The conference brought together 270 children's and teen ministers of the Russian Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith in the Central Federal District. Moscow, Tula, Bryansk, Obninsk, St. Petersburg, Minsk, Lipetsk, Gryazi, Tambov, Orel, Belgorod, Voronezh, Smolensk, Kaluga, Karabanovo, Maloyaroslavets, Korolev, Dzerzhinsk, Ramenskoye, Samara, Orekhovo-Zuevo — from these and other cities came people whose hearts had once responded to God's call to minister to children and teenagers.
The theme of the conference was “Burn and do not burn” — very important and always relevant for ministers. During the conference, the organizers put firewood and a fire extinguisher on the stage, which helped the participants to analyze whether someone or something can extinguish the fire of God in the heart of a minister. They pondered what is an extinguisher in them, and what ignites the heart and keeps the fire burning.
Minister Inga Mokey shared her testimony of how God called her to serve different people: in a nursing home, families with disabled children. The key question of her message was: Who is your God? Are you filled with love, peace, joy?
The participants watched a puppet show about the sincerity of prayer, tested their knowledge of the Bible and showed their wit at a quiz. Conference participants sang with the group “Yeshol” and shared testimonies about what the Lord has done in their lives and ministries.
Dmitry Shidlovsky, a minister from Belarus, spoke about prayer. It is by our prayer life that we can determine whether we will burn or not, despite our talents and anointing. And on the second day of the conference, he preached on the life and hardships of Moses and his encounter with the fire of the Lord. “Each of us makes a decision about what we will do with what we have,” he said.
Together with Sunday school director and Master of Theology from Baranovichi Anna Kopeiko ministers reflected on the emotional fire in the team, and with missionary Michael Turkevich continued the theme of prayer.
The morning of the second day began with Pastor Vyacheslav Zaloznykh's credo: “If you stop learning, you have lost the right to teach others.” He wished the participants to see the miracles of God in everyday life and to stand in the breach for their children.
Wickliffe Mission minister Elena Vinokurova shared parenting tips on how to teach yourself and your children using examples from the Bible.
The participants of the conference recalled the seven needs of a child and tested the erudition and knowledge of teachers in the “My Game”. Anna Kopeiko helped to look into the inner world of a child and spoke about the eight types of intelligence, shared the practice of ministry, and gave away amazing bookboxes. Tatyana Shalomitskaya, an instructor for Sunday school teachers, spoke about discipline and how to see the value of a child in the light of God's word.
Two days flew by unnoticed, but during these two days God spoke to everyone. Many impressions, new meetings, knowledge and testimonies — all this will inspire the ministers “not to faint in zeal, to be fervent in spirit, to serve the Lord” (Romans 12:11) and to look forward to the next conference for children and teen ministers “Treasure Gatherers”.
Children's and Teen’s Ministries
The Russian Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith
