Bringing Hope Through Kolokol
Established in 1993 in Belarus, the Russian-language newspaper Kolokol (The Bell) has a vision to reach beyond the church with the Good News of Christ, in particular places where Christians may not be allowed to freely share the Gospel.
The paper aims to bring Christian values to modern society through telling the truth about God, Christianity and the Christian life. It ‘answers thorny questions and tells real stories’ as well as explaining ‘biblical principles and reasoning’ and represents ‘evangelists, Bible schools and Christian companions for people.’
About 4000 copies of Kolokol are circulated each edition, including to people in hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centres for people with alcohol and drug addictions, and prisons. Readers’ responses have come not just from Russia and Belarus but also from Ukraine, Lithuania, Belgium, France and as far away as the USA and Japan.
Belarus holds the 2nd place in Europe in the number of prisoners per capita (306 prisoners for every 100 000 people). Russia ranks 1st (447 prisoners per 100 000 people). After the adoption of "Yarovaya law", is has been more difficult for evangelists to visit Russian prisons. But there is no problem with sending a Christian newspaper to the prisoners! Testimonies on the website show the difference hearing the Gospel through Kolokol makes to people’s lives:
“I am writing to you from the colony of a special regime, where I serve a sentence for my sins and grave crimes. But there is no bond for the Word of God, and here Christ saves the lost souls of man and brings them back to a new life. I am 37 years old, and unfortunately, most of my life I spent in hostility with God. In my heart there was nothing but a chilling absolute emptiness, which, however hard I tried to fill out the wild life, I could not do it. Now I am with the Lord for 5 years. And all this time He consoled, strengthened, opened my eyes to my life and helped me to reform. But I just do not have enough communication with wise, hard faith Christians. Reading your newspaper, I like a church in the sermon, where there is also the Word of God, and communication with brothers and sisters.”
The paper reaches many villages in Belarus and Russia where there is little access to the internet – but is also used to influence key people within cities. Churches are encouraged to sign up strategic leaders in business and banking, education and the municipality.
Church members are also encouraged to use Kolokol in personal evangelism or special events such as family festivals. A newspaper has longevity and as such, Kolokol tells people about God – even after the event. But more importantly, it is used to bring hope and salvation:
“You give to people, and some ask ‘give me more, let my friend read.’ Our ministers visit the tuberculosis hospital. The wards are absolutely hopeless, from where the living are not discharged. There they just snatched the newspaper's like hot cakes. After all, they have no one left, and no hope. Only Jesus remains.”
Alena Kazlouskaya, Deputy Editor, Kolokol
Find out more at http://kolokol.net
