Get Connected in Samara, Russia
Samara, Russia is a city of 2 million population on the Volga River about 850 miles southeast of Moscow.
About 30 active baptized believers currently make up the core membership of the Church of Christ in Samara. The body is faithful and active, reaching out to others in Christ’s love through teaching and benevolence.
Samara Christians seek to share the gospel one-on-one with fellow Russians. They sponsor seminars, inviting sister congregations along the Volga Valley to participate. Each summer, the congregation hosts a week-long youth camp to teach children about the love of Christ.
The Christians provide benevolence assistance both inside and outside the congregation. The church provides food, medicine and clothes to those in need, assists an orphanage and meets other needs as they arise.
The Buckingham Road congregation has been involved in the Samara mission field since 1993. From 1993 through 1995, Buckingham Road helped support John Townsdin as he traveled periodically to Samara to teach the gospel. The first baptism into Christ in Samara occurred in the spring of 1994.
In January, 1996, Buckingham Road asked Mitch and Naomi Propst to began fulltime work in Samara. The Propsts moved to Samara in July, 1996 and have evangelized there ever since under the oversight of the elders at Buckingham Road.
Mitch and Naomi mentor and encourage the Samara Christians. They also do one-on-one teaching of Russians interested in the gospel. Natives of North Carolina, the Propsts have adapted to the Russian way of life; they are competent in the language.
Two native preachers also are in Samara: Vlodya Chooki and Andre. Vlodya was converted in an early campaign in Samara. He is partially supported by Buckingham Road; he also is an accountant and works as a translator. Andre is a graduate of Barnaul Preaching School; he is fully supported by churches in the eastern and souther U.S.
Several Buckingham Road members made their first trip to Samara in summer, 1994, to teach in a campaign. After three annual campaigns, Russian law changes made public teaching difficult. Buckingham Road members now go individually or in small groups to encourage and teach the Samara Christians and do on-on-one teaching of the gospel.
We pray that God will continue to bless the love and ministries of the body in Samara. For more information on the Samara church and work, write dale@brchurch.org.