IL.
Dec 24 -- CHRISTMAS EVE WITH FAMILY
Dec 25 -- CHRISTMAS DAY WITH FAMILY
Dec 26a -- CHRISTMAS WEEK-END WITH FAMILY
Dec 26p -- CHRISTMAS WEEK-END WITH FAMILY
Dec 29 -- RETURN TO KIEV
A Changing Missions Model:
"Flexible" is perhaps the most important word in missionary life other than "called" and "anointed". And flexibility is a key word right now for IMB missions world-wide. Because of need, doors unexpectedly opening, continuing financial needs, and a massive number of people volunteering for missions, many changes and shifts are taking place. These changes affect some regions more than others.
Our region is one being affected in a way that some would perceive as negative. However, what may appear to be negative, may actually be a blessing in disguise. We have known for more than a year that no new missionaries would be coming to our BUS (Belarus, Ukraine, and three Russian speaking "Stans") field. However, we now understand that as many as 22 current missionaries will not be replaced when they leave the Board and return to the U.S. So, when they leave, nobody will come to replace them.
One of our dearest friends, Janelle, a Journeyman who served as our office bookkeeper, actually leaves Thursday. Nobody will replace her. A career missionary family ministering to the Tatars in Crimea will go home in December and not be replaced. It is a very sad time when colleagues leave the field, no matter the reasons.
This reality is causing the IMB to take another look at innovative ways by which we can continue existing work and open up new areas of missionary endeavor. Two of those ways involve "Partnerships" and "Virtual SC's".
Partnerships have been around awhile, but are growing in number. Simply put, a partnership is created when a local church in America forms an ongoing working relationship with a project or work somewhere on the mission field. That church becomes the "mother church" to a "daughter church" and provides various forms of support to that work (prayer, materials, manpower, etc.) This is the type of thing we are looking for in order for International Baptist Church to not only continue as an English speaking congregation, but also in order to fulfill the expanding opportunities that we now face. The open doors we face are too many and too big for us to enter alone.
A "Virtual SC" is when a local church takes on a specific region, city, people group, or project without having an SC (IMB Strategy Coordinator) actually on the field doing all the leg work and on-site ministry that is normally done. This is a new idea that will be tried here in Ukraine within the next few months. If a church becomes a "virtual SC", our office here would help create a liaison relationship with that church by which the assigned missionary would provide some of the on-site research and leg work as well as intercontinental travel back to that church to help equip them for the work the church itself would carry out in that mission location. It is a creative and exciting idea of mission involvement for a congregation. The variations are endless.
This development is causing the two of us to think more seriously about our own long term future. When you realize that you will not be replaced if you leave, and when you understand the gravity of manpower reduction at such a critical time and place in history, you cannot but wonder whether or not you should stay on longer. So, as you pray, . . .
Prayer Requests:
+ One of the most critical prayer needs is for Ukraine's coming elections to be held in just over a week ---- October 31st. Not only are the elections in America vitally important and with international ramifications, but so are the elections here. Please pray that righteousness, truth, and justice will rise to the forefront in the minds of the people, and that they will vote accordingly. Pray that the elections will be free from violence and will be fair. Pray that whoever is elected with develop a heart after God and will lead the nation toward true democracy and righteousness and away from corruption and evil.
+ An idea has recently been floated around that perhaps two or three churches might go together and try to secure a building that could be used 24/7 between them. Property and buildings are becoming exceedingly expensive. Please pray that God will provide IBC a place of its own (even if shared with others) where this ministry can expand. Right now we are like a turtle trying to escape the restrictions of a shell that is far too small. And yet, we're too small to go it alone. We need serious help!
+ Pray for Michael, his wife, and all his staff at UNO's. Pray for opportunities to share Jesus. Pray for their salvation. Pray for all our friends at Friday's . . . Tanya the manager, Katya, Alexandar, Sergei, Natalia, Irina, Maxim, Yulia, Anyechka (Anya), and Yaroslav . . . that they will come to understand their need for Christ. Pray also for Olga, Alona, another Alona, and Natasha at the RelCom internet office below us who are in Jo Ann's English group . . . that they will develop an interest and genuine curiosity in the Gospel. Pray for the security ladies at our apartment building entrance . . . that our friendships will grow and we'll have opportunities to share the Gospel with them.
+ Pray for our missionary colleagues here in Kiev. Go to http://www.hope4kiev.org for all their names and respective ministries. Pray for Janelle as she adjusts back to life in the U.S. and prepares for her marriage to another Journeyman missionary next Spring.
