tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-177162642011-09-12T21:24:18.697+02:00This is a blog of our family life, ministry experiences, and thoughts relating to ministry in Europe.<BR>As the blog serves various purposes, you may want to "search" the blog or use the label index below.Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.comBlogger2131100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-41488542366402849742010-12-16T14:06:00.000+01:002010-12-16T14:07:20.641+01:00

Finally, our family newsletter outline the higlights from September to December.http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Rosson-Newsletter.html?soid=1101898662382&aid=JO-w-awpGZI

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-23110459409063583122010-08-21T03:50:00.001+02:002010-08-21T03:51:58.069+02:00

Well, the long-awaited (uh, overdue) family newspaper is now online.http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Rosson-Family-Newsletter.html?soid=1101898662382&aid=aBmpQ9YMtso

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-59453702980156269212010-04-29T18:24:00.001+02:002010-04-29T18:24:48.345+02:00

Check out the @constantcontact newsletter from Moscow

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-47178438236617510482010-04-15T10:54:00.003+02:002010-04-15T14:42:36.632+02:00

Over the Easter weekend, I traveled to Serbia where I was the main speaker for their national convention. Also in attendance were the pastors and members from Macedonia, Bosnia, and Croatia. (In earlier times, this would have been the national meeting of Yugoslavia. Even after the civil war and the disintegration of their former homeland, the ministers and members from these countries still

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-20008494085129984652010-03-12T14:23:00.000+01:002010-03-12T14:23:44.381+01:00

'News from Eurasian Theological Seminary Moscow'

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-4177666986729684422009-10-12T05:15:00.003+02:002009-10-12T05:46:11.137+02:00

We have just concluded the leadership conference for our denomination in Central and Eastern Europe. The meeting was held October 7-11, in Hajduszoboszlo, Hungary which is only 30 km from the university town of Debrecen.This year's conference had three major highlights.Our guest speaker was Dr. Fred Garmon, president of "People for Care and Learning". As I have noted in earlier blog posts, Fred

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-78222836984306004312009-08-18T05:48:00.000+02:002009-10-12T05:50:54.108+02:00

We are currently in the United States for vacation and business. I hope to share more later. In the meantime, we have posted our quarterly newsletter and it can seen at http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs072/1101898662382/archive/1102675738242.html

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-73781386662314903192009-07-31T18:29:00.002+02:002009-07-31T18:41:33.071+02:00

Due to my busy schedule in May / June, my reading has taken a back seat until the last couple of weeks. To end my reading fast, I pick up Tim Keller's The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism. (Here is a link to the book's website.) Dr. Keller leads the Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan. He planted this church some 15 years ago and the congregation averages over 5000 each week.

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-63527007823412956732009-07-30T16:19:00.003+02:002009-07-30T17:14:02.755+02:00

On Tuesday, July 28, I had the opportunity to spend an afternoon with our Russian overseer Vladimir Shestopalov and his wife Aphrodite. It was the first time for me to see them since the tragic events from last month (see earlier posts). I wasn't quite sure what to expect. But I think they are holding up well considering what they have gone through.Aphrodite is still wearing a cast for her

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-90063794139504538032009-06-24T15:41:00.002+02:002009-06-24T16:24:58.615+02:00

Many of our readers of the blog and/or newsletter have been asking about the Shestopalov family. The funeral for the daughter was held this past Monday at the seminary. About 200 guests came from all over Russia, and a number of family members from outside of Russia. After the church ceremony, most of the guests accompanied the family for the graveside ceremony. Later in the afternoon, there was

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-58520674245016255202009-06-18T15:03:00.004+02:002009-06-18T15:08:09.292+02:00

Many of our readers and those receiving our updates via email have asked us for updates.Yesterday (Wednesday), Brother and Sister Shestopalov were finally transferred to a Moscow hospital, but I'm not sure if it is the same one where the two oldest daughters are.The funeral for Sabrina is scheduled for Monday, June 22 to be held in the seminary chapel. Exact time .... I haven't heard yet. This

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-81211490317061003752009-06-15T16:58:00.007+02:002009-06-15T17:05:48.372+02:00

Immediate Response NeededChurch of God World Missions Project Number #132-4002Daughter Killed in Car AccidentOn June 13, 2009 Russian National Overseer Vladimir Shestopalov and his family were traveling in the Moscow region when they were hit head-on by an coming SUV, causing them to slide into a ditch and roll over several times. In the van with Bishop Shestopalov were his wife, Afrodita, and

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-15157793178608238252009-05-19T14:44:00.003+02:002009-05-19T14:52:31.602+02:00

There has been quite a bit going on and little time for blogging. Today, I hope to post a few news items that relate to our work in Europe.First, the Lee Singers (Lee University, Cleveland, TN, USA) are currently on tour in Germany. Tom helped them finalize their schedule when they had a last minute cancellation. Additionally, we help our district church in the housing arrangements of their visit

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-60336533187800577602009-05-07T16:37:00.002+02:002009-05-07T16:43:09.170+02:00

