Skip to main content

Collection 237 Records of the Slavic Gospel Association

 Collection
Identifier: CN 237

Description:

Correspondence, minutes, prayer letters, audio tapes, films, and other materials documenting the work of the Slavic Gospel Association among Slavic peoples, primarily Russians. Records deal with the early career of Peter Deyneka Sr.; work of individual missionaries; long range planning for the mission; media ministry (radio, film, both before and after the collapse of the Soviet Union video, literature); and evangelism in Europe, North America and South America. Collection contains significant information about the church in eastern Europe. Most of the documents in the collection are post-1974.

Dates

  • Created: 1922-2002

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The materials in this collection are open for use except for the following restricted files. Restricted files can only be used by persons with written permission from the President or any of the Vice Presidents of the Slavic Gospel Association.

Folder 23-41 Closed until 12/31/2036

Folder 23-43 to 23-44 Closed until 12/31/2036

Folder 24-11 Closed until 12/31/2036

All missionary forms or student files in boxes 51-55, 108, 110, 111, 113, 114, 116, 117, 121, 128, and 130 that contain medical forms or confidential reference forms are closed for twenty-five (25) years after the death of the individual whose file it is in or the year 2060.

All folders in boxes 148 to 152 that contain the educational records of students of the Institute of Slavic Studies in its various permutations are closed forl twenty-five (25) years after the death of the individual whose file it is in or the year 2060.

Historical Information

The Slavic Gospel Association grew out of the ministry of Peter Deyneka Sr. (see biography below). In January, 1934, he and four other men formed a committee to support his work. The others were businessman George Benson, doctor Arthur I. Brown, businessman C. B. Hedstrom, and pastor Paul W. Rood. Later (March, 1936) they incorporated as the Russian Gospel Association. The purpose of the Association was to evangelize Russian (later Slavic) people. In 1949 the name was changed to Slavic Gospel Association (SGA). For many years the United States headquarters was in Chicago, first at 64 West Randolph Street and from 1949 at 2434 North Kedzie. In 1975 the headquarters was moved to 139 North Washington street in Wheaton, a Chicago suburb.

From its beginning until the mid-1970's, the administrative structure of SGA remained rather simple, with most of the planning and decision-making in the hands of the general director, guided by the executive committee. In 1975, when Peter Deyneka Sr. became director emeritus and Peter Deyneka Jr. became general director, there was a general review of the goals and methods of the mission and more systematized long-range planning was introduced. Also at this time the headquarters was moved to Wheaton, the Institute of Slavic Studies was begun, and several of the international offices became more independent. The offices in Argentina, Australia, Canada, Great Britain, and New Zealand became or had recently become independent national boards and the first international conference was held in 1983 with representatives from all these boards to establish the means of future coordination. There were also offices in France, West Germany, and Austria which served as bases for SGA's European operations.

In 1983, the U.S. headquarters was headed by the general director, assisted by the assistant director. There were several departments: development, personnel and training, European ministries/literature, North and South American ministries, and radio. A European Coordinator, resident in Europe, was in charge of general oversight of operations on that continent, assisted by a field council. Another field council was responsible for South America.

The ministries and geographic areas of activity of the mission have greatly expanded over the years. Originally, the work of the Association consisted almost entirely of Deyneka's preaching tours in Europe and the United States. Then the mission began supporting workers to communities of Slavic immigrants in North and South America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Asia as well as in eastern Europe and Russia. These workers were responsible for church planting and nurture as well as evangelism. SGA also developed an active work in Alaska, first among Russian-speaking Aleuts and later among servicemen and immigrants to the state. In June, 1984, the Alaska field was officially transferred to Arctic Mission. In 1950, the mission was active in fifteen countries. By 1964, it had 100 workers in twenty-one countries. By 1980, the number of workers had more than doubled, with a total of 210. This included indigenous workers in Slavic and non-Slavic countries partially or completely supported by SGA as well as foreign missionaries receiving complete support. Some workers were involved in very specialized projects, such as witnessing to Russian and eastern European sailors whose ships docked at the Canary Islands. Other countries in which there were workers were the United States, Canada, Ecuador, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Great Britain, France, Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, Finland, Yugoslavia, Poland, the Soviet Union, Monaco, Austria, Korea, the Philippines, and Australia.

