Skip to content
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
The Baptist Paper
The Baptist Paper
  • SBC 2025
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • SBC 2025
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds

Prayer desperately needed for Russian churches, IMB worker says

  • March 29, 2022
  • International Mission Board
  • Featured, International Mission Board, International News, Latest News
Believers gather in a church in Moscow, Russia, in 2006.
(IMB photo)

Prayer desperately needed for Russian churches, IMB worker says

Lamar and Aubrey Shubert lead workers among both Ukrainian and Russian people groups. And while the world’s spotlight is, understandably, on the travesties the Ukrainian people are facing, the Shuberts’ hearts are breaking not only for them but also for the Russian people.

When the U.S.S.R. legally ceased to exist on Dec. 31, 1991, Southern Baptists and other evangelical groups rushed to get the gospel to the peoples of Russia and the former republics. Though the government has increased restrictions in recent years, established churches in Russia have continued to grow in strength and zeal. As the war continues and the world is polarized, the Shuberts want to remind the Church in the United States to be in prayer for churches in Russia, because they are hurting too.

“The Russian Church and most of the Russian people are not the ones at war with Ukraine. It’s the Russian regime,” Lamar said.

The Shuberts offered specific ways that Southern Baptists can be praying for Christians in Russia during this time — specifically for Christ followers and national partners inside the border.

Pray for those who have yet to hear the gospel in Russia.

Less than 2% of Russia’s population of 145.8 million identify as evangelical. Pray for believers that remain in Russia to be dedicated to the task of reaching this vast unreached people group with the gospel during war. Pray that they would be reminded that the world’s greatest need is lostness, even when other felt needs are increasingly pressing.

Pray for the Russian church in the face of persecution

The Shuberts are praying for a peaceful resolution to the conflict, but while war still rages, those inside Russia who are vocally opposed to the war are facing impending persecution. Lamar says churches are anticipating the government focusing on people in their culture who are “causing tension” and pushing to single them out. He believes this will inevitably include the Russian evangelical church. Lamar said churches are anticipating a “religious purging.”

“It’s just hard to listen to friends and colleagues who, for their elders’ meetings, are asking questions like, ‘What’s our political statement going to be so that when they come to arrest us, we can be the best witnesses we can be?’ That’s where the Church is right now. They’re preparing for those arrests and the coming persecution,” Lamar shared.

Pray for the Russian Church as part of the body of Christ

As necessary sanctions rise to halt the efforts of the Russian regime, it’s the people of Russia, rather than government leaders, who are feeling the most pain right now. The price of milk has risen five or six times what it was weeks ago. Car parts are scarce, and most flights are unavailable. Still, the churches are doing what they can to help Ukrainian refugees who have fled to Russia.

“They are personally suffering,” Lamar said. “It’s not just the potential of persecution. They’re suffering in a way that we as Americans don’t understand, and we have seldom seen in our American history. Pray for them as they suffer and as they suffer willingly.”

Pray for IMB workers among Russian people groups

Russians remain one of the largest unreached people groups, despite the growing church in Russia. With this statistic in mind, the burden to continue the work among Russian people groups is heavy.

“They’re [IMB workers] suffering also, but they’re waiting to see where Russians start to migrate to as they come out. They want to be there and seize the gospel moment,” Lamar said.

As the Shuberts expressed their concern for Russian believers, they also look with confidence to the kingdom impact that the Russian Church can make within its own country and as some begin to flee to other places.

“There’s a great Church in Russia. The Church in Russia is strong, is sound, is growing and is vibrant,” Lamar said. “We want to hold to trust in Christ that if persecution does break out, it’ll be something that the Church grows through. And our brothers and sisters in Russia believe that wholeheartedly. They’ll stand and pay whatever cost it takes because they know that God will use it to raise up the Kingdom.”

Some names may have been changed for security reasons.


EDITOR’S NOTE — This article was written by Myriah Snyder and was originally published by the International Mission Board. 

Share with others:

Facebook
X/Twitter
LinkedIn
Email
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Latest News

  • Interim role offers niche ministry for ‘old-school preacher’
    Interim role offers niche ministry for ‘old-school preacher’
    June 17, 2025/
    0 Comments
  • First person: A critical ministry role some may overlook
    First person: A critical ministry role some may overlook
    June 17, 2025/
    0 Comments
  • Pew report shows Catholicism’s roots, challenges in American life
    Pew report shows Catholicism’s roots, challenges in American life
    June 17, 2025/
    0 Comments

Sign up for the Highlights

Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month.
Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

Related Posts

Interim role offers niche ministry for ‘old-school preacher’

Steve Ellis, who is 70, has held five interim assignments since 2018 and has preached in more than 80 different churches.

First person: A critical ministry role some may overlook

Sound engineers? Your role is far more critical than audio levels, EQ and running a sound board.

Pew report shows Catholicism’s roots, challenges in American life

While reporting relatively low levels of attendance at Mass, almost half of U.S. adults (47%) say they have a personal or family relationship to Catholicism, a new Pew Research Center survey finds. 

Supreme Court to hear case involving pregnancy center, free speech

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear First Choice Women’s Resource Centers v. Platkin. The case spotlights a New Jersey faith-based pregnancy center fighting a state subpoena it says infringes on its First Amendment rights.

Want to receive news highlights throughout the week? Sign up here!

Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

About

  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us
  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us

Explore

  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy
  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
The Baptist Paper
Address:
3310 Independence Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35209
Copyright © 2025 TAB Media Group
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ

Email:
news@thebaptistpaper.org

About

  • Our Team
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Donate
  • Photo Galleries
  • Contact us
  • Hosted Church
  • Our Team
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Donate
  • Photo Galleries
  • Contact us
  • Hosted Church

Explore

  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your State News
  • Persecuted Church
  • Editorials
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Archive
  • Submit your news
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your State News
  • Persecuted Church
  • Editorials
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Archive
  • Submit your news

Subscribe

  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate

Log Out?

Lost your password?

Log In

Lost your password?

Log in

Become a part of our community!
Forgot your password? Get help
Privacy/Terms of Use

Reset password

Recover your password
A password reset link will be e-mailed to you.
Privacy/Terms of Use
Back to
Login
×
Close Panel