Even those farthest from the truth can be saved and assigned to a great work.
Indoctrinated for years during his military service for Russia, Igor’s search eventually led him to Christ. But, he had much to re-learn, before being able to help students at TVSEMINARY.
Igor (his last name is omitted for security reasons) was born in a non-believing communist family, the son of a military father. However, his grandfather was a believer and a leader of a Christian community in the Nizhny Novgorod region in western Russia.
He completed all stages of communist studies in his adolescence and early years. He was an Octobrist (a liberal-reformist constitutional monarchist political party in late Imperial Russia.) and a Komsomol member( an organization for young people aged 14 to 28 that was primarily a political organization for spreading Communist teachings and preparing future members of the Communist Party.)
In 1978 he graduated from higher military school in Russia and joined the ranks of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
He served in several Far East and Asian countries. He also graduated from the military academy in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg) and served in the Western Group of Forces.
He now resides in Odessa.
Igor’s search for God began after he completed his terms and left the ranks of the armed forces.
“Occasionally, I did pray as a communist. When in Afghanistan, I realized that only God could help my fellow military friends and me! Looking back, I see that he did, and many times!”
In 1994 Igor was baptized in the Russian Orthodox Church. Still, he did not see the command as explained in Matthew 28,19:20 fulfilled.
Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you.
One day, a friend in Odessa invited Igor to Grace ECB church, where he immediately realized that he had found what he’d been searching for. In the summer of 2000, he was baptized into Christ! His life after conversion has changed dramatically. He realizes that although the Holy Spirit entered him at the moment of repentance, He also urges him to be changed continuously.
Because of his service in the Russian military, there was much to learn to reverse his previously professed principles. More importantly, there was an overwhelming desire to tell everyone he knew what he had learned about the One who alone can save a person from sin and give him eternal life.
Soon after Igor's baptism, the pastor of his church recruited him into a program to learn to preach courses. He studied these courses for over two years and began to preach first in nearby villages and later in his church congregation.
"In 2000, our church began a Bible school with courses taught by seminary teachers. I graduated successfully from the school in 2005."
Igor has a strong desire to fully devote his life to the service of God and become a faithful servant.
"Even though I had graduated from the Bible school, I had a feeling that I still lacked theological knowledge."
Based on the biblical principle set out by Jesus in the sermon on the mount and from his own experience, Igor realizes that deep theoretical knowledge is needed for the most influential ministry. This is applied in all practical daily activities.
Igor understands the value of self-education but never underestimates the experience and knowledge of the church fathers and all theologians in various areas of history. In his desire to know God better and be more effective in kingdom work, he prayed. Soon a door opened for him to study at the Odessa Theological Seminary.
"The purpose of my studies at the seminary was to acquire the necessary knowledge for the most complete, high-quality, and effective service to God in any place he might call me. "
Igor believes that whether a person is called to pastoral ministry, teaching ministry, preaching ministry, or any other call from God, we must recognize and fulfill God's will for our lives.
After completing seminary at Odessa ECB, Igor was given several assignments by God to fulfill. Many of these revolved around and in the Church of Grace.
He continued his studies and, in 2015, completed the master's program at Odessa theological seminary! He has been working at Trinity video seminary as a course leader since then, and He's delighted in his role.
"I am pleased to help TVSEMINARY students in their courses! I try to answer all their questions and pray for them. My life's goal is to represent the most accurate fulfillment of the Word of God, strengthen faith, and serve people."