Russia: Churches use the World Cup to reach millions in church buildings

“They don’t allow believers to share their faith outside of their church buildings. So the churches invite people to their officially registered church buildings where they are allowed to freely share the gospel.” There, people will get to watch the games on a big screen, eat snacks, and encounter God’s word.

Russia kicked off the World Cup, a month-long spectacle where millions of fans tune in to watch the world’s best soccer teams battle to be number one.

For many Christians this isn’t just a sporting event, it’s an opportunity to spread the gospel in a country that has become increasingly hostile towards evangelism. Hundreds of congregations across Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other cities are skirting around Russia’s anti-evangelism laws by inviting people to watch the games live in their church buildings.

There, people will get to watch the games on a big screen, eat snacks, and encounter God’s word. Since most of the popular matches are sold out, the setup is a win-win for both the churches and the spectators. The churches have partnered with Mission Eurasia to pass out Bibles, discipleship materials, and invitations to Bible studies.

Mission Eurasia president Sergey Rakhuba believes 3 million soccer fans will hear the gospel, despite the government’s crackdown on evangelism. “They don’t allow believers to share their faith outside of their church buildings. So the churches invite people to their officially registered church buildings where they are allowed to freely share the gospel.”

Source: Sergey Rakhuba