Towards Understanding of the Practice of Proclamation: The Core Element of Russian Baptist Worship, Timofey Cheprasov, 2015

ch follows the course of New Testament exegesis. The rationale of the course is ‘to lay theoretical foundations and develop practical skills for developing and delivering a sermon.’“° There are several objectives of the course. The students are expected to (1) learn main homiletical concepts, (2) develop a skill of textual interpretation through studies in exegesis, theology and homiletics; (3) develop skills in formulating a theme of a sermon and developing a sermon outline; (4) enhance their rhetorical skills; (5) develop a better understanding of working with an audience. The course covers three major areas of preaching ministry: preachers’ spirituality and calling; the role and the use of biblical text in preaching; and practical steps related to developing and delivering of a sermon. The key study materials are Haddon Robinson, Biblical Preaching: The Development and Delivery of Expository 7 Leonid Mikhovich, “PT 520 Homiletics,” Unpublished course syllabus (TCM — International Institute, 2014), available through the author. 33 Ibid. 39 Ibid. “ G. A. Sergienko, “Homiletics,” Unpublished course syllabus (MTSECB, 2013), available through the author. 232 Messages and John R. W. Stott, The Preacher's Portrait: Some Classic New Testament Word Studies.“ There are three important conclusions to be made from this overview. Firstly, the way preaching is perceived. Both curriculums aim at preparing preachers, who would be able to continue practicing preaching in its traditional way (as a rhetorical instrument that can help to achieve certain goals, whether educational or motivational). No attempt is made to explore the nature of the practice or analyse the existing assumptions regarding the value of preaching, as the central practice of Russian Baptist worship. Secondly, the conclusion relates to the type of materials used in the process of education. The lists of required literature almost exclusively rely on books written by Anglo-American authors. Whilst this is not a suggestion that the use of these sources might be inappropriate or mistaken (all the quoted sources are great examples of the development of homiletical thought, and are rightfully recommended for educational use), it must be recognized that Russian Baptist churches have developed and continue to exist in a specific cultural context (predominantly Russian Orthodox), which inevitably affects Baptist perception and practice of preaching, as well as other spheres of their theology and practice. There are no provisions for such specifics either through studying Russian Orthodox preaching, theology of the Orthodox Church, or through an in-depth study of Russian culture. Finally, the question of Baptist identity, although often raised in recent publications of various baptistic theologians, who work in the field of Russian (or wider post-Soviet) baptistic history and ecclesiology,” is neglected, being only briefly addressed as part of