It was my pleasure to send out a team to a small town called Veliki Ustyug to teach an IBS seminar. There is a small church there just starting out that really needs some help and asked us to come over there. As a leader of the group Abner brought Valentine, Nate and Sveta to this beautiful town. It was Nate and Sveta’s first seminar. Nate taught the seminar and Sveta translated for him. Nate came back all fired up and here's what he shared with me and the rest of the team:
On Friday, Abner, Valentine, Sveta, and I went to a small town called Veliki Ustyug to teach my first IBS Seminar. I think it is fun that we went to the city where supposedly the Russian Santa Clause lives. We went to teach the truth in the heart of what I believe to be one of the world’s best deceptions. We went to a small church that is just starting in the city. 
Valentine has family in the city and had become acquainted with the church. He saw the need in the church for what we offer here at Intensive Care Ministries.
I was excited to be able to finally teach people how to study the word inductively, book by book, chapter by chapter, and verse by verse. I am eager to share with others what God has used in my life to change me in mighty ways. If I have ever seen a group of people that need to learn how to study the Word correctly this group is definitely one of them. These people are hungry for the Word, and as I looked at them I saw them through the eyes of Jesus; as sheep without a shepherd. We jumped into the course right away by and though there was a little hesitance on their part at first, when they saw how they could learn to work with the texts of the Bible they were eager to learn. There is a lot I have to learn about dealing with Russian people and about the false doctrines that are crippling the church today, but I know that we have the only antidote that will help heal the church. As we spent three days going through the course it was a joy to see their hearts moved and their desire grow like a fan on the flame.
The team worked very well together and I was pleased to see how the Holy Spirit was able to bring us together to teach his sheep. Sveta is a great interpreter, Abner a great leader, and Valentine has a huge heart for the Lord.
I look forward to working together with them in the 
future as God leads us to different places to strengthen the Church. We have already decided that we will most likely come back to this city in the next couple months to try to teach the second course. We have given them homework so that we can see if they are ready for the second course, if not we will review what they have learned. I hope that they are able to apply what they have learned and are diligent to take the time to really get into the Word. I would ask that you would join me in praying for these people, that they would be filled with the Spirit and filled with wisdom to be able to learn the first course well enough to move on to the second. I am convinced that through our faith we will be able to strengthen these people and give them the tools they need to grow into a strong and healthy church.
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