It came out in the news today here in Germany that lawmakers will tighten the already stringent gun laws as a result of the Winnenden shootings in March. I couldn't help but think of our youth group in Charlottesville, VA (Matt Temple's era) and the days they would often spend playing paintball for "good clean fun." Winnenden massacre could lead to paintball and laser tag ban <!-- Article Start

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-83197989471865750432009-05-03T14:52:00.000+02:002009-05-19T14:57:28.428+02:00

Did you know there is a fellowship and joint research entity for Pentecostal schools and scholars in Europe. The European Pentecostal Theological Association (which is the European equivalent to SPS in North America) began many years ago. Our denominational sister schools in Germany and Romania have been member schools since almost EPTA's inception.Some three years ago, ETSM began to participate

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-1543640953607236252009-04-21T18:12:00.004+02:002009-04-21T18:42:53.608+02:00

I just finished reading Donald Miller's Reinventing American Protestantism. Miller, a sociology professor from the Unversity of Southern California, applies his discipline to understanding three growing movements: Calvary Chapel, Vineyard Association, and Hope Chapel. All three of these movements are of the charismatic persuasion and have experienced tremendous growth in the past couple of

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-16438745329478743802009-04-21T10:18:00.003+02:002009-04-21T10:30:54.551+02:00

Bill Isaacs, Administrative Bishop for the Churches of God in Northern Ohio, has a blog in which he asks the honest question, "What can/should denominations do?" Considering the mandated reallocation of funds (decision of our general assembly), this is the first question that must be addressed before deciding where to set the knife.Bill has opened his blog to user comments, and there has been

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-61397455509448078572009-04-21T10:04:00.002+02:002009-04-21T10:15:18.921+02:00

My blogging has been in a slump as of late. As you can see below, I worked on two newsletters and I would be duplicating a lot. So, here is a report from Jeannette Chesser, a guest teacher at our school in Moscow, who shares her experiences from the past week in Russia.Russian EasterBecause they use a different calendar, Easter is different than the US; this year it was April 19. The Russian

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-76279831802778399892009-04-17T18:10:00.001+02:002009-04-17T18:10:56.615+02:00

The April newsletter from the school in Moscow is now online.http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs072/1101898662382/archive/1102552465064.html

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-29231784226291349362009-04-14T15:15:00.002+02:002009-04-14T15:18:00.904+02:00

Our latest newsletter is now online at http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs072/1101898662382/archive/1102536275849.htmlCurrently, our kids are on Spring break (Easter break). We'll upload some pictures here before too terribly long.

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-58644083018953013432009-04-07T13:50:00.002+02:002009-04-07T13:56:58.819+02:00

Many of you may have heard about the 6.3 earthquake to rock central Italy early yesterday (Monday) morning. To this hour, about 180 people have been confirmed dead; over 1000 injured, and 50,000 homeless.Italy is a staunchly Roman Catholic country. So I was quite surprised to learn that a Pentecostal church (Assemblies of God) in L'Aquila was totally damaged through the earthquake. It is too

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-12944277734922289272009-03-26T16:45:00.002+01:002009-03-26T16:46:51.300+01:00

The following article was written by one of our guest lecturers in Moscow. You can read it also here. Jeanette Chesser preaching Six weeks of my three months in Moscow have now past at the Church of God Eurasian Seminary, living in a dorm room. There is plenty of noise; someone practicing the piano in the room below me every night, traffic all day and night on a major boulevard in front of the

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-18186288349163940782009-03-25T17:19:00.001+01:002009-03-25T17:20:30.943+01:00

The latest newsletter from Moscow is now available. To view, click on this link.http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs072/1101898662382/archive/1102520172097.html

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-57528597148463463952009-03-13T11:56:00.005+01:002009-03-13T14:16:29.265+01:00

As many of our friends back in the States have heard and seen in TV, there has been a terrible school shooting in Winnenden, Germany - which is only 13 km (9 miles) from our home in Rudersberg. (Click on map for larger image). Although there is never a good place for something like this to happen, it became very uncomfortable -- it's too close to home!Unfortunately, a 17-year old graduate of the

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-46956234754220651272009-03-11T16:38:00.003+01:002009-03-11T16:45:27.595+01:00

Many of our friends will have heard about a school shooting in Germany. Most of the shooting took place in Winnenden (about 9 miles from our home) and then he fled to Wendlingen (about 40 kilometers/26 miles away). The latest count is 17 dead. There are still no official reports on the number of those injured.Our family is safe. But there are 17 families whose lives have changed

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-14267981370431840622009-03-11T09:54:00.003+01:002009-03-11T10:32:33.881+01:00

On March 3-4, ETSM had the honor of hosting Drs Donald E Miller and Tetsunao (Ted) Miller, authors of Global Pentecostalism: The New Face of Christian Social Engagement.Dr. Yamamori has served in various positions, perhaps most notably as the International Director for the Lauasanne Committee for World Evangelization. He is an expert missiologist who has also 18 years of seminary teaching

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-37728521337205908662009-03-04T09:32:00.001+01:002009-03-11T09:52:56.377+01:00