Another area of ministry was radio broadcasting. There were some early broadcasts from Shanghai, China, for Russian-speaking audiences. In 1941, during a visit to radio station HCJB in Ecuador, Deyneka Sr. talked with Clarence Jones about the possibility of shortwave broadcasts to the Soviet Union. Broadcasts soon began over HCJB. Later, SGA also prepared programs which were sent by Trans-World Radio in Monaco, Far East Broadcasting Company in the Philippines, station KLKX in Korea, and KICY in Alaska. Besides these stations, which all broadcast to the Soviet Union, SGA programs were broadcast in Russian, English, and other languages in the United States, Canada, South America, and western Europe. In 1975, the Association was responsible for 600 broadcasts every month.

Stress was also laid on the translation, printing, and distribution of scripture and other Christian literature on both sides of the Iron Curtain. This sometimes involved providing paper to presses in eastern Europe as well as printing books in the West and transporting them to eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. In 1974 SGA developed a program called SYTE (Student-Youth Training in Europe), which involved recruiting college-age volunteers for various necessary SGA work projects in Europe. Most of these volunteers were involved in transporting Bibles and Christian literature to eastern Europe. Aprinting press was set up in the early 1970s at SGA's European Missionary Center in Billy-Montigny, France, under the supervision of William Kapitaniuk, to produce as much as it could of material needed.

The Association was active among refugees and recent immigrants from eastern Europe. After World War II, Deyneka Sr. and others often visited displaced person camps in Austria and other parts of Europe to find and assist Slavic DP's. This tradition has continued. In the 1970's and 1980's, work among recent immigrants, particularly Jewish immigrants, was especially active in Rome and Austria, places which were often the first stops for people leaving Russia.

The training of Christian leaders for the Slavic church had always been a major concern for Deyneka Sr. and the other leaders of the SGA. In 1941, a Russian Bible Institute was begun in Benito, Manitoba, Canada. Students received Bible training in Russian and English. In 1943, the school was moved to Toronto, Canada, where it was run in cooperation with and using the building of the People's Church, pastored by Oswald J. Smith. The school was mainly intended to supply Bible teachers, pastors, and evangelists for the numerous Slavic communities in Canada. This school closed in 1949, largely because of the difficulty in finding suitable students and faculty. A similar institute was begun in 1944 in Rosario, Argentina (later moved to Buenos Aires), to produce leaders for Slavic churches in South America. It developed into a three-year program that had by 1975 trained 300 workers. In the early 1970's a correspondence course, in Russian, on the Bible and theology was begun. It had 800 students in 1977. Another was opened in Warsaw in 1948. It was run by indigenous Christians, but SGA continued to provide some support. However, the mission did have special training programs for Christian workers in that country from time to time. In 1975, an Institute of Slavic Studies was opened in Wheaton at SGA Headquarters. It was intended to give more academically rigorous courses in Slavic culture, as well as specialized training in evangelism, radio, literature preparation, and Christian education. Much of the work of the Institute was rended unnecessary when relevant courses were offered at the Wheaton College graduate school, in cooperation with SGA. By the early 1980's, the entire program was officially offered by the Wheaton graduate school.

