Update On Shanirak Church July 27, 2015
Canyou imagine trying to raise $400,000 (= big money) in 18 months (= little time)with middle-class (= limited discretionary income) Christians (= not typicallythe wise, powerful, noble of society) as your primary funding source? Meeither. But that’s exactly what Shanirak Church of Astana is trying to do.
As some ofyou know, Astana is the capital of Kazakhstan. In the last 15 years,it has become a leading city in Central Asia and a highly strategic locationfor the spread of the gospel in Asia andaround the world. Unfortunately, it’s not an easy place to plant an evangelicalchurch. And it seems to be getting even tougher. New regulations have virtuallyforced Christian churches either to own their own building or “go underground”and meet in house churches or small groups. In practical effect, Shanirak Church will cease to exist—or exist indramatically different expression—if they do not purchase a building.
Thankfully,they found a building—or rather, God found a building for them—earlier thisyear. It was clearly God’s doing, since the building was 1) already zoned as achurch, 2) owned by another evangelical congregation, and 3) affordably pricedat $400,000. The “owned by evangelicals” part really matters, for a coupleimportant reasons. First, it means that every dollar we give will bless not onebut two like-minded congregations in a country where Christian churches arestill few and far between. Second, it means Shanirak Churchwas graciously permitted to pay for the building in installments. In Kazakhstan,no one buys on credit. Real estate transactions are usually made in cash, paidin full, on the spot. And Shanirak does not have $400,000 cash. So instead,they raised $43k from within their own congregation as a down payment ($7kshort of their goal), which they paid on April 1. And they committed to pay$70k in 5 quarterly installments, beginning July 1.
That muchyou should already know. Here’s the new (just as incredible) part.
On July 1, Shanirak Church paid $77k, making up theshortfall of $7k from their down payment and meeting their $70k obligation forthis quarter. And that does not include any of the $25k we sent from PHBF.Or any of the $25k we hope to raise in pledges! So they are $120k towardtheir goal without receiving a dime from us!
All that tosay this: God is clearly in this project. Are you?