Tom just finished a whirlwind tour through three republics of the former Yugoslavia. These Balkan countries recently came into our administrative area and this was a get-to-know the leaders visit for me, and a good-bye and transition tour for my predecessor. Hosted by my fellow missionary and outgoing education coordinator Vance Massengill, we first spent afternoon in Sr. Mitrovica, Serbia. There

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-70955800862610394792009-02-17T10:33:00.002+01:002009-02-24T11:13:42.111+01:00

During the second full weekend of February, I had the opportunity to travel to and minister in Hungary. Originally, the plan was for me to travel with two colleagues (Dieter Knospe and Paul Schmigall) to Debrecen and Hajduszoboszlo to map out and plan the upcoming Eastern European/Eurasian Leadership Conference for the fall. But while there, we were asked to be involved in the local ministries

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-46574839686206529752009-02-05T12:35:00.002+01:002009-02-05T12:55:27.192+01:00

We have some exciting to news from Moscow! During the last week of January, ETSM hosted the "visiting committee" of the EAAA (the Eurasian Evangelical Accrediting Association). We at ETSM had held candidate status and were seeking full accreditation of our two bachalor's degrees. After a thorough investigation of the school's academic programs, administrative procedures, and overall operations,

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-89796457038065954232009-01-25T12:29:00.001+01:002009-02-01T12:32:35.013+01:00

My friend and our provost at ETSM in Moscow gives the following report from his blog about the new family and marital ministry program at ETSM.Greetings from Moscow, Russia! Last 4 days including Saturday I taught Theology of Mariage and Theology of Family Ministry in a Local Church. The class is #1 class of 12 classes program on Marriage and Family Ministry Extension Program ETSM has opened this

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-15879179308048094092009-01-22T12:14:00.002+01:002009-01-22T12:22:33.464+01:00

I just finished reading The Shack: Where tragendy confronts eternity by William Paul Young. Although I had heard about the book in the states, it was our youth pastor here in Germany that recommended and loaned it to me. And boy...what a surpise!Although it is a novel, it is an extremely theological work that investigates the doctrine of the trinity and how the inter-relatedness of the Godhead

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-74623771015379374442009-01-20T12:24:00.002+01:002009-01-20T12:27:49.932+01:00

This past weekend we mailed out the electronic version of our quarterly newsletter to our friends and sponsors. Didn't you get one? Then you haven't signed up for the newsletter. (See box below to the right.)In the meantime, one can download the newsletter at http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs072/1101898662382/archive/1102413762277.html

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-49601129963930806362009-01-08T11:33:00.006+01:002009-01-08T11:37:20.293+01:00

Here is a link to the same video that is on Facebook, this time on YouTube

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-61631441729563642142009-01-07T22:20:00.003+01:002009-01-07T22:24:04.360+01:00

For anyone that is interest, here is a link to a newly made commercial for the bible school in Moscow. Although the video is in Russian, it still provides a good visual introduction to life at ETSM.http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1090159733895

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-88870488561209542092009-01-04T15:27:00.004+01:002009-01-04T15:35:20.475+01:00

The school in Moscow is beginning a new program under the leadership of our provost, Dr. Ilya Okhotnikov. This is his blog report.January 21, 2009 ETSM starts a new Marriage and Family Ministry (MFM) Program for church leaders. Purpose of the MFM Program is to train ministers to help and serve families in the church (and society). Upon completion of the program the graduates will be able

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-50931859318159470222009-01-03T14:18:00.003+01:002009-01-03T14:33:48.779+01:00

We began the new year by thanking God that we're still alive. On New Year's Eve we drove to Claudia's sister's home in Neustadt an der Weinstraße. At about 6 pm, we were really cruising down the Autobahn since there was very little traffic on the road. Now, when I say cruising down the Autobahn, I mean I was driving German style. There are many sections of the German Autobahn that still has no

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-10725276609792417552008-12-18T11:51:00.002+01:002008-12-18T12:15:17.584+01:00

Often, we are asked what is different about Christmas in Germany. I came across an article that will acquaint you with some German Christmas foods. Below is simply an extract Invited to a German Christmas dinner and don’t know what to expect? Forget about your Turkey with cranberry sauce, say good bye to mince pies and Christmas pudding and embrace these Teutonic holiday specialties. Germany

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-22938537416636856382008-12-08T10:54:00.003+01:002008-12-08T11:12:42.087+01:00

Last week, the Protestant State Church of Germany, die evangelische Kirche in Deutschland (EKD), released its statistics from 2007. Overall, the church lost about 1.5% of its membership. However, there are some bigger stories behind the summary statement. First, the number of resignations from the State Church rose by 7.7% in comparison to 2006. In total, there were 131,000 people to turn in

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-79928445568563183362008-12-05T13:16:00.002+01:002008-12-05T13:27:59.705+01:00

This piece of news is available through many news outlets, but may not get the prime time coverage in the West. Alexei II is to the Russian Orthodox church what the Pope is to Catholicism. As you can see below, he has had an interesting impact on Russian society. And it will be interesting to see who his successor will be.Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II, who presided over a vast post-Soviet

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-23744000510705854102008-12-02T17:57:00.005+01:002008-12-02T18:11:43.404+01:00

