Uzbekistan is a new mission field for Word of Grace Bible Church. At this point, we do not consider it an established ministry, but we see new opportunities opening up and are praying for the Lord's direction as we seek to understand how He would have us move forward.
In recent years, pastors from our church have visited Uzbekistan three times, meeting with local ministry leaders and learning more about the spiritual needs of the region. During one of these trips, one of our pastors and his wife visited several congregations, where they had the opportunity to meet with believers, see firsthand the various aspects of local ministry, and share their faith in Christ with fellow travelers along the way.
We are grateful to God for the opportunity to meet with the family of a local ministry leader, Vlad Zyryanov, a graduate of our Bible Preaching School, which Word of Grace Bible Church previously held in another Central Asian country. He now serves in Uzbekistan, and members of our church help provide financial support for his ministry. Through the local church, youth camps, and mercy ministry, the Gospel continues to reach people who are coming to faith in God despite the strong influence of the Muslim culture around them. This visit gave us an opportunity to see the fruit of this work firsthand.
One possible direction for future cooperation is opening a new branch of the Bible Preaching School in Uzbekistan. There is already interest in biblical training, and discussions with local brothers are currently underway. This would give us an opportunity to help equip ministry leaders who can faithfully preach God's Word, strengthen local churches, and plant new ones.
We see the Lord gradually opening doors for us in this country, while recognizing that this journey is only beginning. For now, our task is to pray, listen to our local brothers, gain a better understanding of the churches' actual needs, and seek the Lord's guidance. We pray that, if the Lord opens this door, our involvement will help strengthen local churches and advance the Gospel throughout Uzbekistan.
In recent years, pastors from our church have visited Uzbekistan three times, meeting with local ministry leaders and learning more about the spiritual needs of the region. During one of these trips, one of our pastors and his wife visited several congregations, where they had the opportunity to meet with believers, see firsthand the various aspects of local ministry, and share their faith in Christ with fellow travelers along the way.
We are grateful to God for the opportunity to meet with the family of a local ministry leader, Vlad Zyryanov, a graduate of our Bible Preaching School, which Word of Grace Bible Church previously held in another Central Asian country. He now serves in Uzbekistan, and members of our church help provide financial support for his ministry. Through the local church, youth camps, and mercy ministry, the Gospel continues to reach people who are coming to faith in God despite the strong influence of the Muslim culture around them. This visit gave us an opportunity to see the fruit of this work firsthand.
One possible direction for future cooperation is opening a new branch of the Bible Preaching School in Uzbekistan. There is already interest in biblical training, and discussions with local brothers are currently underway. This would give us an opportunity to help equip ministry leaders who can faithfully preach God's Word, strengthen local churches, and plant new ones.
We see the Lord gradually opening doors for us in this country, while recognizing that this journey is only beginning. For now, our task is to pray, listen to our local brothers, gain a better understanding of the churches' actual needs, and seek the Lord's guidance. We pray that, if the Lord opens this door, our involvement will help strengthen local churches and advance the Gospel throughout Uzbekistan.
