Last month Mark Meynell, Preaching Director for Europe and Caribbean, trained 30 preachers in Georgia during his first ever visit to the country.
Mark writes: “Georgia is the second ex-Soviet country that I am now working in, and it is interesting to discern how much overlap there is with Ukraine.
30 preachers attended training in Georgia last month.
“One thing that struck me forcibly is the fact that it is surrounded by centuries-old Islamic cultures, and it was under Ottoman rule in the Middle Ages. Yet somehow, vulnerable Orthodox Georgia managed to resist to come through.”
‘Immensely grateful’
Langham Preaching events began in Georgia in 2016. Mark is “immensely grateful” to a retired missionary couple and their minister son who got the “Langham ball rolling in the capital city of Tbilisi”. Mark says it was “excellent” to see things with his own eyes on this visit.
He led the ‘Level 3’ Langham Preaching seminar in Tbilisi, which is the final level of training. These seminars take place over a few days. Levels 1 and 2 cover the foundations of Biblical preaching and how to teach from the New Testament.
Level 3 seminars tackle preaching from the Old Testament. Seminars involve lectures, group work, Bible expositions, prayer, and planning for grassroots training and support.
Difficult challenges
Mark Meynell (centre) with Merab Gaprindashvili (right) and one of his elders, Shalva (left).
This latest training was a “thrill” according to Mark, especially catching up with Merab Gaprindashvili. He is the leader of the Georgian Baptist denomination.
In conversations with Merab and one of his elders Shalva, it is clear that their denomination is facing some very tough challenges at the moment.
Mark said: “it was a privilege to spend time with them in solidarity. I look forward to a long-standing friendship and partnership with them all.”
Please pray for the 30 people who attended this Level 3 event in Georgia, that these preachers would put into practice what they have learnt.
