Registration Problems for Full Gospel Churches

Vyacheslav Goncharenko pastor of New Life Church

Three churches from the Full Gospel Association are being denied government registration and may face liquidation.  Early this month, the Persecution and Prayer Alert reported on the huge fine handed down to an administrator from the New Life Church near Minsk.  This six hundred member congregation has been meeting in a cow shed since September.  After the church purchased the building in 2002, they had been given approval to change the designated land usage in order to renovate the shed as a church by every government department except the religious affairs department of the Minsk city administration.  The church was ordered to cease any renovations.  Then, on Sunday, January 23, a representative from the district administration appeared during the worship service with twelve police officers.  He demanded confirmation that the church had permission to meet there and then filmed the service.  If the church receives a second warning, they could be forcibly closed down. Pastor Vyacheslav Goncharenko of the church remarked to Forum 18 News Service on January 17 that "They issued this warning even before we received acknowledgement that our appeal against the fine had been lodged."  In his opinion, the government is trying to rush the process.

Another church being refused re-registration is the Word of Truth Church, which is meeting in homes in Dzerzhinsk (Minsk region) since they lost the use of the facility they were using on October 5.  A third church, the Church of Jesus Christ in Kozenki village in the Gomel region has experienced difficulties in registering for the first time, having faced numerous delays.

Pray for these and other believers facing bureaucratic challenges, along with more overt opposition from authorities as they endeavour to meet together for worship, prayer and encouragement.  Pray for a steadfast resilience and a heart of courage.

We urge you to write a letter to the president of Belarus , politely asking him to allow unregistered churches to meet freely and to practice their faith without hindrance.  You can write to:

President Lukashenko

The President of Belarus
A.H. Lukashenko
Republic of Belarus
pl. Nezavisimosti
220010, Minsk
Belarus

Or you can leave a message on his personal website (click here).

For help in knowing how to write letters to government officials, please go to our website.

Representatives from The Voice of the Martyrs recently returned from a fact-finding trip to Belarus.  Their report will be featured in the March edition of our free monthly newsletter in an article entitled, "Communism's Lingering Legacy."  To subscribe, click here.

For more information on persecution in Belarus, click here.