I've written many times before, the best time for me to read is while in transit. During my flight to/from Bulgaria, I was able to read the latest from one of my favorite authors - Patrick Lencioni, a consultant par excellence. This time, he has applied his analytic questions for businesses for everyday family life. Below is a summary of his book, taken from his own website.The Three Big

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-15496006683164447272008-11-28T13:29:00.002+01:002008-11-28T15:45:50.418+01:00

Remember the old comedy with Steve Martin and John Candy, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. That's a little bit of what my last trip to Moscow and back was like.The Trip to MoscowIt began with a beep on my mobile phone during church. Since we were attending a district conference, it was pretty easy for me to step out and listen to my voice mail in which an agent from the airlines indicated that my

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-51634320063362367872008-11-25T21:43:00.004+01:002008-11-25T21:47:41.796+01:00

This week, I (Tom) have been in Moscow minding shop. The main purpose of the trip was to join the faculty in a meeting with the national overseer from Russia. We have a good, solid residential program, but very few people can take advantage of what ETSM has to offer. So today's discussion was about expanding our extension ministries throughout the country. It was a good, first conversation. The

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-63446264744721468042008-11-20T09:18:00.002+01:002008-11-20T09:21:18.835+01:00

One of these days, I'll figure out how to post the newsletters from our school in html format and blooger doesn't try to mess up. Until then, I simply post a link.http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs072/1101898662382/archive/1102332063257.htmlThis monthly newsletter from the seminary in Moscow highlights two students and the experiences they had during their recent week of "missionary activity".

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-34805675871237493152008-11-12T07:32:00.004+01:002008-11-12T07:38:41.511+01:00

This week, I (Tom) am currently in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria. As many of our prayer partners know, I was recently appointed president of our bible school here in Bulgaria. Since this is a transition period, I decided to put the school through a SWOT analysis – meeting with the staff to learn the schools strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. As it turns out, all evangelical theological

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-62403502057124412792008-11-06T18:54:00.003+01:002008-11-06T19:03:47.856+01:00

During the last week of October, our family attended the German national assembly in Kirchheim. As is always the case with such meetings, there are good services and seminars. But the really interesting stuff takes place in the hallways and at the dinner tables. This year was no different.The main guest speaker this year was Dr. Fred Garmon from People for Care and Learning. Fred and I go back

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-74893749589244162682008-10-24T18:10:00.003+02:002008-10-24T18:22:10.328+02:00

One of the great things about being on the road is the opportunity to do some reading while in transit. During our recent trip to Cleveland (TN), I saw a book at Pathway Bookstore that caught my attention. The Simple Church by Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger.To be honest, most of the writing was done by Geiger and Rainer was his mentor in a research project. Although they do a well grounded

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-18588624725672204342008-10-16T05:10:00.001+02:002008-10-21T05:14:58.627+02:00

ETSM welcomes Gennady and Ina Zagrebin as new dormitory parents and student dean. During the tulmultous early 90's that faced Russian after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Gennady's personal life was collasping. After experiencing the disillusionment of drugs and alcohol and disasterous family life, Gennady gave his life to Christ in 1993. Within a few years, the changes that God had brought

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-4586248866357387032008-10-14T05:01:00.002+02:002008-10-21T05:09:36.692+02:00

In September, we held an intensive seminar on Family and Marriage for our residential program. Although the course was mandatory for all students, it was a trial run of a new track that ETSM will offer this December. In December, we will begin offering a special track (a professional sequence) in Family and Marital Ministry in our Moscow Extension . we have already had final exams and graduation

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-91176675433197832142008-10-11T12:53:00.002+02:002008-10-11T12:57:32.875+02:00

This report was originally written by our provost in Moscow, Ilya Okhotnikov. Please keep our students in your prayers.The Seminary in Moscow started this weekend (as of October 10, 2008) a Missionary Week: it is when students are sent in 2s and 3s to different churches of Church of God in Russia and Ukraine to:teach and preach in the churches \ or learn from pastors in the field;get to know

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-61810306332058324372008-10-06T18:14:00.003+02:002008-10-06T18:28:20.267+02:00

We've been quite busy the last couple of days. When we traveled to the States in July, the officials at the border suggested that Claudia should apply for a Travel Document to ensure her green card status. Furthermore, we learned that this is a different document than the form for missionaries (or their spouses) who do not want their time abroad to be counted against them for naturalization

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-352953847588456142008-09-23T18:26:00.005+02:002008-09-23T21:14:58.108+02:00

While traveling in the Ukraine, I was able to read Bill Hybel's Axiom which, as the subtitle suggests, is filled with leadership proverbs. This is a collection of 76 pieces of advice grouped into four categories. What follows below is a few highlights in each of the four sections Vision and strategyLanguage matters - The best leaders wrestle with words until they are able to communicate their

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-52736075448598545982008-09-22T16:29:00.002+02:002008-09-22T16:48:28.731+02:00

During my recent trip to Ukraine, there were several oddities that caught my attention. We flew into Odessa which has only a small airport with one coffee shop and one kiosk. Upon arrival, bought a bottle of water at the kiosk. The total amount was only a few kopecks shy of an even hyrvnia number. After looking in vain for small change (literally for less than 0.5 cents in USD), the attendant