From the beginning of the mission, the staff printed prayer letters to keep supporters informed of its activities. A magazine in English, The Russian Gospel News, was started in 1934 to give more detailed accounts. The name was changed in 1949 to The Slavic Gospel News and again in 1980 to Breakthrough. A newsletter, The Slavic Missionary News, was begun in 1948. The same year the name was changed to The Russian Gospel News Bulletin and changed again in 1949 to The Slavic Gospel News Bulletin. It merged in 1959 with The Slavic Gospel News. The mission began publication of another publication, Newswire. A quarterly magazine in the Russian language, Gospel Messenger, was begun ca. 1937. The Institute of Slavic Studies began issuing its own magazine, Sparks, in November, 1975, almost as soon as the school began and ceased publication in 1983. The publication concentrated on items about religion in eastern Europe including news stories, articles, book reviews, prayer requests, and information about ISS activities. The British office of SGA began publishing its magazine, Exploits, in 1971 and the Australian office began The Slavic Gospel Association News in 1981. There was also a newsletter called Family News, prepared at the United States headquarters, which circulated among SGA workers from the 1960's to the early 1980's. It consisted mostly of news of weddings, births, deaths, sicknesses, moves.

In June 1991, because of differences between Peter Deyneka, Jr., and the SGA board, Deyneka became President Emeritus. Peter and Anita Deyneka left the organization in September and formed Peter Deyneka USSR Ministries. Donn Ziebell served as interim pesdient from 1991-1992. John Aker became the new president of SGA. He resigned in 1994 as president after reorganizing SGA and moving the United States headquarters from Wheaton, Illinois, to Love Park, Illinois, in 1993. Robert Provst served as President from 1994-2017 and was succeeded by Michael Johnson.

*****

Biography: Peter Deyneka Sr.

Peter Deyneka was born in the town of Storlolemya, Russia, in 1898. His father Nahum was a fisherman. His parents sent him to the United States in 1914 to earn money to help the rest of the family. He moved to Chicago, where he had a cousin, and worked first doing manual labor and then became a machinist. Although he was from a devout Russian Orthodox home, he was not very interested in Christianity until he began to attend Moody Church, pastored by Paul Rader. Rader's sermons and the Sunday School class Deyneka attended convinced him of his need for personal salvation and in 1920 he committed his life to Christ. The next year he was baptized.

He became deeply involved in the evangelism programs of the church and later in those of the Chicago Gospel Tabernacle, which Rader founded in 1921. He began preparing himself for full-time Christian work by taking night classes at Moody Bible Institute as a well correspondence courses from World Wide Christian Couriers, a correspondence school started by Rader. In 1922 he went to St. Paul to attend the St. Paul Bible School, from which he graduated in 1925. In the summers of 1924 and 1925 he traveled through South Dakota, Montana, and Idaho, helping to establish evangelical churches among Slavic communities in those states. It was during the summer of 1925 that Deyneka decided that God wanted him to be a missionary to Russia. In October of that year, after raising money from friends, he traveled to Europe. He first visited his parents' home, now in Poland. Because of war and revolution, Deyneka had been cut off from his family for many years. In the interval his father, three brothers, and two sisters had died. He began to hold revival services in the area and distribute money raised in America to help the starving population. It was during this time that he met Vera Demidovich, whom he married May 23, 1926. Later that year he returned to America; his wife followed six months later, after he had raised the money for her ticket. The Deynekas were to have three children: Ruth, Peter Jr., and Lydia.

In New York he met Ivan Stepanovich Prokhanov, head of the All-Russian Evangelical Christian Union. Deyneka became the Union's representative in the United States and Canada, a post he held from 1926 until 1931. He was particularly concerned to raise money for the printing and distribution of Russian Bibles. In 1930 he returned to Europe to preach in Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia. In 1931 he joined the staff of Rader's Chicago Gospel Tabernacle to become secretary of the Russian work of the World Wide Christian Couriers, which included holding rallies and conferences to raise support. After a couple of years with the Couriers, he began to feel anincreasing need for a mission dedicated solely to work among the Russian people. In early 1934 he, together with Paul Rood and three other Chicago Christians, formed the Russian Gospel Association (later the Slavic Gospel Association). The next forty years of his life were given over to leadership of this organization. He made frequent trips to Europe, South America, Alaska, Australia, and Asia as well as traveling all over North America, visiting Slavic churches and communities. He continued to serve as an evangelist and representative of SGA even after his retirement as general director in 1974. Peter Deyneka Sr. died in 1987.

