Terry's Russia Blogosphere

Doc Horton - Dies at 88.

One of our most beloved instructors at Rhema has gone on to be with the Lord.  Rev. W.M. "Doc" Horton. 

He taught at Rhema Bible Training Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma from 1981 - 1994.  

Terri & I were there for all of his classes from 1983-1985.  He was an inspirational teacher.  His belly was full of fire, so to speak.  Who could forget his most famous example of how to preach when he quoted President Abraham Lincoln.  Lincoln said, "...When I listen to a man preach I want to see him fight bees!"  

Doc's rendition of fighting bees went back to his childhood when they stood on the bee's nests in the ground with two paddles.  When they stomped on the nest the bees started to fly out and you had to fight for your life if you didn't want to get stung!  Of course, Doc acted the whole thing out for us and we all cheered him on!

Our first day at Rhema as newby students saw Doc come waltzing in to the hall with a big wad of chewing gum in his mouth.  He then proceeded to take it out of his mouth and plop it right onto the front of the pulpit!  That's brother Hagin's pulpit, mind you!  We all got the hint that there would be no gum chewing in school after that...

Being from Florida I especially appreciated his example of a "toad soaker"....that's a heavy rain storm and many people had heard of that slang term for it.  But, who ever heard of the Georgia version of it?  Doc told us about a "lightin' knot soaker".  That's what they had in Georgia when he was a kid.  I guess you could google "lighter pine" to find out what that is...

Doc endeared himself to the students as a very touchable person.  He always recognized Terri when he would see her by saying, "There's that little Church of God girl!" or, "Hey, shorter than I am..."

I last got to speak with Doc when I was in Dallas at the KCM Minister's convention.  I'm so thankful for that opportunity.  We will miss you Doc!  Say hello to dad Hagin for us!

Ninth Year Anniversary at our Church in Moscow

Today we celebrated together as a church family.  Nine years of growing together and seeing great fruit in the Kingdom of God here in Russia! 

Our family has lived in Russia for over a decade now and I must say that it has been one of the most rewarding 10 years of our lives.  We are enriched in every way you can imagine.  Terri and I have fallen in love with the Russian people who have embraced us so very warmly.  I see things with a much greater understanding of culture and people than ever before. 

Becoming a "missionary" is more than moving to a foreign country from your own.  I knew from the beginning that there would be challenges, and there have been those, however I have learned that in order to be effective you must do just as the Apostle Paul wrote to us.  He said that "...I become all things to all people"...

We have found that learning the language is always the first step yet that is only the first thing.  Being a "missionary" means becoming someone different than you were when you came.  You must not only change your ability to communicate, you must, and I say must change your mentality, your thinking and way of doing things.

When we are in Russia we still feel like foreigners on occasion but most of the time, we are Russian.  That is the only way possible to be effective. 

This was our ninth birthday today for our church.  I want to say thank you to all of our Russian friends and family for making this the most wonderful years I can remember. 

September is Here and School is in Session!

A new group of students have arrived and classes are underway!

Even Tyler and Leah are attending class to finish their training for ministry.  They take time after having a full day of work with the youth ministry and House of Mercy orphanage to take classes.

Everything is new this year from our office and classrooms, new instructors and of course all our newly oriented students. 

Moscow is quite sunny and warm right now after a long, rainy summer.  Though we've enjoyed the sunshine, its not so fun to sit in a classroom with so many bodies giving off so much heat.  Sometimes, I ask them if they're still awake and give them a break to get some water.

It is going to be quite a year this year.  We're even starting a music curriculum which we've not offered before.  Lots of work to be done, lots of lives to be enriched by the Word of God.