In response to Russian societal challenges such as substance abuse, street children and orphans, St. Petersburg Christian University (SPCU) students and graduates have been on the forefront of social ministry through university projects, conferences and training.

Social projects include hosting youth events and multi-day children's camps, remodeling a rehabilitation center, street evangelism and handing out Bible studies to children. One group of students will travel to Yakutsk to organize an eight-day service/worship camp for teenagers.

Other students have compiled an outreach plan including a 10-day Christian camp, fellowship conference for new believers and church youth and a unity trip to Mount Pidan. In addition, some students will partner with Tajikistan Christian organizations to provide a youth summer camp, complete with Bible lessons, activities and fellowship. Tajikistan believers comprise less than .01% of the population.

Nearby churches are taking notice and have asked the students/graduates to host similar activities and trips. Student Nikita Rezyukov says, "It is exciting to be able to use what I am learning and to see the children's lives positively affected."

Graduate Dusan Bredji

As Serbia is still reeling from recent civil war and a poor economy, Novi Sad Theological Seminary (NSTS) focuses on social ministries to reach the community for Christ. Dusan Bredji, Associate Pastor at First Christian Fellowship Church, is one graduate whose church has social ministries widely impacting the Novi Sad community.

Many have accepted Christ through the church's ministries, including hospice care, Samaritan's Purse, distribution of care packages to refugees from war-torn countries and an Alpha course that provides community meals during which people can ask questions about Christianity. The church has also planted at least four area churches. Dusan says his theological education at NSTS helped him be more creative in reaching the community for Christ with his church team.

NSTS is officially recognized as Serbia's theological school serving all evangelical denominations. Thirteen of NSTS' graduates serve as full-time faculty and staff, providing the individualized and contextualized education in which NSTS so strongly believes.

OC's Regional Director Riad Kassis offers his expert overview on Central Europe and the importance of theological education.

Riad Kassis, OC Central Europe/Middle East Regional Director

Central Europe is facing many political, social and economic changes. The post-Communist transitional era brought great potential for development but not without challenges. The Church is caught in the midst of remaining faithful to the Gospel while addressing the realities of the region's changing culture. Theological education is of utmost significance.

OC continues to carefully select strategic partners who are able to carry on this task: a Polish partner institution is intelligently and faithfully engaged as an authentic evangelical voice in a pre-dominantly Catholic country; a Croatian seminary is effectively preparing men and women for many Central European countries; a small but vibrant Serbian seminary is producing top publications addressing contextualized issues; and Bulgarian and Slovakian seminaries are fulfilling the needs of churches and reaching out to social groups. In addition, Central European seminaries are progressing academically due to the demands of the European Union educational department.

Even as most of Central Europe's countries become part of the EU, the Church and its institutions are still young, small and in need of much care and support. Let us join together hand in hand to revive the Gospel of Jesus Christ in "secular" Europe.

Zoya Bardina

In addition, Zoya has interviewed Russian politicians like Mikhail Gorbachev and Vladimir Ryzhkov and written several essays about the protection of believers' rights for newspapers and magazines in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. Currently, she serves as the editor of the Russian newspaper Protestant while still writing for various Christian print publications.

"DCU became a very special spiritual school for me and has served as a model for service and dedication," Zoya says. "At that time, I really received my inspiration for service in the sphere of Christian mass media." She plans to continue developing Christian mass media and positively representing true Christianity in secular society. She stands by her motto: "The greatest title is Christian."

OC's fifth 2008 Institute for Excellence in Christian Leadership Development was held May 5-9 in Guatemala City, Guatemala. The event was hosted by OC partner Central American Theological Seminary (CATS). 33 leaders of strategic training programs in the region attended the Institute, representing Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela.

During the five-day Institute themed "Leadership Matters," participants focused on topics designed to equip them to more effectively lead their schools. All presentations and materials were available in Spanish.

Institute participants commented that the curriculum was excellently planned, facilitators prepared diligently, presenters were knowledgeable, information was valuable, interaction was great and the learning environment was very good. One participant said completing a practical Ministry Action Plan to outline his leadership improvements significantly enhanced what he took away from the Institute.

[See Guatemala City Institute speaker list in sidebar]

• For God's wisdom as OC partner schools seek government accreditation
• For encouragement as evangelicals feel the pressures of being a minority in secular societies
• For God's grace and empowerment for the boards of directors of each institution
• For Evangelical School of Theology (EST) as it seeks to be a center for a movement of evangelical thought in Poland
• For the doctoral programs at International Baptist Theological Seminary (IBTS), Prague, and Evangelical Theological Seminary (ETS), Croatia
• For the expanding ministry of Bulgarian Evangelical Theological Institute (BETI) in other countries of the Balkans
• For the new building project very much needed at Novi Sad Theological Seminary (NSTS), Serbia

• For the freedom that theological institutions are experiencing in Central Europe
• For the growing number of young men and women and their commitment to serve the Lord in their own countries
• For the vision of the Department of Evangelical Theology and Mission (DETM), Slovakia, and Evangelical School of Theology of Prague (ETSP) as they prepare educators and social workers to influence society