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-43687327853742793832008-09-21T05:15:00.001+02:002008-10-21T05:18:16.163+02:00

ETSM begen its 11th year of operation with a new class with nine students in its residential program. The New students come from different places of Russia: Siberian republic of Tyva, southern town of Volgodonsk in Rostov region, another southern town of Cherkessk in the Russian Northern Caucasian region, and from Moscow region. Among new students we have two new couples. Couples proved to be the

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-81054029322398737622008-09-17T15:21:00.001+02:002008-09-22T16:05:10.681+02:00

During the week of September 9-12, I attended the Eastern European / Eurasian Leadership Conference and the Ukrainian Church of God National Assembly, both of which were held held in Nova Kakhovka, Ukraine. Invited to the Leadership Conference were the overseers and educational leaders of our denominations from most of the countries in the the Church of God is represented - from Germany to Russia

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-33868868433993252092008-09-05T15:21:00.002+02:002008-09-05T15:30:33.890+02:00

Today I received the sad news that Jack Nkandu (pictured left) had passed on to his heavenly reward. He was diagnosed with cancer just one week prior to the General Assembly (in other words, just six weeks ago). I requested prayer for him in an earlier blog.Jack was one of our students at the EBS in Rudersberg during the late 90's. He was always a mature and deeply spiritual voice in the crowd of

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-4306803605544384442008-09-02T14:20:00.002+02:002008-09-02T14:34:28.070+02:00

One of the good things about vacation is the chance to finally read a good book. In my case, it gave me a chance to finish off what I started reading several months ago. Below is my summary notes of the final chapter of Leadership Challenge by Kouzes and Posner.Leadership is about relationships, about credibility, and about what you do. You are the most important leader in your organization.If

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-60701942221740103552008-08-31T15:12:00.002+02:002008-08-31T15:18:21.651+02:00

Our Provost in Moscow, Ilya Okhotnikov, has a new post on his blog. You can click here for his blog. But for your convenience here is his post regarding the beginning of the school year in Moscow. September 1 is a National Holiday in Russia. September 1 is the Day of Knowledge. All level students\puples go to school on September 1. Kindergarden and preschool kids start it all on September 1.

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-19651684803581949882008-08-30T21:26:00.000+02:002008-08-26T22:17:48.101+02:00

Our latest newsletter is now online and can be downloaded by clicking on the following link. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open and print the newsletter.http://www.cog-europe.de/rosson/August_2008.pdf

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-25847439911855684562008-08-19T22:14:00.003+02:002008-08-19T22:26:37.594+02:00

En route to Tennessee from San Antonio, we spent a couple of days in Houston. Rob and Jeanne were our neighbors in Charlottesville. In fact, Jeanne was the church administrative secretary at Covenant Church we I (Tom) was on staff in Virginia.Many times, Claudia and Jeanne swapped kids and babysitting responsibilities in the past. And they spent a couple of days with us in Germany last year, too.

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-69866864560069512232008-08-19T15:24:00.002+02:002008-08-19T15:45:26.759+02:00

Our time in San Antonio was extremely pack with activities. Well, more so for Tom and for the rest of the family. Here are a few more highlights of the week in San Antonio.On Monday, Tom was one of six panelist to respond to Dr. Paul Conn's paper presented at the forum sponsored by the COG Division of Education. Other panelists included Dr. Cheryl Johns (COGTS), Dr. Harold Bare (our pastor from

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-36601557988256041392008-08-15T05:12:00.003+02:002008-08-15T14:25:29.250+02:00

Most of my blogging colleagues have already written their reflections on the recent General Assembly held last week in San Antonio. Unfortunately for me, I've been on the road and have had only limited internet access. (But Claudia and the kids are happy that I'm more accessible.) In a quick round up, here are my thoughtsAs usual, San Antonio was a great place to visit. This year, our kids

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-90283619028595970782008-07-29T16:47:00.003+02:002008-07-29T17:48:09.366+02:00

This morning, I received some very discouraging news from our German overseer. Jack Nkandu (pictured to the left) is Education Coordinator for the region of Central Africa and is based out of Zambia. I've known Jack since 1996 when he came to study at EBS here in Rudersberg. At the General Assembly, he is to be appointed as Regional Superintendent for Central Africa. Jack was passing through

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-36340007444062595762008-07-25T18:44:00.001+02:002008-07-27T19:07:10.402+02:00

The past week has been a very busy one for our family. Finally on Wednesday (yes, July 23), the kids had their last day of school. Before school let out, though, there were plenty of good-bye parties and school festivals which was complicated by the fact that our three kids are in three different schools. Grades?As soon as school was over, the twins left for a week long Royal Ranger camp. In fact

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-14893103883647763632008-07-21T14:10:00.003+02:002008-07-21T14:34:19.521+02:00

This weekend, I had the privilege of translating an EBS alumnus (the forerunner of the European Theological Seminary). Victor and Nahed Sadek from Egypt were students here in Rudersberg from 1989-1992. Although he is ordained in the Church of God, he works as a chaplain in a German Evangelical hospital in Aswan. And on the weekends he pastors and leads outreaches into minority ethnic areas of