Extent

131.1 Linear Feet (251 boxes (11RC, 240 DC); Audio Tapes, Films, Filmstrips, Oversize Materials, Phonograph Records, Photographs, Slides, Video Tapes)

Language of Materials

English

Russian

Arrangement of Material

[NOTE: In the Arrangement section, the notation "folder 2-5" means box 2, folder 5.]

The records in Collection 237 consist of the later files of the Slavic Gospel Association along with a few private papers of the Deyneka family. There is relatively little in the collection about the SGA before the mid-1970s, except for fundraising letters, photographs, films, and some other items. From the mid-1970's on, the files describe the activities of SGA workers in Europe, South America, and North America; the educational ministries of the mission including the Institute for Slavic Studies; the kinds of media outreach (radio, video, literature, publications, slide/tape presentations) and the audience response; and the administrative structure of the organization. There is also some information, such as clippings, on Russia and the church in Russia. Types of paper records include correspondence, deputation reports, trip reports, minutes of meetings, memos, lists, and newsletters. The collection also has videos, films (largely home movies taken by Peter Deyneka, Sr., of his travels) and tapes of radio programs. The file arrangement used by the SGA has been maintained where possible and most of the folder titles are those used by the mission. However, some material was not in folders and had to be organized by the archivist. He also divided the paper records in the collection into series: personal material of the Deyneka family, correspondence of the general director and the associate general director, administrative and financial records, general correspondence, international offices' files (including reports on the Alaskan work), files of the European ministries department, files of missionaries and national workers, radio work files, and educational work files. The contents of these different sections are described below. The audio tapes, films, photographs, and phonograph records are described in the separation records found elsewhere in this guide.

*****

I. Deyneka Personal Material. Boxes 1, 2, 37, 73, 74.

Because the story of the early history of SGA is so closely interwoven with that of the Deyneka family Peter Deyneka, Sr., many items in this section document the mission's history as well. Folder 1-1 contains some early letters to Peter Deyneka, Sr., a note from Bob Jones, Sr., indicating that Deyneka is educational secretary for Bob Jones College, a photocopy of the 1936 form incorporating the Russian Gospel Association, programs and letters from Peter Deyneka, Sr.'s trips to Taiwan and South America, copies or originals of letters from Svetlana Alliluyeva (Joseph Stalin's daughter), Billy Graham, the Vatican, Abe Van Der Puy, and Warren Wiersbe, mainly thanking Peter Deyneka, Sr., for his help on various matters. Folders 1-2 and 1-3 contain course work in Biblical topics done by Peter Deyneka, Sr., for courses he took from World Wide Christian Couriers and the St. Paul Bible College. There is also a folder of lyrics and music (1-4) for Russian songs. Folder 1-5 contains greetings sent to Deyneka on his 80th birthday by many evangelical leaders such as Torrey Johnson, Mervin Rosell, Stephen Olford, George Sweeting, Jack Wyrtzen, Oswald Smith, Bob Cook, Warren Wiersbe, and others. Several folders contain drafts of chapters of Peter Dynamite, the biography of PETER DEYNEKA, Sr., by his son Peter Deyneka, Jr.,. (Peter Deyneka, Jr.). Folder 2-16 contains some prayer letters of Peter Deyneka, Sr., from 1979-1981 and folder 2-14 has prayer letters from his son, two from his years as a missionary in South America during the 1950's and others from 1979-1981. Folder 2-15 contains some undated deputation reports of Peter Deyneka, Sr., Folder 37-1 contains certificates for Peter Deyneka, Sr.’s ordination by the Christian & Missionary Alliance (1925) and the World-Wide Christian Couriers (1933, signed by Paul Rader), the Russian Gospel Association (1949 and 1957), as well as his baptism in 1921 at Moody Church’s Cedar Lake Camp. For additional RGA documents, see folder 72-4. Folder 37-2 contains miscellaneous historical materials, including a 1933 article on Deyneka’s work, other publicity material and a copy of the program for the dedication of SGA’s Wheaton headquarters in 1975. There is also a detailed memo from 1987 outlining the plans for his funeral, prepared before his death. Folder 37-1 contains various offical documents from Denekka’s life, such as certificates of ordination, baptism certificates, etc. Folder 37-3 contains pamphlets, handbills, calendars, and other material describing Deyneka, Sr.’s ministry and the development of SGA. Several of the items were meant to be background information for his speaking engagements. See also folder 47-20.

