M o s c o w – Russian Baptist headquarters in Moscow have created a new department for fundraising. The Director is the former head of its Missions office: Leonid Kartavenko, who will now also be functioning as a Vice-President for the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. The 50-year-old regards it as his primary calling to change the mindset of roughly 80.000 church members. In the past the Union has been sustained above all by foreign financial donations. Yet the Russian economy has gained maturity and strength over the past 15 years. Many Baptists are no longer impoverished and could contribute more to funding the Union’s work. Kartavenko states: “We have a higher standard-of-living than Brazilians. Yet the Christians of that country are supporting mission work here!” He therefore wants to convince Russian believers to support mission projects in other countries.

Congregations have until now supported the work at Moscow headquarters with an annual fee of 50 roubles (1,70 euros) per member. According to a press release from the Union, these monies do not even suffice to cover all the costs of the Moscow headquarters. Missions and development projects cannot be financed through this source. For the support of 260 native missionaries working within Russia, the Missions Department still needs 29.600 euros for 2008.

Kartavenko is counting on the increasing number of Baptist business people. Weekly prayer breakfasts for Christian business people are already occurring in the Caucasus region of southern Russia. An initial meeting of 40 business people is scheduled for Moscow in late January. Kartavenko states: “We want to remind these very serious business people of their responsibilities. God has given the funds they have for them to administer. They will need to administer those funds wisely.” Kartavenko also intends to develop relations with Western partners further. He remains realistic above all: “Our financial independence is still only a future goal.”

Kartavenko is already an old hand at fundraising. The Missions Department which he was until recently involved with, is only able to operate because it raised most of its own funds. The new Director of Missions for the Union is Simon Borodin.