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-16606154740690547142008-07-18T14:47:00.003+02:002008-07-23T18:23:30.289+02:00

The little picture to the right of one sheet of paper has been the occasion for blood, sweat, tears, and lots of prayer. ETSM officially received the licensed on July 14, although the date of validity is May 21, 2008. Thank you for your constant prayers that have helped us navigate the murky waters of Russian bureacracy. Throughout the past year, we have seen time and time again how the Lord

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-34077001846970365232008-07-16T21:56:00.002+02:002008-07-16T21:58:53.740+02:00

George Bullard has posted an entry on his blog about the demise of many denominations. Have a read and think about what it might mean for our church, or even your local congregation.Here is an illustration of why I believe we are in a denominational transformation era rather than a post-denominational era. What makes it seem like a post-denominational era is that denominational organizations,

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-27682257618055603752008-07-14T09:37:00.004+02:002008-07-14T10:03:44.601+02:00

On July 6-9, the national pastors conference for our German church was held at the Theological Seminary in Kniebis. Tom was able to attend most of the conference, although responsibilities back in Rudersberg forced an early depature. The main speaker for the conference is a relatively new member of the Church of God - Professor Dr. Michael Dieterich, who is also the leader of Biblical

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-3825059082813252552008-07-04T09:24:00.000+02:002008-07-14T09:35:41.213+02:00

Living in Germany, it is not always easy for us to celebrate American Independence Day. After all, it is not a holiday in Germany or any other place in the world. Fortunately, Independence Day fell on a Friday so that our kids could stay up late (i.e., not a school night). Through the American Armed Forces Radio, I learned that there would be a fireworks display on Patch Barracks which is located

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-47301291504231917782008-07-01T19:04:00.002+02:002008-07-01T19:18:57.839+02:00

Assist News Service has an interesting, but lengthy article on various legal procedures facing several churches and Bible schools in Russia. The common motif is that these churches allegedly operated an institution without a license. As many of our readers know, this has been a major concern of our seminary in Moscow throughout the past year.The main item in the article was about how Methodist

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-67009832522951781052008-07-01T18:25:00.003+02:002008-07-01T18:34:56.577+02:00

I just received an SMS (text message) this morning. Tatiana passed successfully defended her dissertation. While she was with the doctoral/professors committee, no one was openly against her dissertation. But in secret voting, the tally was 13 yeas and 4 nays.We were quite concerned because she does not really know most of the professors on the committee. (The composition of the committee was

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-50354690996468099882008-06-30T16:35:00.002+02:002008-06-30T16:59:32.790+02:00

Earlier I wrote about the European version of "March Madness" (the NCAA college basketball playoffs, for those not familiar with American sports). June has been the month of European soccer. And it was not something that could be ignored by those who hate sports.Sixteen countries have battled it out over the last four weeks. Last night, the championship game was played between Germany and Spain.

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-51583896813083265932008-06-25T15:54:00.003+02:002008-06-25T16:21:19.971+02:00

I finally made it back from my trip to Moscow where we had a weeklong series of meetings and guests. We had a meeting of our seminary's board of directors, followed by a meeting of the Russian overseers' council. On Wednesday, ETSM hosted the National Pastors Conference for all of our pastors in the Russian Church of God. It was the first pastors conference of this type in Russia since the

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-81139502453708399312008-06-23T16:25:00.000+02:002008-06-25T16:31:08.461+02:00

I came across this story and could resist posting it. It was originally posted here with more detail. If you know this man, please notify the police!!!Welsh cops have locals scratching their heads with an official police computer sketch of a robber whose face is almost entirely covered by a cap.The e-fit picture was issued by police hunting a conman who tricked a 98-year-old widow out of her life

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-5939991276406029582008-06-18T06:10:00.002+02:002008-06-18T06:14:41.777+02:00

Currently I am in Moscow for a series of meetings. As a result, I've had little time for creative blogging - and just enough time at night to watch the EuroCup soccer championships.But this article by Assist News caught my attention. And from my own personal observations, I would concur with the conclusions of the study. GREIFSWALD (ANS) -- The climate for evangelism in Germany has improved. But

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-89841509436273769532008-06-10T16:59:00.000+02:002008-06-10T16:59:44.096+02:00

Earlier this week, I received an ATOM feed from some American missionaries in Moscow - the McDougles. I've never met them, but have corresponded with them in the past. From time to time they share about life in Moscow, and this week is no exception. If you come to Moscow and get away from the downtown area, you will see the many tall Soviet-era apartment buildings. Moscow was not built with the

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-80906912258199581082008-06-09T09:50:00.002+02:002008-06-09T10:15:13.606+02:00

Last night, our church here in Germany, Treffpunkt C, conducted a common an old Germanic, Teutonic ritual that celebrates the esoterically geometric dynamics. It is a ritual that, if not checked, can lead to spiritual ecstasy and socially acceptable forms of histrionic personality disorder. Although there is a small segment of the Church in Europe that actively resists any participation in this

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-68589195725380955482008-06-06T15:17:00.001+02:002008-06-09T15:48:58.391+02:00

Leave it to kids to surf the web and to find the best of YouTube. Colin and Kevin found this clip about Spiderman 3 - how it should have ended.

