I have been back home now for two weeks after my wonderful trip to the USA in January.  During the 2 weeks of my stay, I visited, preached, and shared about our ministry in Eurasia in Lexington, KY, Sulphur, LA, and Arlington, TX.

This trip also allowed me to attend the 30th reunion of the Corps of Cadets of Texas A&M, class of 1981, and just as importantly spend some time with my aged father in Wichita Falls, TX, and visit my new grandson in Dallas, TX.  It really doesn’t get any better than that!

From March 7 - 21 seventeen pastoral students will be  in St.Petersburg for our Winter\Spring intensive course. We have an outstanding group of visiting pastors to assist in this course:  Pastor Brian Nolder will teach exegetically on Philippians, James Jordan on Genesis, Terry Tollefson on Conflict Resolution, and I will teach on the Doctrine of the Word of God.

This is without a doubt the strongest line up of speakers and topics we have ever had in my 20 years of living and working for the Lord in the former Soviet Union.

The most encouraging thing about this upcoming intensive course in addition to the spiritual firepower of the men that will be teaching will be that we have 2 Eurasian pastors who will graduate at the conclusion of this intensive course. We hope and pray that we can celebrate the wonderful achievements of pastor Jenya of Karaganda, Kazakhstan, and pastor Kiril of the Far East of Russia. They have all been studying in our extension program for the last 3 years or more.

It will be especially exciting for them to see their hours of study, travel, and discussion recognized and affirmed by 4 American and 9 of their Eurasian pastor brothers!

Please pray that we will be examples for all seventeen pastoral students attending of 1Cor.16. Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, act like men, be strong.  Let all that you do be done in love.

Yours in Christ,

Blake

Igor Krutogolov (left) and Sergey Matsuk (right) graduated St.Petersburg seminary in 2006 and 2010