By: Rev. Brandon Dirks
Our days are so full…below I share some about our worship and teaching from Wednesday. Check back tomorrow for more!
This is the street we must cross everyday to go to the retreat center. We walk about .25 miles down the road to a tunnel, then .25 miles back. One mile round trip, each trip. We take a few trips a day. Some of us are trying to figure out if we can cut across this traffic without getting hit!
Wednesday morning worship service…I am preaching “The Pearl of Great Price” story that I did for Christ Church a few weeks ago. It was a challenge to do it with a translator in Russia.
My brother Vladimir Ditmar! He is one of the translators and we sit in the back of the lectures together. I actually took this picture during a lecture by Sergei. Maybe I’m not one of the best students…we are having a great time!
Natalya Lozak is giving her testimony about the difference a covenant group made in her life over the last year. A participant from last year started one she joined. Now she is here to learn how to be a covenant group leader. This is the Kingdom multiplying!
Sergei started the teaching with the Four Calls of Christ (Salvation, Lordship, Discipleship, Purpose) and the central framework for disciple making. So cool how God’s truth is true in any language!
Sergei is teaching on Romans 12. Many men in Christ Church have used Romans 12 in a small group to help them wrestle with foundational challenges and obstacles in their faith. Our Russian brothers and sisters are as well!
Elena Mityaeva came to me during break. She doesn’t speak English, but it was important for her to tell me something. For 10 minutes we pantomime and used Google translate. I finally understood and it brought tears to my eyes. She said that the sermon this morning moved her to tears because she and her daughter have been praying for years for a home they could own and live in. She realized that even if she bought a house, she wouldn’t own it. It’s God’s. It’s all God’s. She was able to let it go. She asked me to pray for her and her daughter. I did right there! She asked for a video of my sermon. Oh my!
Holy Discontent 