+ Pray for the Pastoral Shepherding Team (we hope to post a picture on the webshots.com site soon after the 31st) as these men assume responsibility for overseeing the church. Pray for our worship team (Lena, Lena, Andrew, Leslie, Joe) as they try to draw the people into the Lord's presence. Pray for the different people who will be preaching while we are gone, and for those who will be teaching English and Bible studies as well.
+ Pray for our Spanish ministry that it will grow, and that many Spanish speaking people will come to Christ. Pray that a Spanish speaking church can soon be formed and that proper leadership will be in place. We had two new guys from Cuba in our English Bible study last night.
+ Pray that God will prepare the hearts of some churches in the States to partner with IBC for the future. Pray that He will personally select the man or men to succeed Bob as senior pastor of the church within the next several months.
+ Pray for our family:
Cindy, Kevin, and Christopher as they seek to raise more support before they return to Colombia on November 9th.
Debbie, Abby, Sarah, and Rachel in Ft. Worth as they continue growing and dealing with family and physical challenges. Pray especially that Debbie will be healed and restored.
Cheri, Bob, Roma, Anya, Katya, Misha, and Seriozha in St. Paul . . . that they will be victorious in all the cultural and relational challenges they face, and that the kids will all develop excellence in their study habits, schooling, relationships, and personal growth.
Deanna, Jim, Michael, JoyLinn, and Nicole Grace . . . that every need will be met, that God will prove Himself more than sufficient, that Jim can continue leading the church effectively, that Deanna can minister both at church and at home with a free and relaxed spirit, that Michael will continue doing well in school, that JoyLinn will grow in her understanding of faith in Christ, and that Nicole Grace will be totally and completely healed. (Look for the coming report on her.)
+ Pray for the two of us . . . that we will have clarity of mind, strength of body, energy of spirit, and freshness of call as we minister the next couple of months away from IBC and back in the States. Pray that God will open more doors for sharing. Pray that He will lead us to churches who can see the need and vision for IBC enough to become personally involved.
Finally:
We are again reminded of how the prayer support of thousands sustains us here. Too many things are happening, and too many struggles have been overcome for us to think it was done without prayer. When it comes to missions, there are the "goers", the "senders", the "givers" and the "prayers". The "goers" would not go, the "givers" would not give, and the "senders" would not send if it were not for the "prayers".
Thank you! We look forward to seeing many when we're in the States. It's hard to believe we'll be in Missouri in just two weeks!
In His Bond and For His Kingdom,
Bob and Jo Ann Tolliver
Our Websites:
ministry photo albums.
http://www.praykiev.org for information on our city-wide strategic prayer movement.
To receive "PrayKiev", a monthly (or more) prayer letter on a city-wide prayer
network, send a blank message to praykiev-subscribe@associate.com.
To reach the "PrayKIEV" website, go to http://www.praykiev.org.
For weekly spiritual encouragement and current stories of our work here,
subscribe to "Shoulder To Shoulder", a letter to "lift up hands that
For Back Issues of . . .
More Helpful Resources:
If you have a heart for God and would like to be encouraged in your life and ministry,
and you have a burden for your church, your community, and the world,
then you may want to receive . . .
http://www.answersingenesis.org/ ---- one of the best Creation websites I've ever seen.
http://frangipane.org ---- for excellent brief words of encouragement from
one of America's premier evangelical writers/thinkers.
http://www.jfloydministries.org ---- great website for dealing with hurts and wounds through forgiveness.
http://www.cnsnews.com for daily world news without a liberal, godless bias.
http://www.worldprayerteam.org ---- A world-wide network for praying together.
http://www.watchword.org ---- excellent resources on revival, prayer, missions.
http://www.waymakers.org ---- resources on prayer, evangelism, etc.
http://www.operationiraqcare.org ---- To adopt and pray for a special historic city in Iraq.
http://www.nppn.org ---- "National Pastors' Prayer Network" newsletter. ~
Usprayercenter@cs.com ---- U. S. World Prayer Center.
Other Great Resources Are:
http://www.sermonindex.net for access to over 3900 downloadable audio sermons. Exceptional site.
http://www.biblemaster.com for great Bible resources and downloads. Exceptional site.
http://www.e-sword.net (one of the best free download Bible study site I've ever seen!)
http://www.discipleshipdirect.com/ for new and fresh evangelism & discipleship materials.
http://welovegod.org/camsoc/ctt/"Christian Communications Toolkit" (using internet wisely)
To subscribe to CAMSOC update newsletter, go to grga@myrealbox.com.
Online Resources on Ukraine are . . . .
Secular News on Kiev and Ukraine will give you interesting views at . . .