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Когда мы понимаем, что заслужили наказание и смиряем
покорно души свои перед Богом. Когда мы готовы принять все, что Он определил
нам – включая поражение, плен или смерть.
Когда мы просим не о своем
благополучии, и даже не о спасении своих детей и внуков, но о том, чтобы Божье
Имя прославилось во всем происходящем или вопреки всему.
Когда ревность о нашем
Боге становится сильнее желания жить.
Тогда Бог начинается действовать, в ответ
на нашу ревность «ревность Господа Саваофа соделает это» и многое другое,
великое, страшное, чудное.
These reflections contribute to the history of missions in the former Soviet Union during a very difficult time. They connect with Mennonite and Baptist and mission efforts. I will present seven characteristics of the tent-mission style of Nikita Ignatievich Saloff-Astakhoff to illustrate how it operated and especially how it brought diverse Christian groups together.
Sheep of Christ, if you are wearing a wolf’s mask, take it off! During our time, an open confession of Christ is needed. “For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father,” says the Lord. There are now many wolves who are wearing sheep’s clothing in order to be in a sheep’s flock. Quite often those wolves preach from the pulpits of Christian churches. Give up your brazen hypocrisy and do not create an easy profession from the Blood of Christ, from the blood of His followers and martyrs.[iii]
A group of soldiers (Soldier’s Circle) could not be a lasting organization; it could exist only as long as the war continued and the army existed. At one of the last meetings of the Board of the Circle in Moscow, the question was posed: “How can this organization be preserved and how can its work for Christ continue in peaceful times?” One of the zealous workers of the circle expressed this desire: “If the Lord gave us a tent, we could continue our work, traveling around the country and carrying the Gospel to places where it has not yet been preached.”[iv]
Missions worked exclusively in the religious context; it was interdenominational and international. By their nationality, the co-laborers were Russians, Germans, Jews, Finns, and Latvians. By their religious beliefs: they were Mennonites, evangelical Christians, Baptists and Lutherans. They were of different nationalities, different religious backgrounds, different classes and positions, but all were striving for the same goal in the person of Jesus Christ, who was number one for all of them. Ahead were Christ and His Calvary and all around were perishing souls. Therefore, there was no time for disputes about opinions, about the correctness of this or that religious trend. No one even thought about arguing. We were all aware that the Lord had not called us to that. He did not shed His blood so that the members of His church would spend time arguing. We are all saved by Him in order to, in turn, save others. This is our calling here on earth; this is our mission. The hearts of co-laborers were filled with the awareness that the coming of the Lord is near. We knew that our world did not need our opinions or theoretical Christianity. The world is suffocating amidst doctrines and human institutions. The world is looking for life, simplicity, and light. During our work, we did not organize individual communities but sent converts to already existing communities of believers. Our goal was not to baptize but to preach the crucified Christ; not to organize visible churches, but to reach souls for Christ and to add them to the universal Church.[v]
Hitler will start treating nations at his own will; people will have to fulfill his will unquestioningly, for no one will have the moral or physical strength to resist him. As soon as Hitler cleanses the countries of the Jews, he will begin destroying Christianity with fire and sword. You avoided the war in which several millions could have died, but you have prepared the ground for the death of tens of millions. Judas betrayed Christ once with a kiss, a sign of love. You have betrayed the nations with the kiss of peace, betrayed Christianity and the people of Israel. Woe to the world from the maniac who appeared, who infected tens of millions of people in his country with his mania, but sad will be the memory of those who helped the maniac acquire strength and power at a decisive moment.[vi]
The summer of 1920 was the time of intense trials for the author. In the autumn of 1919, seven co-workers from the Mission were killed while preaching the Gospel in the south. Among those killed was the organizer and the head of the Mission, Jacob Dyck. At the general meeting of the remaining staff, future leadership was conferred on the author. This decision was such a heavy burden for a young man who had converted only three years ago and did not have the proper experience.[vii]
“the Mennonites went through a deep, divine purification. They accepted their destiny with words of repentance. But at the same time they did not abandon their mission among Russians; quite the contrary. The Mennonite’s guilt before the Russians could be blotted out only in this way – by evangelism.”[viii]
Today we live in a time of terrible individualism, and we talk about the tolerance of peoples. But this is still far from being a brotherhood. Here we can learn a lesson from Russian tent missionaries. Among the children of Russian Protestantism today there is no more relevant topic than unity. Missions, which counts on the blessing of God, advances such unity. May this passionate example of Russian tent missions help us comprehend again the truth of these words![ix]
Conclusion
Обычно мы говорим о благовестии в категориях долга, поручения,
труда.
И если мы этим ограничиваемся, то рано или поздно
приходит усталость от трудов и подвигов, когда начинает казаться, что наша миссия
просто-напросто невозможна и невыполнима.
Вот почему очень важно понимать и принимать «Великое
Поручение» в свете новых полномочий и возможностей, новой власти и силы, которые
мы обретаем в Иисусе.
Одиннадцать же учеников пошли в Галилею, на гору, куда
повелел им Иисус, и, увидев Его, поклонились Ему, а иные усомнились. И
приблизившись Иисус сказал им: дана Мне всякая власть на небе и на земле. Итак
идите, научите все народы, крестя их во имя Отца и Сына и Святаго Духа, уча их
соблюдать все, что Я повелел вам; и се, Я с вами во все дни до скончания века.
Аминь (Матф. 28:16-20).
Если бы Иисус не обладал «всякой властью на небе и на
земле», если бы Он не делился ею с нами, посылая нас как Своих полномочных
представителей, то миссия была бы и в самом деле невыполнимой.
Лишь принимая Его власть и силу, мы можем «идти и учить».
Даже те, что «усомнились», получают эту власть и силу.
Даже они посланы покорять народы и весь мир.
Мы можем делать это и многое другое лишь тогда, когда Он
с нами во всем дни, когда с нами Его власть и сила. Иначе не нужно никуда идти
и не стоит пытаться кого-то учить.
Без Него и Его силы лучше оставаться на месте и «ждать
обещанного». Почему? Потому что если мы отправимся выполнять Великое Поручение
без Него и Его силы, мы будем выглядеть слабыми перед миром и, что гораздо
хуже, будем представлять Бога слабым; мы будем пытаться учить истинам, которые
не пережили сами; мы будем требовать от других соблюдать то, что не соблюдаем
сами.
Иногда мне кажется, что самом лучшее, что мы можем сделать для миссии –
просто перестать делать вид, что мы ее выполняем, перестать ходить и учить
неверным представлениям о Боге, перестать распространять нашу слабую веру и
сомнения, перестать мешать Богу в Его миссии.
Мы ничего не можем сделать для Него без Него, без Его
власти и силы, без Его живого присутствия, без послушного исполнения всего
того, что Он повелел нам. Тогда и только тогда мы можем идти, учить и крестить.