PERM – “God seeks worshippers who worship Him in spirit and truth,” — with these words, Sergey Yastrzhembsky, rector of the Moscow Theological Institute and pastor of the Christ the Risen Church of Moscow, began his sermon at the opening of the Worship Conference, which took place from October 23 to 25 at the New Testament Church of Perm.
A worship band from the Good News Church of Tyumen served on stage. The first evening of the conference was inspiring and reminded that worship is not a form but a state of the heart. Sergey Yastrzhembsky spoke about freedom and sacrifice, without which sincere worship is impossible: “We can worship God with our lips, hands, and bodies, but true worship begins with a pure heart.”
Over the next two days, participants listened to sermons and shared their experiences in ministry. Pastor Andrei Bulatov spoke about the “spiritual compass of a worshipper,” recalling the words of John the Baptist: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Bishop Dmitry Gula from Simferopol emphasized in his sermon “Reflecting His Glory”: “The face of a person is a mirror that reflects God's glory.”
The evening of the second day was special—the NTWORSHIP team from the New Testament Church led a worship night. The third day continued with the musicians of the SokolovBrothers band: Alexander Sokolov spoke about gratitude born in a humble heart, and Sergey Sokolov spoke about heavenly joy that cannot be created by human efforts.
Practical master classes took a special place at the conference, where participants delved into specific aspects of musical and technical ministry. Musicians, vocalists, and ministers shared their experiences, revealing the professional and spiritual sides of worship: the art of worship, aspects of vocal art and the principles of good sound, children's choirs and children's worship school, the subtleties of playing keyboards, acoustic guitar, and drums, and the use of playbacks.
Pastor Sergey Zhuravlev concluded the conference by recalling in his sermon the story of David, who received from God the bread of presence—a symbol of His unchanging closeness: “The Lord chose him and did not abandon him. He acts in the same way today.”
The three days of the conference—worship, sermons, master classes, and a worship night—brought inspiration, joy, and an encounter with God. Participants took away one reminder: worship is not just music, but life before His face.
The Russian Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith
