United States (Russian-Language)
Word of Grace Bible Institute
MEMBER SCHOOL
Number of Graduates: 700 | Churches Impacted: 100
MISSION
To promote the spiritual formation of local church members and the training of ministers through a deep study of God's Word.
KEY DETAILS ON WORD OF GRACE BIBLE INSTITUTE
About
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Our goal is to teach Russian-speaking believers an accurate and theologically grounded understanding and application of the Bible. The institute exists to train and educate ministers who will be able to effectively perform pastoral and deacon ministry, as well as support church life by biblical means.
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God-Centeredness: The centering of the doctrine of the great God and the primacy of His position in the universe in all spheres of life.
The Unconditional Value of the Holy Scriptures: The affirmation of the authority of the Bible and the correct attitude to it.
Mentoring: The formation of a God-centered worldview and the development of the godly character of the minister.
Practical Skills: Effective preaching, applying the truth in personal, family, church, and social life.
Church Orientation: Developing a deep understanding of the importance of the local church in the doctrine and practice of living and ministry.
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Training is provided through a combination of face-to-face and online programs. WGBI offers a three-year ministerial correspondence program that includes all the necessary courses to understand and practice exposition preaching. The other part of the classes is available through the www.wgbi.org internet platform, allowing those who are unable to attend classes physically to participate. The program includes interactive seminars and conferences in various countries around the world.
Training
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Biblical Studies Certificate (BSC): A two-year online program
Diploma/Degree in Expository Preaching: A two-year correspondence program with two one-week face-to-face sessions per year.
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Word of Grace Bible Institute was founded by Alexei Kolomiytsev in 1998, first in Novorossiysk, Russia, then in Los Angeles and Sacramento, California. Since 2001, the Word of Grace Church in Vancouver (USA) has become its base. With the growing need for systematic training of ministers, the institute began to conduct courses, seminars and introduced distance learning. The institute is aimed at believers of Slavic origin living in the United States, Russia, Ukraine and other countries. Word of Grace Bible Institute has been part of TMAI since its inception.
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Word of Grace Bible Institute aims to become a leading center of biblical education for Russian-speaking Christians, inspiring and equipping them to know God, build the character of Christ, and actively serve in churches around the world. We plan to expand our impact through online platforms, part-time education, and international conferences, contributing to spiritual awakening and the strengthening of churches that follow the biblical pattern.
Context
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Population: 140,820,810 (2024 est.)
Ethnic Groups: Russian 77.7%, Tatar 3.7%, Ukrainian 1.4%, Bashkir 1.1%, Chuvash 1%, Chechen 1%, other 10.2%, unspecified 3.9% (2010 est.)
Note: Nearly 200 national and/or ethnic groups are represented in Russia's 2010 census.
Languages: Russian (official) 85.7%, Tatar 3.2%, Chechen 1%, other 10.1% (2010 est.)
Note: Data represent native language spoken
Religions: Russian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2% (2006 est.)
Note: Estimates are of practicing worshipers; Russia has large populations of non-practicing believers and non-believers, a legacy of over seven decades of official atheism under Soviet rule; Russia officially recognizes Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism as the country's traditional religions.
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons
Refugees (Country of Origin): 1,212,585 (Ukraine) (as of 30 June 2023)
Internally Displaced Persons: 7,500 (2022)
Stateless Persons: 56,960 (mid-year 2021)
Note: Russia's stateless population consists of Roma, Meskhetian Turks, and ex-Soviet citizens from the former republics; between 2003 and 2010 more than 600,000 stateless people were naturalized; most Meskhetian Turks, followers of Islam with origins in Georgia, fled or were evacuated from Uzbekistan after a 1989 pogrom and have lived in Russia for more than the required five-year residency period; they continue to be denied registration for citizenship and basic rights by local Krasnodar Krai authorities on the grounds that they are temporary illegal migrants.
Stats from CIA.gov, Ameredia.com, and Joshua Project
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By land mass, Russia is the largest nation in the world, with a population of around 140 million. The first Russian immigrants arrived in the United States in the mid 1800’s as religious refugees. Later, during the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, many Russians fleeing the violence found haven in America. Another wave of Russian immigrants (many of them Jewish) arrived in the US after the USSR’s dissolution in 1991.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2021, over a million Russians have left the country, many of them young and well-educated. About three million Russians now live in the States, particularly in New York, California, and Idaho—representing a significant portion of the U.S.’ foreign-born population. While over half of Russians claim adherence to Christianity, Russian identity and culture remains deeply rooted in traditional Orthodoxy.
Compiled from CIA.gov, Operation World, and Joshua Project
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