Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Church Raid by Turkmen Police

By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries


MAGDANLY, TURKMENISTAN (ANS) -- The leader of a prominent ministry that helps Evangelical Christians and churches in Russia and the former Soviet Union, has revealed that he has received some news from the former Soviet nation of Turkmenistan that he says needs “urgent prayer.”

Bob Provost
Bob Provost, President of the Slavic Gospel Association (SGA), says that it all began with a recent raid on the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (UECB) Church in the town of Magdanly, Turkmenistan, a country in central Asia, followed by a key Turkmen pastor having a serious automobile accident.

“The UECB church raid happened about 25 days ago," he said. "All adult believers at the meeting were questioned about their faith and all of their Christian literature was confiscated.

After two weeks of fervent prayer by the Turkmen believers, God answered their prayers and all the confiscated literature was returned to them.”

Provost went on to say, “As is always the case in these Muslim-dominated and oppressed nations, the local believers are rejoicing for the great opportunity they had to witness to the local authorities about Christ. But the enemy quickly threw up another attempt to hinder the Gospel. 

The national church leader overseeing this region was involved in a car accident late last week and his car was totaled. It was not his fault, but the other driver who was at fault has no insurance and no money to pay.

“I am withholding the name of the pastor for security reasons. He cannot conduct his ministry without a car, and he needs at least $8,000 to purchase a reliable used one. He is hopeful of finding $1,000 on his own, but he is very concerned. His responsibilities require him to travel regularly throughout the country to visit all the churches and developing groups, and in Turkmenistan, all ministry must be conducted very discreetly due to government opposition to Evangelical churches.

“If anyone is able to help, please let me know. It is our final month of the fiscal year and we are already under great pressure. Please pray for this faithful brother and for the oppressed believers of Turkmenistan. Also, please join with us in prayer for a full time pastor for the zealous church in Mangdanly.”

If you would like to help, just send an e-mail to Bob Provost at robertp@sga.org or go to their website, which is: www.sga.org

Note: Since 1934, SGA has been serving evangelical churches, helping make disciples of the people in the lands of Russia for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, through prayer, strategic ministry and financial assistance.


Dan Wooding, 71, is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for 48 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Peter, and six grandchildren who all live in the UK. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS) and was, for ten years, a commentator, on the UPI Radio Network in Washington, DC. He hosts the weekly “Front Page Radio” show on the KWVE Radio Network in Southern California and which is also carried throughout the United States. The program is also aired in Great Britain on Calvary Chapel Radio UK and also in Belize and South Africa. Besides this, Wooding is a host for His Channel Live, which is carried via the Internet to some 192 countries and also provides a regular commentary for Worship Life Radio on KWVE. You can follow Dan Wooding on Facebook under his name there or at ASSIST News Service. Dan has recently received two top media awards -- the "Passion for the Persecuted" award from Open Doors US, and one of the top "Newsmakers of 2011" from Plain Truth magazine. He is the author of some 44 books, the latest of which is "Caped Crusader: Rick Wakeman in the 1970s." To order a copy, go to: http://www.amazon.com/CAPED-CRUSADER-Rick-Wakeman-1970s/dp/1908728302/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335474883&sr=1-1 . Wooding, who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, has also recently released his first novel “Red Dagger” which is available this link.

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