Encountering Hope is brought to you by SGA (Slavic Gospel Association). On each episode, you'll hear inspiring stories of pastors and churches serving in very difficult circumstances in Russia, the former Soviet countries of Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. And you'll be blessed by how God is transforming lives and adding to His Kingdom. We pray these stories of the Lord's life-changing power will enrich your life and that you will be encouraged each time you encounter hope.
Founded by Belarusian immigrant to the United States in 1934, SGA is headquartered near Chicago, Illinois.We help reach "forgotten" orphans, widows and families in 10 countries across the former Soviet Union and Russian-speaking immigrants in Israel through an extensive grassroots network of local evangelical missionary pastors and churches. These faithful servants care for physical needs and proclaim the life-transforming Gospel of Jesus Christ.SGA also strengthens indigenous evangelical churches through training for pastors, evangelists, and children's workers.
Through Encountering Hope, you will learn how SGA is sharing the Gospel, equipping the church, and helping the forgotten. For more information, please visit SGA.org
In faithfulness to the Great Commission, SGA-supported Pastors Vyacheslav and Gennady share the Gospel with everyone they meet. Learn more about how they have been busy planting seeds of faith, even …
In times of hopelessness, we must remember that we are never beyond the reach of God and His grace. SGA-supported pastor Dima shares how God reaches out in our darkness and sheds light on our path. S…
SGA-supported pastor Andrei reports how God opened doors for ministry in southern Russia. Andrei and his team were able to overcome opposition and share words of faith and encouragement to a predomin…
Building the church can be daunting at times. But we’re tasked to become fishers of men and SGA-supported pastor Pavel shares an opportunity God presented for him to cast his net. Support the work o…
In Russia, Pastor Sergei sows the truths of God’s Word fully and patiently in minds and hearts. He then trusts the Holy Spirit to make the Bible come alive and bear fruit. He tells of two young peopl…
Children simply see Jesus for who He is. And many times it is from the mouths of little ones that parents first hear the clear Gospel message and seek the Lord. Pastor Viktor has seen this firsthand…
As an SGA-supported pastor in Far East Russia, Maxim reaches young adults with the Gospel. Time and again, he sees God at work in extraordinary ways. And Maxim’s role? It’s faithfulness as he continu…
SGA-supported Pastor Andrei spreads the Gospel to give hope amid the turmoil in Ukraine. He shares how believers like Aleksandr are working to renew their spiritual strength after returning from the …
Nikita’s story speaks to our need to trust God when our hearts are broken. SGA-supported pastor Pavel shares how this young boy turned to God for healing as his family was falling apart. Support the …
Pastor Valery, who serves in central Russia, reports on some exciting developments in their SGA-supported youth outreach. With your support, this ministry can continue drawing young people closer to …
The Lord moves on His timetable, not ours. He only requires us to remain faithful to do what He’s called us to do. In Belarus, Pastor Sergei is rejoicing over what the Lord has been doing in his chur…
One person grows up in a godly home. Another is from “the other side of the tracks.” These are two different journeys, but Pastor Boris has seen God take people from many different experiences and ma…
Vyacheslav serves in a former Soviet nation where he has suffered hardship that exists in ministry. He also feels the moments of sweet joy when fruit appears in a person’s life. Here, he shares the h…
Children are resilient; however, they can still carry the scars of post-traumatic stress. Vasily, an SGA-supported pastor and his church members in Ukraine, are working to bring comfort to kids who h…
For those who live in an environment of heartache, it can be difficult to find hope. By helping introduce kids to God’s grace, they can truly leave their old lives behind and begin to see life throug…
In north-central Ukraine, Vasily and his team are ministering to orphans, local children and those in poverty through Summer Camps. By sharing the Gospel, the team is planting seeds of faith — even i…
Even when it looks like nothing is happening, God is at work! Pastor Alexander labors for Christ in a village in Belarus. He is working to ensure that the truth of Christ is heard on all of those “re…
God is greater than anything Satan can do to hinder our progress. In Ukraine, SGA-supported pastors like Vadim are working hard to serve internally displaced people in spite of facing almost insurmou…
No greater example of the transforming love of Christ exists than in the lives of orphan children. In this story from a former Soviet nation, witness how the church is ministering to abandoned childr…
The Gospel is so extraordinary that a dear brother risks his life to take this message to a village at the border of a Muslim country. He shares the Good News with children during an SGA-supported Su…