From Russia with blogs | lonely

… lonely in the crowd | Vadim Hurin

Today there seem to be many more lonely people that there were 20-30 years ago. I remember that in my childhood I lived at my grandmother’s house out in a remote village. There many knew me and I knew many. It was possible to simply go outside and meet someone that I knew. This was especially fitting when there was an emergency. There was always someone I could refer to for help. Joyful moments in life, holidays also gathered many people. What was most pleasant about such occasions is that we all knew each other well.

Then I moved into the city. There I no longer knew as many people. But still I knew quite a few in my apartment complex. I could easily knock on someone’s door to ask for a Russian blog1missing grocery item or for a glass of water.

But times change. Today I live in a big city and I do not know any of my neighbours with the exception of one. He comes to borrow money when he is drunk, usually on a weekend. Even though I greet people when I meet them on a stairway, they do not know my name and I do not know theirs. Somehow it feels uncomfortable.

In my friends list on an internet site I have over 100 friends. But all of them are out there - in the world of internet. I can write something to them and receive an answer, but very often they are too busy to come in for a cup of tea or to meet at a certain place. Loneliness prevails in the end.

In a corps the situation is not much different. There is a small circle of friends where people know each other. But their conversations rarely exceed the familiar ground of the common “How are you?” question. Then come some prayer needs, which do not really touch upon serious life struggles. The rest of the congregations are faithful attendees. They just come and go. We are happy to see them, but very few want us to know their names, let alone to engage their lives and well-being. These attendees realize such a reality quickly and abstain from providing detailed accounts about themselves. They quickly learn the rules of conduct and proper answers.

Although, I have to note, there is a group of people who want to get closer to one another. They pray for one another consistently. They meet not only on Sundays, but also begin to participate in one another’s lives. But this fire quickly fades under the pressure of problems or sins. And then, once again, it becomes “all quiet on the Western Front.” Lonely people, trapped by their sins, fears and problems attempt to solidify their relationships with God by using “new” methods and spiritual disciplines.

Too often, unfortunately, this becomes another barrier which they use to separate themselves from others. But this cannot be. Perhaps you have experience with penetrating the thick of loneliness. Your experience can aid someone. Please write, do not hesitate!

Writer: Captain Vadim Khurin was born into a family of circus artists. He joined The Salvation Army in 1995 and is now an officer serving in St. Petersburg, Russia. He loves music, sports, reading and learning. He has a beautiful wife - Inna - and three children. He likes to ask hard questions and find different ways of helping people get back their wholeness and integrity.

From Russia with blogs | persecutors

Vadim Khurin on those who judge

Christians know that Jesus brought to humankind the new covenant. This new covenant was not only a renewal of the old covenant, but also included a renewed content. The foundation of that new covenant was love, as indicated in the familiar John 3.16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (NIV).

It seems like we all agree on this. But many Christians live as if they are dwelling in the old covenant. They do not know of God’s love, but instead fear Him. Their life is a non-stop struggle with the law, because to submit to the law is difficult and to break is frightening. Fear and deceit begin to accompany such Christians. It seems that they do not read John 3.17: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

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From Russia with blogs | pastor or manager?

Busy with the wrong things | Vadim Hurin

To have multiple personalities is considered a psychological disorder. When within a person there seems to be multiple personalities, which constantly change, a person is close to being diagnosed with schizophrenia. However, it is in this condition (do not worry, I do not consider myself to be Moses!) that I find myself often, especially from the moment that I began my ministry as an officer of The Salvation Army.

If we were to read through the officer’s covenant we would find that the main pledge consists of serving those in need: preaching the gospel, helping the needy, making disciples. When I was a cadet in College For Officer Training I was told that the main task is to take care of people, visit homes and hospitals, in other words, to be with people always.

But when I began my ministry, the time during which I could be with people began to decrease dramatically. Why was this happening? This was because I had to look after administrative matters of the corps work. Sometimes the matters addressed had to do with keeping the local authorities content. In one of our three appointments there was no accountant, which meant that we had to look after finances on our own. This came in addition to other reports, communications, preparation of services and administration of different programs. As a result, I only had two hours a week to be with people, but sometimes there was no time left at all.

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From Russia with blogs | habit

by Vadim Hurin

It’s very easy to spot tourists in Petersburg, Russia. They’re the ones walking around with cameras, looking and smiling at everything and everyone they pass. They like everything from buildings to monuments.

Citizens behave quite differently. They walk around with blinders on, looking only immediately ahead of themselves. They’re always in a hurry, disregarding the monuments and everything else around them. They’re used to the city they live in, with all its monuments and embankments. They’re no longer amazed by it, because it holds nothing new for them anymore. It’s frustrating when a street is blocked off due to construction and they have to take the long way around. Citizens also do not always understand tourists. What are you so happy about? If only you had our lives. You’re on vacation; we live here, and you couldn’t possibly understand our problems.