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-73069670157528099062008-06-02T13:51:00.005+02:002008-06-02T15:26:37.241+02:00

Yesterday, Claudia, the kids and I spent the day in Geislingen (and nearby Süßen) with Pastors Stefan and Debby Oesterling. (I'm sorry for showing only his picture. I forgot the camera and only could find his picture on the web.) I was invited to speak at the church - and it went well except that my PowerPoint was in Russian (I put the wrong file on the stick). It got a little awkward when they

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-92083606407382847302008-05-28T11:32:00.002+02:002008-05-28T11:54:06.673+02:00

Every now and then, I am asked about the cost of living in Germany. So here are a few items using todays exchange rate of € 1 = $1.5745.Gas (both diesel and regular benzine) = $ 9.25 / gallonMilk (generic brand) = $ 4.58 per gallonBread (German style loaf) = $ 3.62Small Combo at McDonalds = $ 7.86Of course, all of this is relative. After all, I can't drive to McDonalds and fill up the tank if my

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-83442035460372601122008-05-27T20:43:00.003+02:002008-05-27T20:58:24.921+02:00

Germany, and the rest of Europe for that matter, it its contemporary expression of postmodernism is very much into giving "repressed or supressed" voices of the past a platform for the present. The latest minority group to receive such recognition in the German media is the homosexual community.What follows below is a news story from Deutsche Welle, the major source of German news outside of

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-26495850911528932592008-05-19T16:49:00.002+02:002008-05-19T17:04:54.574+02:00

I just got back from a week in Moscow. By far, the highlight of the week was Saturday's graduation and homecoming celebrations. As you can see, we had 11 graduates. (Actually, I thought there were twelve, but I can't think of who the missing person is.) One of the special things about this group is that several of them have been commuting from the Caucasus region to our "Moscow extension" program

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-10191603228655461332008-05-16T19:13:00.002+02:002008-05-16T20:00:26.328+02:00

Tomorrow we will hold our graduation and homecoming ceremonies in Moscow. As you can imagine, it's been a very busy and hectic week. Here are some highlights of the week and some tidbits of information. ETSM (Eurasian Theological Seminary in Moscow) first began 1998. Because of the limited facilities, ETSM only trained one cohort (consisting of 26 students) during the first three years. (I.e., we

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-57063675934846229462008-05-12T18:52:00.002+02:002008-05-12T19:24:52.507+02:00

This past weekend, Germany observed Pentecost Sunday and Whit Monday. And although I would love to have spent all of the weekend with the family, we had to share our time together.I spent most of Saturday hanging out in Schwetzingen, a town just south of Mannheim, with Erich Schneider (our national bishop in Germany) and Douglas Leroy (one of my bosses with Church of God World Missions). It was

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-27996715603108559512008-05-09T17:40:00.002+02:002008-05-09T18:01:57.619+02:00

We just completed our last week of exams at ETSM and final exams will begin next week. In one week, we will have our graduation exercises with hopefully 15 people walking across the stage. This is our highest amount since the initial cohort that began in 1998 (and graduated in 2002). The faculty has already begun to read the "senior papers" written by interns who are about to graduate. Their

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-18126877289685320342008-05-08T16:12:00.003+02:002008-05-08T16:38:39.783+02:00

This has been an historical week here in Russia. Yesterday, Russia inaugurated its third president and head of state - Dmitry Medvedev. Today, Vladimir Putin assumed the role of prime minister (head of government). Below is a YouTube clip of the inaugural ceremonies with all the pomp and circumstance. Tomorrow will be another history making day here. For the first time since the demise of the

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-1240534989385573432008-04-29T10:09:00.002+02:002008-04-29T10:12:08.710+02:00

Last week, we sent out a prayer request for the Gorbachevs and the resistance they experienced at the university where they study. Their work has to do with the teachers' role in students spiritual formation. And spirituality is an uncomfortable topic for a group of atheists to discuss. For background information, please click here.This week, Alexei gave us the some encouraging news. What

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-47199695442590811372008-04-26T12:36:00.002+02:002008-04-26T12:49:55.583+02:00

A couple of weeks ago, I posted about Patrick Lencioni's book on the Five Dysfunctions of a Team. I also noted that Lencioni was writing for a secular/business audience, but his principles fit nicely in the Christian ministry paradigm. Today I see an article in the Leadership Journal (owned by Christianity Today) in which Nancy Ortberg applies Lencioni's lessons in a church setting. Her article

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-24661340110902675052008-04-23T20:57:00.003+02:002008-04-23T21:05:29.227+02:00

Many of our friends are aware that both Alexei and Tatiana Gorbachev, both of whom are faculty members at our seminary, are working on their Ph.D. at a prestigious university in Russia. Previous, I had made an appeal to our friends for their financial support - and with your help, the Lord has provided for them. (To learn more about the Gorbachevs, please read my blog entry here).Alexei is

