Russian missionaries pray for the spiritual state of the U.S.

For decades, the United States has served as the catalyst for many missions movements around the Globe. Now missionary to Russia, Peter Mitskevich, is urging his fellow Russian believers to pray for the spiritual health of the United States.

Peter Mitskevich, a Global Outreach International missionary and leader of the Russian Baptist Union, recently joined the Christian Index for an interview discussing the concern for the direction he sees the United States taking - farther away from Christianity.

In this interview Peter, joined alongside other Christian leaders, stated, “We’re praying for the United States to be light, to be salt, to be a Christian nation that will be an example to the world of love, compassion, steadfastness and faithfulness. We’re praying that this light will be rekindled."

The spiritual state of the U.S.

Peter's call to pray for the U.S. comes from the shift he has witnessed in the spiritual realm of the country. As political and cultural movements continue to change and shape the United States, more concern grows for how the American church will adapt to change or worse, begin to fade out as the American culture changes.

Reports from Lifeway research suggest similar trends within the American cultural change. In recent findings, it is suggested that more than half of Americans believe religious views are strictly a personal opinion. In that same study, a discovery was made showing a concerning percentage of Americans who believe science disproves the Bible.

Russia experiencing a surge in Christianity

Now, a nation that was under strict Soviet rule is witnessing a wave of new Christian believers. This is thanks to God allowing opportunities for missionaries to freely enter the country over the last decades. Missionaries jumped quickly at the opportunity to enter the country and have made sharing the Gospel in Russia an urgent priority. This is where Peter, along with other believers, have made eternal steps in seeing the Russian people come to a saving knowledge of Christ. Faithful believers partnered with the Russian Baptist Union and other missions organizations have seen tremendous growth in the Russian church over the last several decades. Roughly 1,000 churches have been planted in Russia since 1991 and more people are receiving Christ each year.

Peter says, "Every citizen in Russia has to hear the Gospel and come to the living faith in Jesus Christ. Churches have to spread the Gospel. Pray for churches, pray for workers from Russia, from America, from everywhere.”

Peter and his family are responding to the urgency of sharing the Gospel in what was previously a nearly unreached country. And as he continues to be a light in Russia, he urges fellow believers to pray for the United States. He states,”we’re praying for Americans to find peace in Christ, to have a passion to spread the Good News.”

Here are 5 ways you can pray right now

1. Pray for the lost and spiritual health of the United States.

2. Pray for your church and pastors as they continue to lead and make decisions.

3. Pray for government leaders who are trying to push for and uphold Christian values.

4. Pray that the American culture would turn to Christ and be receptive to the truth.

5. Pray that Christians in America will take a bold stance for their faith and be a light to their neighbors and community. 

Read the full article by Kentucky Today here.

You can partner alongside Peter and his family directly by visiting their missionary page so the Gospel is spread to everyone in Russia.