Boxes 73 and 74 contain more than two decades of letters to and from Peter Deyneka, Sr., along with some postcards, greeting cards, ministry statistics, and newspaper clippings. Except for a few items in English, all the rest are in Russian. Most of the letters are handwritten, apparently to Peter, Sr. There are also numerous letters on copy paper that seem to be replies to or from Peter, Sr. The processor did not know Russian, so the contents are uncertain, but the letters appear to be either from SGA missionaries in different countries or from listeners to the SGA’s Russian language broadcasts. There is letterhead from Trans World Radio and HCJB Radio, as well as from the Russian Bible Institute. Scattered throughout the folders are statistical sheets from individual missionaries, showing their activities for the month – meetings held, number who accepted Christ, tracts distributed, etc. Among the correspondents are Eugenio Komaskzuk, Andrew Semenchuck, and Wally Kulakoff. Some of the letters have a note giving the date they were translated, but there are no translations with the letters. Most of the letters are from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Poland, Canada, or the United States, but there are also letters from Austria, Costa Rica, Czechoslovakia, Ecuador, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Monaco, Paraguay, Peru, Sweden, Soviet Union, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Folder 74-7 has letters Peter Deyneka, Jr., wrote to his parents while he was traveling through Europe.

See also box 113 for some of Peter Deyneka, Sr.’s later prayer letters.

*****

II. Correspondence of the General Director, Associate General Director, and President. Boxes 2 through 9, 37-51.

The files in this section contain the letters that the chief executives of SGA wrote and received. This includes Peter Deyneka, Sr., and Jr., as well as Donn Ziebell. A large portion of the documents in these files, as in other files throughout the collection, are in Russian. For a brief time from 1974 to 1977, Peter Deyeneka Jr. had the title of associate general director. This was the transition period during which his father was getting ready for retirement and Peter Deyneka, Jr., was taking over his responsibilities. Most of the earliest files in this series, up to 1973, are letters to and from Andrew Semenchuk, the SGA's field director, about his activities. There is one interesting file (Folder 2 17) that contains information on PETER DEYNEKA, Sr.'s attempts to help Billy Graham arrange for a preaching tour in Russia in the late 1950s. From 1974 on, the files are very complete and cover such topics as ministry possibilities, new literature, fundraising, recruitment of missionaries, administrative changes, and relations with other missions. A large portion of this series consists of itineraries for the Deynekas' many trips to visit missionaries and/or attend conferences. Material within each folder is usually in rough (very rough) alphabetical order.

Listed below for each year are some of the many topics covered in the correspondence. These descriptions describe only the correspondence from the 1970s. Later correspondence and other records can be found in boxes 37-51.

1974: Slavic Bible School (Instituto Biblico Eslavo) in Argentina, fortieth anniversary celebration of SGA. See also box 75 and 101.

(letters from George Sweeting, Robert Bowman, Billy Graham, Torrey Johnson, Hyman Appelman, Oswald Smith, Bob Cook, Warren Wiersbe, Paul Freed, Harold Ockenga), the International Congress on World Evangelism held in Lausanne and their search for participants from Hungary and Bulgaria, various mission projects in Europe, a paper by Elizabeth Lewshenia on suggested administrative changes at SGA, the need for a training school for Christian workers to the Communist world.

1975: Requests for information on becoming a missionary; possible new headquarters site in Wheaton, IL; Jack Shalanko; transition from Peter Deyneka, Sr., to Peter Deyneka, Jr.; the church in Yugoslavia; the need for Bibles in Russian; the Russian Orthodox church; Billy Graham; Slaviska Missionen of Sweden.