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-67485738458838898962008-04-19T14:08:00.002+02:002008-04-19T14:15:33.705+02:00

Whenever we visit churches in the United States, people often ask what the people in Germany are like. And usually once a year, we receive a letter from some children's Sunday School class asking what life is like in Germany.My favorite letter came many years ago from Georgia in which the question was asked, "Do they electricity and running water in Germany?" To which I was tempted to reply, "No,

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-88210122683301505672008-04-16T21:51:00.004+02:002008-04-16T22:26:55.486+02:00

Patrick Lencioni is one of my favorite authors. My favorite book of his to date is Five Dysfunctions of a Team. Although Lencioni writes for a secular audience - primarily for executive leadership teams, his insights are just as valid for teams within a church or ministry context. I have used his model to diagnose problems in both local churches as well educational institutions. I would go so far

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-62431516131228611772008-04-15T17:02:00.001+02:002008-04-12T17:07:23.409+02:00

Just in time to divert you away from doing your income taxes (if you live in the United States), our latest newsletter is now online for downloading.Just click on this link for the pdf version. http://www.cog-europe.de/rosson/april2008.pdf

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-31856223630643992352008-04-09T10:50:00.003+02:002008-04-09T11:06:16.791+02:00

Earlier this week, Tom Sterbens mused over the upcoming elections of our denominational leadership. Our current presiding bishop is facing term-limits and must step down. Tom suggested that questions be asked to potential candidates and their answers be posted on the internet. Our denomination has an informal tradition of frowning upon open election campaigns with stump speeches, etc. Instead,

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-11679077916158663582008-04-04T17:07:00.002+02:002008-04-04T17:16:02.773+02:00

After a 14-year break, Claudia has returned to work as a dental hygienist. Although she works only one day a week (Fridays), she still had to get re-certificied in x-ray technology and techniques. Most of the material was "old hat", but she also had to learn about digital imaging, too. In late March, Claudia attended a two-day seminar and passed the exams. So...she can literally look through

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-26407396612476420552008-04-03T16:37:00.003+02:002008-04-03T16:55:29.687+02:00

Earlier this week, I posted that we received short notice in Moscow for the interview of the expert committee. I wrote:The tentative date for the meeting of the expert committee is April 2 - provided we can coordinate everyone's calendar. The expert committee will consist of a representative from (1) the Federal Licensing Bureau - Mr Alexander Gruzkov will chair the meeting, (2) the Department of

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-29924072983681000752008-04-02T09:55:00.002+02:002008-04-02T10:33:09.872+02:00

From Germany, the biggest religious news this week comes from the "Evangelical Church of Germany" (die evangelische Kirche in Deutschland or EKD). This name is the umbrella organization for the "state" churches of the Lutheran or Reformed tradition. In other words, this is the church that Martin Luther gave birth to. (This is not to be confused with the term "evangelical" as we know it in the USA

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-28101399908917215982008-04-01T15:56:00.000+02:002008-04-01T21:59:37.000+02:00

Thank you for your prayers on behalf of ETSM. We have been working through the bureaucratic challenges appending our legal status as a "religious organization" to that also of an "educational institution." In March, we submitted all of the paperwork (along with accompanying documents and contracts with various offices/agencies). On March 27, we were notified that our documents have been

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-50192343233547920882008-03-27T20:52:00.003+01:002008-03-27T21:02:03.491+01:00

It may not be big news in the America and Western Europe, but there has been a major change in the visa regulations for those possessing a "business" or a "religious affairs" visa. The video clip below speaks specifically to the "business" visa, but the rules also affect missionaries who live and minister in Russia with the "religious affairs" This change has already had an impact on many of our

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-37513361756488131562008-03-24T21:46:00.001+01:002008-03-24T21:48:56.345+01:00

This report just came in from our Provost in Moscow. It is also available here. Today - March 24, 2008 - Seminary's documents have been accepted by the Federal Licensing Office (FLO) to proceed for acquiring the Educational License for Eurasian Theological Seminary! Hallelujah!!!Thank you very much for keeping the Seminary in your prayer. I would like to say: THIS IS JUST A BEGINNING! KEEP ON

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-49707635086470230952008-03-22T00:58:00.003+01:002008-03-22T07:28:27.879+01:00

It seems nowadays that there is an increasing amount of distrust in leaders. The cause for the distrust various from venue to venue. Sometimes perceived intentional deceitfulness (e.g., political candidates/leaders). Or sometimes it is simply the perceived "disconnect" between the leaders and the rank and file followers.What do people look for most in a leader? Ask any group, and you'll probably

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17716264.post-90278274547657336062008-03-21T18:33:00.003+01:002008-03-21T18:42:11.921+01:00

On Monday, March 24, ETSM (Eurasian Theological Seminary in Moscow) will submit its final paperwork with the Federal Licensing Office. We have spent the last three weeks updating our permits and documents in order to submit them this week. We ask that you pray with we (ETSM) will find divine favor with Mr. Alexander Petrovich Gruzkov (the head of the FLO).

Tom Rossonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12884442268648460757noreply@blogger.com0