International Newsletter July 2015
Everyone said this would not work. The time for public preaching of the Gospel in Russia is over. Even more absurd is the idea that an “American” western band could do this. We were the “enemy”.
America and the European Union had just put tough economic sanctions on the country. The collapse of the Russian currency and oil were all blamed on America.
Understandably some Russian leaders in St. Petersburg didn’t want to organise anything because they said we would never get through the border with our gear and because we were Americans. They didn’t want to put all kinds of effort into something that would never work. Yury, the band manager from Nuteki (the Russian band we were touring with), thought it was very likely we would be shut down after our first concert and thrown out of the country.
We needed to be careful to say that we were from Holland and not America, and I could not preach from the stage because it was illegal. With all the hassle that we experienced getting through the border (it took our stage trailer 32 hours to get through), I was thinking we really needed to be careful. I would just let Misha from Nuteki do all the preaching off stage to be safe.
We had to do our first concert without our stage because it wouldn’t arrive on time, so Yury made about one hundred phone calls and finally found a stage from Belarus. They arrived about half an hour before the show was supposed to start but we did a quick set up and almost a thousand people came.
I could so feel God’s joy and the audience was so engaged, I totally abandoned all my plans to be careful and we did everything like we normally do.
I preached like I always do. I asked people if they wanted to know Jesus to raise their hands, and hands went up everywhere! This was the case every place we played in Russia, even in Moscow. Thousands of people came to the shows and the response to our message of Jesus love was sometimes overwhelming. We gave out hundreds of Russian Bible tracts.
It was beautiful working with Nuteki, their show in the beginning really prepared the audience and built the crowd. We can’t wait to tour with them again!
In Moscow a local church that meets in a night club, organized a follow up meeting and it was packed. They are anxious to do a “Provoke and Inspire” Seminar (Steiger’s teaching on how to use art and music to share the Gospel), and in every city we played they asked us to come back.
A church leader from Northern Russia presented us with a certificate thanking us for coming and said we had reached thousands of people in that part of the country. He’s excited to do more in the future.
I was told that this was probably the first time this kind of direct public proclamation of the Gospel happened in Russia since the 90’s, which was the last time I had come with the band to Russia.
Our last concert ended in the first city where we started the tour. More than two thousand people came, and while I was preaching many held up signs saying “Thank you”. It was a very emotional time for all of us. We love the beautiful people of Russia, and can’t wait to go back.
For the lost!
David Pierce
The first week, known as “Revolutionary Week”, included staff, students, volunteers, and guests from over 14 countries, equalling around 150 people at our base.
Revolutionary Week is a time to teach and clearly express the mission of Steiger, and to spend time seeking God together.
Please pray that God moves powerfully in the lives of the students and that many are sent into the harvest!
www.steiger.org/nlmblog
Steiger International
www.facebook.com/steigerint
www.instagram.com/steigerint
www.twitter.com/steigerint
www.vimeo.com/steigerint
David Pierce
www.facebook.com/therockpriest
www.instagram.com/the_rockpriest
www.twitter.com/therockpriest
Prayer
Go to www.steiger.org/nlmprayer to receive emails with prayer requests throughout the tour.
Understandably some Russian leaders in St. Petersburg didn’t want to organise anything because they said we would never get through the border with our gear and because we were Americans. They didn’t want to put all kinds of effort into something that would never work. Yury, the band manager from Nuteki (the Russian band we were touring with), thought it was very likely we would be shut down after our first concert and thrown out of the country.
We needed to be careful to say that we were from Holland and not America, and I could not preach from the stage because it was illegal. With all the hassle that we experienced getting through the border (it took our stage trailer 32 hours to get through), I was thinking we really needed to be careful. I would just let Misha from Nuteki do all the preaching off stage to be safe.
We had to do our first concert without our stage because it wouldn’t arrive on time, so Yury made about one hundred phone calls and finally found a stage from Belarus. They arrived about half an hour before the show was supposed to start but we did a quick set up and almost a thousand people came.
I could so feel God’s joy and the audience was so engaged, I totally abandoned all my plans to be careful and we did everything like we normally do.
I preached like I always do. I asked people if they wanted to know Jesus to raise their hands, and hands went up everywhere! This was the case every place we played in Russia, even in Moscow. Thousands of people came to the shows and the response to our message of Jesus love was sometimes overwhelming. We gave out hundreds of Russian Bible tracts.
It was beautiful working with Nuteki, their show in the beginning really prepared the audience and built the crowd. We can’t wait to tour with them again!
In Moscow a local church that meets in a night club, organized a follow up meeting and it was packed. They are anxious to do a “Provoke and Inspire” Seminar (Steiger’s teaching on how to use art and music to share the Gospel), and in every city we played they asked us to come back.
A church leader from Northern Russia presented us with a certificate thanking us for coming and said we had reached thousands of people in that part of the country. He’s excited to do more in the future.
I was told that this was probably the first time this kind of direct public proclamation of the Gospel happened in Russia since the 90’s, which was the last time I had come with the band to Russia.
Our last concert ended in the first city where we started the tour. More than two thousand people came, and while I was preaching many held up signs saying “Thank you”. It was a very emotional time for all of us. We love the beautiful people of Russia, and can’t wait to go back.
For the lost!
David Pierce
Watch the powerful summary video of the Russian tour here: www.vimeo.com/steigerint/russia
The Steiger Missions School has begun!
Last month, the Steiger Missions School began at our center in Krögis, Germany. We have 60 full-time students from all over the world.The first week, known as “Revolutionary Week”, included staff, students, volunteers, and guests from over 14 countries, equalling around 150 people at our base.
Revolutionary Week is a time to teach and clearly express the mission of Steiger, and to spend time seeking God together.
Please pray that God moves powerfully in the lives of the students and that many are sent into the harvest!
Follow No Longer Music Tour!
NLM Blogwww.steiger.org/nlmblog
Steiger International
www.facebook.com/steigerint
www.instagram.com/steigerint
www.twitter.com/steigerint
www.vimeo.com/steigerint
David Pierce
www.facebook.com/therockpriest
www.instagram.com/the_rockpriest
www.twitter.com/therockpriest
Prayer
Go to www.steiger.org/nlmprayer to receive emails with prayer requests throughout the tour.