1976: Church-mission relations, radio ministry, needs of the mission's work in Alaska, possible recruits for the mission, the church in east Germany, Christian literature in Russian, travel plans; work in Poland.

1977: Bible translation for the Uighur people, contacts with SGA branch in Britain, Cliff Barrows and the possibility of a Russian version of the "Hour of Decision" radio program, work in Alaska, Slavic Bible School (Instituto Biblico Eslavo) in Argentina, Mennonite work with Soviet Jews, David C. Cook Publishing, radio station HCJB, the Bible in Ukrainian, financial support for SGA workers, Peter Trutza and the development of the Romanian Missionary Society.

1978: Regulations governing religious organizations in Austria, Eric Barrett, Cliff Barrows and the possibility of a Russian version of the "Hour of Decision" radio program, joint project with Trans World Radio for a radio seminar for Russian-German students, SGA's Australian branch, SGA's British branch,Campus Crusade for Christ, Harvie M. Conn, David C. Cook Publishing, exporting concordances to Russia, revisions of the SGA constitution (see also folder 88-1), Far East Broadcasting, Eugene Grossman, report on the registered and unregistered church in Russia, Keston College and the Centre for the Study of Religion and Communism, Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization, the German mission Licht im Osten, work with Open Doors with Brother Andrew, proposal of Claudia Shaw on audience research for Russian broadcasts, Michael Wurmbrand and Jesus to the Communist World.

1979: Georgi Vins, Far East Broadcasting, survey of listeners to Christian radio broadcasts in Russia, HCJB, minutes of a board meeting of the United States branch of Keston College's Centre for the Study of Religion and Communism, liaison with the Mennonite Committee on Christian literature in Eastern Europe.

1980: Letter to Cliff Barrows about tapes of Billy Graham's upcoming trip to Russia, liaison with the Mennonite Committee on Christian literature in Eastern Europe, thank you letters to donors, the Evangelium Rundfunk in Germany, David Foster of EuroVangelism, correspondence with donor churches, Georgi Vins, general letter to Alexander Solzhenitsyn praising him for his work.

Box 37 ontains additional correspondence and other records of the chief executive (called either the general director or the president) from the 1980s to the early 1990s. Boxes 37-39 contain three years of correspondence arranged alphabetically by the name of the correspondent, including the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (Folder 37-10, see also box 134), the David C. Cook Foundation (Folders 37-21 to 37-24), and Keston College (Folders 38-10, 38-1, 139-8, see also 144-10).

Correspondence, reports, budgets, speech notes and other materials that passed through the CEO’s desk in the 1980s can be found in boxes 37-51. These include (1) a set of correspondence in alphabetical order (boxes 37-39), (2) files of correspondence with churches supporting SGA’s ministry (boxes 39-40), (3) the general files of the director, including reference material on the condition of the church in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, as well as memos, budget, reports (boxes 40-46). These general files do not seem to be in any particular order, (4) correspondence with other ministries active in the Soviet Union and/or Eastern Europe or with Russian speaking populations in other parts of the world especially South America (boxes 46-47, 102, 103; see also folders 44-14, 44-15). In particular, reports on the meetings of the Fellowship of Closed Country Ministries can be found in boxes 46, see also folder 41-3. (5) Boxes 48 to 51 contain reports arranged chronologically of trips taken by Peter Deyneka, Jr., and his wife Anita Deyneka, to the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe to meet with Christians in those countries and coordinate SGA’s activities with other missions and churches. Many of the files in these boxes contain transcripts of interviews with Christians living in Communist countries. Folder 40-3 contains some testimonies by Peter Deyneka, Jr., about his personal faith and vocation (see also folder 51-14). Material about John Aker, who became president in 1992, can be found in folder 42-1. Folder 42-2 contains reflections on the situation created by the accident at the nuclear facility in Chernobyl, Ukraine, in 1986. Folder 42-9 contains translations of statements from Russian listeners who were converted by the SGA’s radio broadcasts. See also folders 47-20 and 51-3.

