“I don’t want to waste my life in clubs; I’m tired of it. It would be cool to get together and read the Bible and discuss it.” That’s what Nikita told Alina as she and the Eurasia Steiger Missions School students took to the streets of St. Petersburg, Russia, to boldly proclaim the Gospel. 

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Nikita was with a group of friends who were drinking when Alina approached to talk about Jesus. “What are you even doing here? You don’t drink, you don’t smoke…” the group questioned. 

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“We’re here because God loves you very much and cares about what you’re going through,” Alina replied.

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When Alina shared the Gospel and prayed for Nikita, he was visibly moved and made an unexpected request: that everyone stand in a circle and pray together. Tired of his lifestyle, he told Alina he wanted to read the Bible, so she invited him to a Bible study for non-religious people. They exchanged contacts and have stayed in touch.

Steiger missionary Pasha, serving with the Steiger Eurasia team to help run the School, also witnessed God move powerfully. When a microphone broke before a musical outreach in the city center, he invited the crowd to sing along to well-known love songs. As more people gathered, Pasha shared about the deep human longing for love and the reality of Jesus. Many in the crowd were visibly moved, some even brought to tears.

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After the outreach, he met Valentina, who had recently moved to St. Petersburg to start a new life. They spoke about what had touched her most, and she pointed to the theme of love. Pasha prayed for her and invited her to connect with the Steiger community.

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These are just two of many stories coming out of the outreaches led by the School’s students and volunteers in St. Petersburg, as they brought the Gospel into streets, bars, and concert spaces across the city. As a result:

• 2,465 people heard the Gospel
• 450 people received prayer
• 71 people accepted Jesus into their hearts
• 85 gave their contacts to follow up with informal Bible study

The Eurasia Steiger Missions School equips young missional leaders across a rapidly growing region where there is strong openness to the Gospel, yet increasing visa restrictions are making international travel and ministry more difficult. Since these students are unable to come to the Missions School in Germany, Steiger’s international and regional leadership brings hands-on training, including these creative evangelism outreaches, to them.

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Forty-seven students from 25 cities, across Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan, along with 25 volunteers, came together to learn how to share the Gospel with secular young people in their own countries. Alongside outreach training, they spent time seeking God and praying for revival in their churches and nations.

“After the School, it feels like I’ve grown wings; a lightness has come over me. I’m returning to Yekaterinburg to strengthen the team and boldly preach the Gospel,” shared Evelina, a student from Russia.

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Despite the war, isolation, increasing political pressure, and ongoing challenges from authorities, God is continuing to raise up new leaders and reach the young people of Russia and surrounding nations through our teams. Check out this video report from Steiger’s Eurasia Regional Director Misha.