English Club also teaches ABCs of life with Christ

By Jenni M. in Tambov, Russia

While traveling through town, one of our language students met up with an international student who attends our church. Their conversation in English on a crowded Russian bus didn’t go unnoticed.

Discussions in English always draw a little attention in a town like Tambov, but this time one of the observers didn’t listen and then turn away. Nikolai had spent a summer in the United States several years before, and he was very eager to increase his English skills. He could tell by our worker's accent that she was a native speaker.

For someone like Nikolai, this was a golden opportunity. Our worker was only too happy to tell him about the English Club that meets at Spring of Life Church in Tambov.

Spring of Life Church is very busy on Friday nights. As many as 20 students from all walks of life show up around 6 p.m. to work on their English skills. Sergei, an orphan, studies at a local college. Because of his background, he didn’t study any English in school, so he is starting at the beginning. Gennady, a lawyer, wants to improve his English so that he can travel outside of Russia more easily. Volodya and Larisa found out about English Club from a work friend and have been there every week since.

All of these people — professionals, students, married, single, young and old — are unbelievers. Most never even knew there was a Baptist church in Tambov, much less visited it before English Club.

Jenni M. goes over the week's lesson at Spring of Life Church's English Club.

Learning a language isn’t easy. Amidst all the grammar rules, new vocabulary and sentence structure, friendships are born. After each lesson, tea and cookies are spread out on the table and the weary students can ask questions about English — or about anything, for that matter.

Holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter provide special opportunities for the three global workers who lead the club to share the truth of Jesus Christ with many who would never come to church on a Sunday morning.

At first, Nikolai was a little shy about spending time around the table with a group of strangers. Slowly he opened up and accepted an invitation to come to the Easter service this spring. As we were getting ready to leave, I asked him what he thought. He said, “It’s like a big family.”

Nikolai now comes each week to a small group that studies the book of Mark on Tuesday nights. Sergei also started coming. Two other English Club participants attend church or another small group. And another English Club has started in a nearby town.

Teaching English is an opportunity to share the Good News with a wide variety of people. It is a bridge into the lives of people who might not hear the truth any other way. Praise God for the gift of a coveted language to share. Pray that these students would have ears to hear more than just English!

Additional Posts

By SEND media Team August 4, 2026
Choosing a Missions Organization: Why SEND International Stands Out “Why should I be a missionary through SEND International?” Jenna, a new missionary in Eastern Europe, shared with us what she appreciates about working with SEND. The highlights for her are: - Devotion to prayer - Diligence in communication - Commitment to development - Intentionality in accountability Prayer “Back in September of 2022, the Lord reconnected me with SEND after I had met them a year prior at the Moody Bible Institute. However, before he would sign me up for anything, my Missions Coach encouraged me to pray. He said something to the effect of, "I know that you've been praying on your own for a long time. But as the Church, we are not called to walk alone. So, you and I won't talk for about a month unless you have questions. I want you to go pray with 5 or 6 others from your church about where God is calling you." That October, more than 10 friends prayed with me and we saw God answer as He directed me to Romania. From February 2024 to November 2025, I had the pleasure of being a part of team meetings in Romania with my SEND colleagues. Our meetings were four hours long, two for prayer and two for business. This has been the minimum for our team. There are also prayer meetings with the local churches we partner with, among smaller groups within our team, of course prayer with many of you across the pond, including those at our US office. The organization was built, has been sustained, and continues to run on prayer. This is my favorite thing about SEND. Communication As I mentioned above, we have a two hour block for business / ministry details in each of our meetings. This provides consistency across our team which works alongside three different churches and in a variety of ministries. It also helps us to communicate about the need for change or growth, alongside what is working well. In addition, my team director also meets with each of us, allowing us to communicate needs, considerations, and prayer requests. I've also enjoyed getting to work with SEND workers outside of my immediate region . We receive emails with the minutes from the Europe leadership team, Friday communications from our international director, and information regarding projects that affect our work among the unreached. In December of 2024, our international director at the time wrote a note to my parents for the first Christmas that I was gone. If nothing else had convinced my mom yet, this did. He took the time to care for me, but also to care well for the parents that were sending me (What it meant to my dad and mom for him to do this well has been one of the greatest ways I've been supported.). I also have some pretty wonderful regional directors. These people have prayed alongside us (while also serving in their own countries of service), they have taken time to come visit and encourage our team, and they have also taken the time to encourage the people in our churches. Development SEND has provided much in the area of development and care (spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally). At our regional conference (every three years), there have been medical check ups available, counseling options, and time for connecting with others on the field with similar experience. At our conference last October, I connected with a missionary who served overseas for many years, and is now serving on the administrative side of SEND. She has met with me since then for mentorship and has also invested much of her time recently in preparing a retreat for the singles across Europe. Accountability Over the years I have read and heard amazing stories of how God has worked through missionaries. God has done great things and great things He is still doing! However, people who have committed their lives to the Lord in this way are not “super Christians”. We are still humans with the same struggle against flesh that others have . A major challenge is in being isolated -- living in areas with little to no presence of other believers to sharpen them can cause many difficulties. SEND has been a great resource in this area too. Through my team, I have an accountability partner that I meet with monthly. When my regional director came to visit, he and his wife spent a day with me and asked intentional questions about how I lead, handle conflict, and how I am growing in general as a Christian. In addition, my teammates share their wisdom with me on a regular basis. These things and more have assured me that SEND International is a highly valuable organization and I'm excited to partner with them in service to, for, and with our great God! Interested in being sent by SEND?
By SEND Media May 11, 2026
Learn about the spiritual harmony in Vietnam & how missionaries engage with college students. Join us in sharing the gospel!
By SEND Media May 11, 2026
Explore Georgia's spiritual heritage and the impact of SEND International's mission. Join us in fostering authentic relationships today!
Show More