In-Depth Studies Blog

I left Phoenix on Thursday morning, March 6 and arrived in Minsk, Belarus on Friday at about 1:00 pm. This portion of the trip I was not accompanied by anyone. I haven’t traveled alone overseas for quite some time. The weekend of my arrival was greeted with unusually warm weather, but then it turned to its customary cold ways. On Saturday afternoon I met with Slava Viazovsky and we had lunch together and talked about his ideas for a Doctoral Dissertation at a school in Scotland where he hopes to work on his degree. In the evening I went to the New Covenant Reformed Baptist Church in Gatava (about 30 minutes south of Minsk) to teach the youth of the church. It was a full house and we discussed the new heart. Oleg leads the group and he is in his early 20’s and definitely has a new heart.

On Sunday morning I taught the church and we spent the afternoon with Vladimir and Luda Bukanov (the pastor and his wife) at their flat enjoying a typical delicious meal that Luda provided. It is a real privilege to work with Vladimir. His heart for the Lord is remarkable and his grasp of how the bible fits together is outstanding. The Lord has given us a friendship that will last for eternity and a working relationship that will last for many years to come.

From Monday through Wednesday I taught a conference in Gatava on the subject of “Israel” to various church leaders and some other folks. We examined Israel from every possible biblical point of view. It was a rich time of learning and fellowship. The ladies of the church provided a cooked lunch each day and it was quite good. One highlight of our time at the conference was the visit of two policemen to the church building. They wanted to see me and my passport. We do not know exactly why they were there but I do know that Belarus is cracking down on allowing Americans into the country.

On Wednesday evening I had an open forum for the church in Gatava and was encouraged by the obvious spiritual growth that was evident in their questions and discussion. The spiritual leadership of Vladimir and the other leaders in the church is very evident and it is remarkable what they are doing in this part of the world. At this point I should also point out that the church is seeking to enlarge their church building and they are in need of some funds. Vladimir is also in the midst of trying to finish the building of his home in a nearby village. He also is in need of some funds to finish the job. If you should have any desire to help out with these needs then contact IDS.

On Thursday I spend the afternoon with Anatoly Chukhalyonak, one of two pastors of a church in Minsk that is made up of university students and singles in their 20’s. Anatoly and I spent much time sorting through biblical and pastoral issues. He is a remarkable believer who has a maturity that is far beyond his years. I am looking forward to working with him in the years ahead. That evening I met with a flat full of Anatoly’s students (he teaches English at the Linguistic University in Minsk) and gave them an opportunity to talk with an American in English. I was able to work in an explanation of the gospel and it was a very special evening.

Early Friday morning I was picked up at the hotel at 3:30 am and taken to the airport to get a 5:30 am flight to Vienna and then on to Bucharest, Romania. At the Bucharest airport I met up with Buff Powers, the pastor of Lighthouse Baptist Church in Sussex, WI. Buff arrived from Milwaukee and we took a 6 hour train ride to Comanesti, Romania which is located at north of Bucharest and at the foot of the Carpathian mountains.

Buff and I met up with Adrian Barzu, who is the pastor of the Baptist church in Comanesti, and we took part in a 3 day conference with Romanian and Gypsy pastors and taught them on the subject of New Covenant Theology. We stayed in the newly built dorm portion of the church and the ladies of the church provided all of our meals. Needless to say, I did put on a few pounds. The food was wonderful and seemed to never end. Our time of fellowship with the men was very special. Each morning at 7:30 we had a devotional  time and I thoroughly enjoyed the singing even though I could not understand the Romanian language. Adrian is desiring to establish a teaching center in his portion of Romania and ground folks in the Doctrines of Grace and New Covenant Theology.

On Friday Adrian drove Buff and me to Oradia, Romania which is located on the western border with Hungary. The trip took 9 hours and we drove through the mountains of Transylvania. It was a beautiful trip and his son Andy joined us for this excursion. We went to this portion of Romania to visit a missionary to the gypsy children and women who is supported by Buff’s church. Buff needed to see her ministry. Her name is Kim and she is 32 years old and has a terrific grasp of the Romanian language and easily adapts to its culture. She was our host while we were there. Our trip came to a close with a 3 hours trip to Budapest, Hungary to get the plane to come home.

Upon reflection I would say that both portions of the trip were very successful. It remains to be seen what the future holds regarding my getting into Belarus. But, that being said, I would also say that my commitment to the men there remains as strong as ever, though we may have to be a bit more creative in our approach in the future.  The future possibilities of teaching for Adrian in Romania do seem to be limitless and I do want to be a part of grounding leaders in that part of the world. Thank you for your prayers and financial help to make this trip possible. It is amazing to see how this portion of my ministry has grown since that first trip to Minsk in February of 1996. It is amazing to be a part of his unfolding plan. Bye for now, Geoff

Category : Author: Geoff Volker, Misc