*****

III. Administrative and Financial Records. Boxes 9 through 14, 33-36, 56-88.

The files in this series deal with the running of the organization rather than the results of its ministry, although some files deal with reporting, evaluation, and planning functions.

Boxes 33-36 contain fifty years of the minutes of the board of the mission, from 1940 until 1990. These include correspondence, reports and financial statements. (For additional financial statements see box 72.) Box 71 contains minutes of the administrative staff meetings. Box 36 also contains records, agendas, memos, and minutes of the president’s cabinet of the mission from 1987 to 1992. Folder 36-6 contains material relating to the administration of SGA after the Deynekas’ departure.

Folder 9-14 contains a few annual reports from the mid-1970's and 1980. These tend to be very brief and general, but they do offer an overview of all of SGA's activities (see also folder 55-6). The files of the assistant director Andrew Semenchuk (9-15 to 10-19) cover the years 1979 and 1980 and deal with relations with donors, contacts with churches, attendance at conferences, the work of various missionaries, and other topics similar to those covered by the general director. There are also a few letters from the period before Semenchuk became assistant director and was west coast representative of the mission. There are a couple of files (Folders 10-20, 11-1) of the business manager's correspondence which deals largely with financial matters: receipts for donations, discussion of permissible expenses, discussion of retirement plans, the duplication and distribution of missionaries' prayer letters, purchase of supplies, discussion of the mission's tax-exempt status, etc. File 11-2 contains a few items related to plans to computerize some of SGA's operations, such as receipting and writing to donors. The next files contain some samples of paragraphs used to compose letters to donors. Folder 11-5 contains records going back to 1939 on the ordination of various SGA workers. Folder 11-8 contains a miscellany of budget papers, such as the 1969 budget, and budget detail statements from 1981 and 1982. See boxes 71 and 72 for budgets from 1983-1985. Folder 11-9 is a very significant one, containing as it does papers from 1974 and 1975 which summarize what the goals, methods, and resources of SGA have been since 1934 and suggesting what the direction of planned development should be in the future in evangelism, training, radio, and literature. There are also memos discussing a move to a new location and listing strengths and weaknesses of the organization.

Folders 11-6 and 11-7 contain copies of the letters sent to donors and possible donors in mass mailing from 1939 until 1960. (There are also a few from 1977.) Many more from the 1980s are in boxes 60 to 68. Also included with these are some appeal letters for the All-Russian Evangelical Christian Union. These appeal letters describe briefly activities of the mission and current needs. The rest of the folders in this box also deal with fundraising. They contain late 1970's correspondence and reports from Ben Wood and Associates and the Russ Reid Company. SGA worked with both companies to plan and execute a coordinated fundraising plan. These files contain some particularly interesting analyses of SGA's supporters. Also related to fundraising is folder 12-1, which contains a sampling of letters from various professional Christian fundraising organizations such as Mission Center International, Christian Consulting Center, and Church Mail Market. Foundation grants, conferences, regional banquets, and tours of Israel and other places were an important part of SGA's development efforts and the rest of this box and the first seven folders of box 13 contain memos and letters detailing with the planning and results of meetings held throughout the United States from 1974 to 1982. Folder 13-1 contains a chart showing foundation proposals made in 1978 and their results. There are many folders labeled Miscellaneous in boxes 62-68 which contain other mailings sent to the public as well as general internal SGA newsletters and memos and folders on the planning of fundraising banquets (box 69). Boxes 55-59 contain further files on development planning and foundation appeals (boxes 55-56) in the 1980s, as well as many years’ worth of the SGA’s monthly appeals. This includes boxes of what the archivist has labeled grant correspondence (boxes 56-59), which were appeals to individuals for funds for special projects. Boxes 69 and 70 contain several years’ worth of notes on meetings with the consultants Management Development Associates (MDA) who advised on fundraising. Boxes 81 and 82 contain for 1988 all the different appeals issued each month.

