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

d polyphony. Similar to contemporary Internet forums, where everyone can leave a message, the periodicals sometimes contained contradictory viewpoints. Khristianin contained various devotional articles, poems and hymns, sermons of prominent preachers (Spurgeon, Prokhanov and others), Bible study material and articles on the history of the church, and some educational stories for little children. An important part of the journal were sections on evangelical work in Russia and evangelical work abroad, thus establishing a link between scattered and often oppressed Evangelical Christians in Russia with stronger movements around the world (particularly in the UK and the USA). The content of the journal had changed significantly over the period of time. Its first issues contained mostly translated articles and sermons from English and American sources, as well as articles on “Christian basics”’” — “Why do you live?” (Vol.3, 1906), “Freedom in Christ” (Vol. 5, 1906), “How to pray” (Vol. 6 and 7, 1906), “The Holy Spirit”, “How to live a happy life” (Vol.9, 1906), “The outpouring of the Holy Spirit” (Vol. ” Prokhanov, V Kotle Rossii, pp 135-136. 3 Apart from Khristianin, Evangelical Christians produced Bratskii Listok [The Brotherly Leaflet], Molodoi Vinogradnik [Young Vineyard] and Utrenniaia Zvezda [Morning Star]. For more detailed insight into the goals of these periodicals see Puzynin, The Tradition of the Gospel Christians, pp 136-138; also Coleman, Russian Baptists and Spiritual Revolution, pp 30-34. 4 Duzynin, The Tradition of the Gospel Christians, p 138. ” Puzynin shows that in the first year of Khristianin, the main thrust of the publication were themes of the pouring of the Holy Spirit in the last days. (The Tradition of the Gospel Christians, p 142). 71 10, 1906), “How to have a correct perspective on things” (Vol. 12, 1906), etc. The later issues contain theological materials suitable for more mature Christians, such as Kargel’s commentaries on various books of the Bible, theological essays by N. Kazakov, and others. Many issues of the journal contained “sermon notes” — brief or even extended sermon outlines prepared for the use of the preachers and pastors in churches across the country. Such a service had a double aim — it was an important ministry for many small congregations, which used the journal as their primary source of teaching 76 I. material.’” Apart from it, as a result of such “mass preaching,” the leadership of the Union could achieve greater theological coherence in otherwise diverse congregations. ”” Baptist, the journal of the Baptist Union”? was similar to Khristianin in its pattern, use, and purposes. However, it maintained a much clearer denominational stance. The issues of the journal regularly contained articles on Baptist Beliefs, the meaning of the term “Baptist,” and many others, explaining the difference between Baptists and Orthodox, and between the