The Situation in Russia Today Population = 146,000,000Population = 146,000,000 Evangelical Churches = 5,000Evangelical Churches = 5,000 People per church = 29,200People per church = 29,200 We Need More Churches!

Establish the Church... Our Desire... A church that multiplies... church Igniting a... planting movement

Training Strategy The need for more churches... led to the plan to establish training centers everywhere… which led to a need for a comprehensive curriculum for the centers... with competent instructors to teach it

The Curriculum Developed to train Church planters and leaders in post- communist EurAsia The Omega Course

The Goal of the Omega Course The Omega Course is designed to: Train a person to plant a ChurchTrain a person to plant a Church Train others to participate in an SCP movement according to their giftednessTrain others to participate in an SCP movement according to their giftedness

Like a roadmap, the "Church Planting Cycle" shows the interrelationship of the key principles and practices at work in the process, allowing one to always determine from where they’ve come and where they are headed. Church Planting Cycle Foundations Winning Establishing Training Multiplying Movement “a church in every village and neighborhood”

Omega Course Values Geared to common people - Materials should be simple, practical and illustrated.Geared to common people - Materials should be simple, practical and illustrated. Flexible for seminar logistics - To reach many people the content must be able to be used in a variety of settings - local church seminars, Bible schools, correspondence schools etc.Flexible for seminar logistics - To reach many people the content must be able to be used in a variety of settings - local church seminars, Bible schools, correspondence schools etc.

Manual 1: Emphasis On SCP Vision, Purpose Of The Church, Inductive Bible Study, and Research Manual 2 Emphasis On Evangelism and Cell Groups Manual 3: Emphasis On Discipleship, Spiritual Warfare and Teamwork Manual 4: Emphasis On Leadership and Stewardship Manual 5: Emphasis On Multiplication, Mobilizing Others, and Promoting SCP Movements Omega Course Emphases

Training Centers

3. Prepare mentors 1. Motivate leaders 2. Equip teachers In each Training Center

1995 Training Centers Leaders are trained and mobilized in every region

Omsk The Center in Omsk, Siberia Population = 2,000,000 Number of Churches = 90 Goal = 300 Churches in 5 years One example

Training Trainers Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime Train a man to teach fishing and you start a fishing movement

Training Trainers What is the central point of this lesson?

Training Trainers Is this a valid point? Do you fully agree with it?

Future Directions Hotspots - “Where are the models?” Distance Education - “How can training be more accessible?”

Hotspots Number of churches: Bryansk Kryasnayarsk Omsk

Distance Education “How can training be more accessible?” Internet use was recently reported to be growing faster in Russia than any place else in Europe. “Driving this growth is the relatively high educational level of young Russians, rising consumer purchasing power, falling costs for connection and hourly access and improving telecommunications networks in the Russia’s far-flung regions” (The Russian Journal, March 3, 2001).

Assignments Content Discussion Questions Distance Education

Action Points Assignments Direct Questions Distance Education

The End Goal: God’s Glory Throughout Russia