Missions Mobilization Strategy


The North Caucasus are made up of seven provinces, with peoples speaking 48 unique languages.

The Challenge

There are more than 48 unreached people groups living in the territory of the North Caucasus region of Southern Russia, the majority of them being cultural Muslims. This part of Russia is known as a highly unstable place - socially, politically, and economically. It is frequently in the news for terrorism and Muslim religious extremism. According to official statistics, 12% of young people less than 23 years old support the use of violence in the name of establishment of the Sharia rule.

Russian-speaking evangelical churches are a strategic, yet under developed, resource for cross-cultural church planting among these unreached people groups. Research has shown that Russian-speaking evangelicals have had strong growth and vitality among Slavic populations in southern Russia.

However, significant cross-cultural work among unreached people groups of southern Russia has yet to flourish. Most Russian-speaking evangelical churches in southern Russia have not yet been mobilized for cross-cultural and world missions. These churches seldom have local-church missions committees or boards. Their situation is similar to post-reformation Europe before William Carey – before the dawn of the Protestant missions movement.

‘Operation World’ prayer guide describes the 48 Caucasus people groups as “some of the least-reached on earth” who live “in Europe’s least evangelized region." Those groups are:
1. Abazin
2. Adygei
3. Aghul
4. Akhvakh
5. Akhti
6. Akushin
7. Andi
8. Archi
9. Avar
10. Bagvalal
11. Balkar
12. Bezhta
13. Botlikh
14. Chamal
15. Chechen
16. Churkelin

17. Chinukh 
18. Cherkess
19. Dargin
20. Dido
21. Digor
22. Ginukh
23. Godoberi
24. Grubsuben
25. Gunzib
26. Ingush
27. Kabardin
28. Katagan
29. Kaitag
30. Karachai
31. Kuri
32. Karata

 33. Khvarshin 
34. Kubachi
35. Kumyk
36. Lak
37. Lezgin
38. Mountain Jews
39. Muerin
40. Nogai
41. Ossetian
42. Rutul
43. Sirkhiner
44. Tabasaran
45. Tindi
46. Tsakhur
47. Tsudakhar
48. Tsez

The Goal

The purpose of this project is assist Russian evangelical churches in their efforts to accelerate a movement of mission commitment for the purpose of sending and supporting cross-cultural church planters.

North Caucasus Bible Institute, in partnership with the Evangelical Christian Baptist Churches of southern Russia, has established the following objectives for increasing missions commitment in local churches: 

  1. Establish a tradition of World Missions prayer circles in local churches.
  2. Establish a movement of church-based missions education.
  3. Stimulate a tradition of local church activism in short-term missions.
  4. Establish a missions information network feeding both the prayer movement and general interest in missions.
A similar project has been successfully going with the Moldovan Baptist Union, and it is now our vision to expand it to Evangelical Christian Baptist churches of southern Russia. In order to respond to this need, we are seeking funding of the following missions mobilization strategy. It is expected that in two years the projects will be self-supported as a Mission fund for specific donations from local churches will be established.  

The Case for Local Missionaries

  • Mobilized from among local Christians.
  • Understand the culture.
  • Know the language.
  • Need less support or none at all.
  • Closely connected to local churches.
  • Stay in Russia.

Thus, if the mission to the Caucasus peoples is to be effective, local churches, rather than foreign agencies, are to become the main sources of missionaries.

The Suggested Missionary Strategy

In December 2010, the faculty of the North Caucasus Bible Institute (NCBI) suggested to the vice president of Russian Union of Evangelical Baptist Churches a strategy they called “The Chain of Three Links” (explained below). In early 2011, it was presented to and approved by the local pastoral council and the six regional bishops (superintendants) with their mission assistants.

In May 12-13, 2011, it was presented to 250 pastors during the congress of EB churches of Southern Russia. During the congress the Missions Board of Southern Russia was chosen. Its main task is implementation of the strategy. The board consists of six pastors who meet quarterly, and two full time coordinators.

From June 2011 – June 2013, the coordinators, under the Board’s supervision, will be working on the first stage (or ‘Link’): Mission Mobilization in the Local Churches.

The ‘Chain of 3 Links’ Strategy

 

Support the Missions Mobilization Strategy

The 2011-2012 bi-annual budget for the above mobilization objectives is:

Missions Information Network and World Missions Prayer Circles: $13,300
Church-based Missions Education and Short-term Missions: $12,320
TOTAL:  $ 25,620

Your gift will directly support raising up local missionaries in the North Caucasus. Thank you for your prayer and financial support.