Marriage conference in Anapa has become international

ANAPA (RUSSIA) – On September 3 to 7, in Anapa senior pastor of Christ the Savior Church bishop Vladimir Khvalov conducted the 15th Annual Marriage Conference “Territory of the Covenant”. The conference was conducted as planned by the Family Department of the Russian Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith. The organizational part was traditionally undertaken by the Christ the Savior Church of Rostov-on-Don.

About 140 people took part in the event. For the first time in 15 years the conference has become international. Couples from different regions of Russia and guests from other countries – Georgia and Belarus – attended it.

One of the most numerous was delegation from Moscow – The God’s Love Church alone was represented by 30 people. There were guests from Moscow area, Saint-Petersburg, Perm area, Republics of Udmurtia and Tatarstan, Smolensk area, Krasnodar area, Rostov area. Guests from Kursk, Sochi, Penza, Nizhny Novgorod, Crimea, Sverdlovsk and Murmansk area and Orenburg visited the conference for the first time.

Bishop Vladimir Khvalov preached about the effect of the words that spouses say to each other. He shared the principles of spiritual warfare for the family. He was talking about how to keep a marriage safe from adultery and sinful influence of the world, how to establish communication between the spouses, what the difference is of men and women conception of matrimony, and covered many more other issues significant for any family.

The issue of financial welfare was covered by the administrators of the conference – pastor of  Novocherkassk Christ the Savior Church Roman Shvechikov and his wife Irina.
Besides discipleship, a lot of time at the conference was devoted to the spiritual part. The ministers prayed for healing and blessing of the married couples who are not able to have kids or are trying to overcome some challenges in their marriage. There were interceding prayers for the families of Krasnodar area – the region that the conference took place in. Besides, the ministers were counseling and praying for all those who needed help.

Within a framework of the conference a roundtable discussion for ministers willing to start a family ministry in their regions took place. Pastors from several regions shared their positive experience of such ministry and told about their plans for the future.

At the end of the conference, according to the customary tradition, a solemn ceremony of the spouses’ covenant renewal took place for the couples who were not married in a church. Another touching moment was a fathers’ and daughters’ dance, prepared by the dance ministry.

“The conference was very inspiring for many participants, and for us this is a good testimony that the Lord has been really working in the families, — says bishop Vladimir Khvalov. — Among the participants there were people who have been married for a long time, and the newly married couples, many came with children. It is a joy that people were able to have some rest, swim in the sea, sunbathe and at the same time receive some important revelations for their families. And of course I’m inspired that in many regions the work on building up families started to develop. It’s a challenge that we, as a Church, take up today. And we will be happy if as many as possible churches will join the ministry”.

The Russian Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith