This past weekend we were privileged to hear a lady from the Ukraine (former republic of the Soviet Union) share concerning conditions there in relation to the community of faith. The report she gave was both positive and encouraging. Several things came to mind.
For some time following the collapse of Soviet communism, the story gained currency that Hudson Taylor, pioneer missionary and founder of China Inland Mission, once had a vision in which a great end time revival began in Russia and spread throughout Europe. We tried at that time to verify the story, but were never fully satisfied as to either its validity or lack of such. We would, of course, be gratified should it be so. (For those interested, references to to this and other purported visions of similar nature may be found on the 'net.)
The lady also shared regarding problems somewhat endemic to the evangelical community in consequence of seventy years of communist oppression. Given a society wherein persecution, deceit and betrayal inevitably tended to tension and mistrust, believers have sometimes found it difficult to develop a meaningful sense of oneness, trust and relationship with other believers. For such reason, she continued, the unity witnessed among at least some American ministries working in the Ukraine has been of great benefit.
This brought another memory to mind. Although limited in outreach of this nature, it was our privilege in the mid-90's to conduct services in a city east of Moscow. During this time we came into contact with two evangelical churches - to our understanding, the only ones there. Little discernment was required to observe the absence of unity between the two. Shortly after returning home, we were struck by a magazine article concerning a gathering of certain Russian evangelical leaders. Their concern was that in having gained religious freedom, negative emotions once engendered in the hearts and minds of believers toward a religiously oppressive regime were now being directed toward other biblically committed believers and fellowships.
One could, I suppose, go into the psychology of redirected hostility at this point (and as the leaders recognized, it is sometimes necessary to address such), as opposed to coming together in shared faith and love, as one might have anticipated - particularly after all they had been through. Even more importantly, there is probably no greater influence than that of witnessing and experiencing Christ's love in and through others. The mission teams to which the lady referred are much to be commended.
The point to which it all brings us is this: As believers within our own nation, the day is coming in which we shall much need one another. This, too, does not require profound discernment. To what degree are we committed to the cause of oneness in Christ - a unity with brothers and sisters born of the same Spirit as children of the same heavenly Father? Is not such objective better pursued now than later?
Burl Ratzsch