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From Russia with blogs | program? community?

Vadim Hurin wonders about our “works”

The Salvation Army is constantly busy, we always have lots of things to do. We feed people and clothe and help them. But we also lose them. In reality, few people who frequent our centers actually become a part of The Salvation Army. People receive help from us but often their lives stay the same. Of course, we cannot help to change anybody’s life unless they themselves want to change. God has given every person the option of changing, but he will not go against a person’s will. Nevertheless, why is it that the number of people in our corps (churches) are many times less than those whom we help?

I suppose it is much easier to just go about your tasks and be busy than to actually devote yourself to one person. It’s relatively easy to feed 100-200 people and not even ask what any of their names are. It’s easy not to take the time to get to know at least one person and let them into your life a bit. All of our programs seem to be aimed at the masses. We are proud of the numbers of people that we help. All this is great, but what are we really trying to do?

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From Russia with blogs | cynicism

Vadim Hurin on the quiet killer

The person who came to get help last Sunday was in great need. I spent my afternoon with him and prayed with him, I tried to help and to provide some support. But this week he was once again drunk as always. When he saw me he didn’t have any excuses. It was as if nothing ever happened. As if he never heard my advice and nodded “yes” in response, promising to do everything I told him.

I tried to help a boy who ran away from home because his mom drank too much (at least that’s what he claimed). But the boy did not come back. He simply ate everything that was given to him and walked out without expressing gratitude. For me part, I had to skip a few important meetings and a worship team practice so I could spend time with him.

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From Russia with blogs | starving…

… in the midst of abundance | Vadim Hurin

Today in Russia, there are many different churches: Baptist, Pentecostal, Charismatic, Catholic and Orthodox of all different denominations. It was not always this way.

Not that long ago, it was forbidden to be a Christian. To admit that you were of Christian faith meant putting yourself under serious suspicion. Of course, the church still existed back then, but it could not openly meet or legally own any building for the purpose of doing so (Orthodox churches were owned by the government just like everything else). The government used all its strength in trying to show that God does not exist.

In one of the largest cathedrals of Petersburg, Kazan cathedral, there was a museum of religion and atheism. Many churches were made into storage buildings, clubs, or other types of buildings. Bibles were not freely sold. One of my friends who had religious relatives showed me a copy of the New Testament written out by hand. Despite its pressures and persecutions, the church survived. People worshipped God and strived to live by Jesus’ commandments.

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From Russia with blogs | anger & faith

Alcohol | Vadim Hurin says it’s like useful pornography

I don’t consider myself an angry person, but there are some things that really get me mad. I’m talking about that uncontrollable anger that makes me want to break something. There aren’t many things that will get me that upset. One thing that does, however, is alcohol and its effects on people.

I’m very familiar with this, unfortunately. For generations, people in my family were heavy drinkers and encountered a lot of problems as a result of this alcoholism, even death in some cases. My anger, however, is not at the alcohol itself. I understand that alcohol, similar to a lot of other things on this planet, was quite harmless until people began to consume it in large quantities. What happens after is what really drives me mad, when people lose themselves in the alcohol. Horrendous crimes take place when people have drunk way too much.

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From Russia with blogs | fragrance

Vadim Hurin on the sweet smell of the gospel

There are some perfume shops not far from where I live. They always seems crowded with people… all looking to purchase a smell.

Indeed, there is something odd about this. It is one thing to purchase food or clothes as these are the items that can be considered living necessities. It is difficult to live without them. But why are people prepared to spend significant amounts of money on perfume, on an aroma that evaporates in mere minutes? We are willing to pay for something that is packaged in an appealing cover, but which is not a necessity, it seems.

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From Russia with blogs | rebranding?

Are we selling leftovers from last season asks Vadim Hurin

Recently in a book store I located a few books on how to create a brand for an organization and to ensure its promotion. Skimming the pages, I read that there is a particular method to sell that which was impossible to sell before. This method is called “rebranding.”

It seems that in the church, we also often do this in order to sell people that which they refuse to buy. We think that we develop and progress while meeting the needs of the people and the society, but often it is simply a change in the name, though the meaning and the content remain unchanged. A corps, a holiness meeting, a goal-oriented church, a congregation for those who search, an orientation toward the needs of the community, regenerated praise and worship. Often these are simply old products being wrapped over and over again. The time passes and people get used to the old wrapper. There arises a need to come up with something original. In this process, the church takes after the corporate world quite a bit. Books are printed and seminars are held in which business leaders share ways to grow ministry within the church because they think that those principles which work in business will also help the church flourish.

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