by Anita Deyneka

The procession of Westerners to Russia and other republics is steady. But how strategic is Christian assistance from afar? How can such assistance be made more strategic?

Take advantage of a new publication designed to assist Christian ministry in the CIS and East Central Europe. The East-West Christian Organizations Directory provides an excellent guide to non-native ministries working in the Commonwealth and East Central Europe. [Editor's note: See page 3 for order information.]

Once a Western church or parachurch ministry is aware of the work of others in the CIS and Eastern Europe, and once it decides where and how to extend its assistance, it should prepare a brief ministry summary in English and in the appropriate East European languages.

Even as Christian organizations form new networks among themselves to respond to the enormous challenge of missions in Eastern Europe, I would suggest that consideration be given to deliberate but cautious and discerning new networks with groups which may not be specifically Christian but which have help to offer. Humanitarian aid and technical expertise is so desperately needed now and can benefit Christian ministry in the Commonwealth and Eastern Europe.

With new freedoms, East European Christians have taken many independent initiatives. For example, in the Commonwealth hundreds of new Christian missions and publishing organizations exist which did not exist before glasnost. New denominations, churches, parachurch organizations, indigenous missions, Bible schools, seminaries, publishing operations, and charities translate into many more indigenous Christian contacts with which Western ministries may form partnerships.  It is helpful to remember that the Evangelical Christian-Baptist Union, while important and influential, is not the only evangelical church in the Commonwealth.

Until a few years ago, the few evangelical churches were for most Western Christians the only points of entry into the Soviet Union. Even those contacts were restricted. Now, besides these churches and new parachurch bodies, multiple channels exist for the communication of the gospel, including direct evangelistic ministries through such institutions as the military, prisons, the media, and the educational systems. Each has a developed infrastructure already in place with the potential to influence millions of lives.

The following questions provide a starting point in planning for more effective ministry:

• How can ministries cultivate the Kingdom rather than territory, avoid staking out claims, and competing for the services of nationals? Each church and parachurch ministry has its own distinctives and fund-raising imperatives. Still, for the greater good of God's kingdom, cooperation will be most fruitful when who gets the credit is the last, not the first, concern.
• How many more Western preachers and choirs are needed? In many cases these churches are plentifully supplied with their own preachers and choirs?
• What kinds of Western missionaries or Christian workers--short and long term--are needed and for which areas of ministry?
• How much Western money should be spent to send North American missionaries versus how much should be spent to support nationals whose salaries are 20 to 30 times less in the Commonwealth?
• How many facilities should Western Christian organizations own versus how much money should Westerners be willing to invest in joint ventures with nationals or in properties and projects controlled by nationals?
• Western missions usually do not prepare Christian literature for Africa or Taiwan from Cincinnati. For now, reasons still exist for some publications, broadcasters, and other materials for the Commonwealth and Eastern Europe to be prepared in the West. But how can ministries help hasten the day when Christian books and broadcasts are indigenous?
• At what point does the Western subsidy of Christian literature impede indigenous, non-subsidized production?
• How can Western Christians cooperate rather than compete in obtaining access to media to keep costs of broadcast time from escalating?
• Why is it that the number of conversions reported by Western and national Christian organizations does not seem to be even closely reflected in commensurate church growth?
• How can new churches be established which will meet the needs of new converts from disparate backgrounds?
• Although a preponderance of Christians in the Commonwealth are women, this is not reflected in the participation of women in church life there, beyond attendance. Is this an issue that Western missions should address?

While spiritual starvation may prompt swift and massive aid, how can ministries respond not only for short-term involvement, but with long-term participation in mind? How can ministries help insure that infrastructures are in place in the Commonwealth and Eastern Europe which can beneficially absorb the aid offered?

Anita Deyneka is director of research and communications for Peter Deyneka Russian Ministries. She lives in Moscow.