Is there proof of life after death? The experience that we call life encompasses so much and is tenaciously embraced by every human being. It seems unfathomable that this wonder could ever cease, since everything in the living experience suggests that it must go on. Memories, legacies, and classical creative works lend to this notion. Enormous efforts - both medical and social - are exerted to maintain and prolong life so that humans are healthier, mentally and physically, and to ensure that the environment is safe and stable to accommodate the living.

But eventually all living creatures die, despite any and all efforts. Believers in a vast majority of religions subscribe to an after-life existence and an actual place where the eternal soul may reside. Preparations are made in the present for the future state, and to secure a good location. Grief at the loss of those dear to us provokes within us a longing, “Is this the end? Will I never see my loved one again?” (read more…)

When we think of our mortality, the most difficult part is often not thinking of death itself, but of what happens after death.

We are deluged with opinions on the subject. Some say we will be immediately plunged into heaven or hell. Some say we will be reincarnated. Others say death is the end of all existence.

Even Christians - who agree that God will ultimately judge each person, sending the good to heaven and the bad to hell - may disagree over when that judgment will occur.

There are two basic views on what happens to a person when he or see dies. The first view is a kind of sleep or unconsciousness - one that may last thousands of years, ending on Judgment Day. Daniel 12:12 says, “Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.” (read more…)

In his opening address he said,

“We can’t keep Christians from going to church.”

“We can’t keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth.”

“We can’t even keep them from forming an intimate relationship with their saviour.”

“Once they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken.”

“So let them go to their churches; let them have their covered dish dinners, BUT steal their time, so they don’t have time to develop a relationship with Jesus Christ..”

“This is what I want you to do,” said the devil: (read more…)

Pastor of the Church Victor Pels and his wife Tanya

Please pray for new ministries to emerge and get strong, such as
- ministry to children (Sunday school)
- ministry to youth
- ministry to seniors.
Please pray for good quality of these ministries.

There is a vision to start a special prayer group to purposely pray for the town of Plastun to claim it as God’s possession. The church plans to continue reaching the town both through holding massive outreaches and by winning souls one by one through personal testimony. Showing Chrisitian movies is a great means of evangelism that always gathers a large audience. The church needs a video-projector for this purpose. Please pray about it. (read more…)

ORTA students and Maria Vdovina

According to the church leader, Victor Pels, the church did 4 outreach crusades in 2005, both independently and in cooperation with other local churches and a missionary team from the US. 3 baptism services were held with 11 new church members baptised. The latest baptism service took place in December… in Pels’s bath tub.
Easter celebration on May 1 was a great event, very exciting and inspiring for both the church and the community. The church co-worked with the local Baptist congregation to perform songs, a special program for kids and the holiday special, puppet-show on the gospel of Luke.
Another highlight was Christmas celebration on December 25. The church prepared a special worship and praise program, a Christmas play and tea and treats for visitors. They put together Christmas gifts for children who attended the service. This year the church did not put up any posters, just prayed. Nevertheless, they had a full house. The auditorium could not seat everyone and some had to stand. About 60 persons attended and 37 gifts were presented to children.
Victor Pels attended the training seminar for ORTA tutors in September and started the first extension Bible college course for the church members willing to become students and receive systematic theological education in an available, local-based, relevant and applicable to life form. Currently tutoring 12 students, Pels says, “This schooling has been a great blessing for the church.
(read more…)

Vladivostok team and Plastun church members

Тhe church in Plastun is alive and active. They experience God’s blessing. The Lord builds up the church and adds new converts. The congregation has grown to 30 members, twice as many as 1 year ago. More young people 16 to 19 years old start attending (read more…)

Viktor Korotkov, Andrei and Maria Vdovin and Anna Wrousel, a missionary from Canada, visited the sister church in Plastun on 5 to 10 January. They took part in the church prayer meeting and Sunday church service, and visited many church members at their homes. After a tiresome 17 hours’ ride in the bus it was a good ‘meeting and eating’ time. Fellowship, food and fun was abundant!

(read more…)

Perhaps one of the most daunting premises of Christianity and the Bible is the question: Do heaven and hell really exist?

Many people think of heaven and hell as places, removed from the Earth. They may see heaven as a place where “good” people go when they die. Many see hell as another place, possibly underground, where “bad” people face endless torture in burning pits of fire and brimstone.

The Bible describes a heaven where Jesus has ascended and where angels worship God. Jesus tells His disciples about heaven in John 14:2, saying, “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.”

The Apostle Paul tells us, “Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands” (2 Corinthians 5:1).

In 2 Kings 2, the Prophet Elijah is swept into heaven in a whirlwind. And in Mark 12:25, Jesus tells the Pharisees what happens when married people enter heaven, saying, “When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.” (read more…)

To determine whether or not people will burn in hell, we look to the authority on heaven and hell. The answer is in the Bible. If one believes God and His offer for eternal life in heaven for believers, then we must believe His Word concerning hell and its eternity for those who reject Jesus Christ.

According to the Bible, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) and “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

God desires all people to come to Him and gives us every opportunity to do so. He sacrificed His Son Jesus as the way of atonement for our sins. However, God will not force anyone and created us with a free will to choose Him. But there are consequences for those who do not. Jesus tells Nicodemus in John 3:20 that everyone that does evil and hates the light [of Christ] will be reproved, which means admonished or convicted. (read more…)

This is a fairly common question of those with a vague interest in end times prophecy (eschatology), particularly the book of Revelation. The Mark of the beast is referred to several times and is directly stated as being the number of man or 666. Revelation 13:16-18 says, “He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666.” (read more…)

In Phoenix, Arizona, a 26-year-old mother stared down at her 6 year old
son, who was dying of terminal leukaemia.

Although her heart was filled with sadness,
she also had a strong feeling of determination.
Like any parent, she wanted her son to grow up & fulfill all his dreams.
Now that was no longer possible. The leukaemia would see to that. But
she still wanted her son’s dream to come true.

She took her son’s hand and asked, “Billy, did you ever think about what
you wanted to be once you grew up?

Did you ever dream and wish what you would do with your life?”

Mommy, “I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up.” (read more…)

The number of the beast or 666 is spoken of in the following verses:

Revelation 13:16-18: “He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666.”

Revelation 14:9-11 - “A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name.’” (read more…)