Folder 13-14 consists of some miscellaneous items from the personnel department, such as the forms filled out for the medical examination of missionary candidates and their children, position descriptions (see also folder 88-4), lists from the early 1980's of positions available in Europe, and a personnel manual from around the late 1970's. (See also the radio station secretary manual in folder 227-1.) Press releases about activities of the Deynekas, Semenchuk, and other missionaries during the late 1970's occupy folders 13-8 to 13-12. Folder 13-5 contains assorted publications of the Association or its predecessors from 1932 to 1984. Included are handbills, newsletters, brochures, copies of the constitution and by-laws, posters, tour descriptions, and reports on the conditions of Christians in Eastern Europe. The next two files (Folders 13-14, 14-1) also contain issues of a SGA publication, the SGA Family News. This was a bulletin produced for staff members. It contains much interesting information on moves, staff changes, evangelistic activities in various SGA branches, deaths, and births. See also folders 76-1 and 82-7.

Many of the details and forms of the SGA’s daily work can be found in the secretary manual and employee handbook and 1981 staff list in box 77. (See also the missionary manuals in folder 88-2. Box 81 has what appears to be an autobiography or biography of SGA worker in China and Australia, Leontiev (no first name given in English).

*****

IV. General Correspondence. Boxes 14 through 20.

The correspondence in these files deals mainly with donor relations, requests for information, relations with other missions, and literature projects. Much of the correspondence here seems to duplicate or overlap that in other series, especially that of the general director's. However, there are other correspondents as well, such as the business manager, administrative assistant, etc., which is why this is called general correspondence. Some of the specific topics covered in each year are listed below.

1974: Development of the British branch, responses to the "Russia Report" radio program (15-3), general requests for information on the work of the mission, coordination of missionaries' work, requests for information on the church in Russia and Russian Christian literature, long letters from missionaries in Alaska and Europe describing their work, the Summer Youth Training in Europe (SYTE) program, the New Zealand branch of the mission, distribution of special materials about SGA's work for vacation Bible schools.

1975: Thank you notes to donors; work in Alaska, Australia, Great Britain, Canada, Europe, South America; relations with Bible Literature International; Baker Book House; David C. Cook Publishing; Far East Broadcasting Company; radio station HCJB; requests from different sources for information about SGA; distribution of Russian Bibles; radio broadcasts; development of a training institute, fund-raising, translation work of Helen Zernov.

1976: Meeting of the executive committee, correspondence with individual missionaries, the SGA films "Cry of the Raging Sea" and "Passport to Russia," literature work, churches in Alaska, appointment of William Kapitaniuk as field director of activities in Europe, Far East Broadcasting, responses of participants to the SYTE program, letters to donors.

1977: An idea for microscope Bible (20-74), information on religious persecution in the USSR, the sending of SGA missionaries and field workers to various mission conferences.



*****

V. International Offices Files (including reports on the Alaskan work). boxes 21, 22, 91, 92, 101, 107, 223, 240-249.

This series includes correspondence, reports, and minutes from SGA organizations or committees in Australia, Austria, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Liechtenstein, and New Zealand. There are also some files added to this series by the archivist, namely material from the Alaska Field Council and about work in South America. There is also some general international correspondence and a folder of addresses from the first SGA International Conference in 1983. The bulk of the material in this series is from the Australian, Great Britain, and New Zealand offices. Correspondence with all these offices can also be found in the general director's correspondence and the general correspondence series. Almost all the material is from the late seventies and early eighties. Later material can be found in boxes 91, 92, 101, and 107.

Alaska: Field council minutes; reports on evangelistic/missionary work in Chignik, King's Cove, Anchorage, Kenai, Kodiak, Ivanof, and Port Lyons; prayer requests (these give a very comprehensive list of current projects and problems of the various missionaries).

General: Some letters to and from the Council of Evangelical Baptist Churches of the Soviet Union. Also the papers given at the International Conference mentioned above. The purpose of the conference was to introduce the members of the worldwide mission to each other, to set priorities and discuss possible future operations. Subjects covered included the structure of SGA (folder includes then current constitution, organization chart, brief position descriptions and goals), human rights, fundraising, recruitment, and training for Slavic missionary service, theological education by extension, Russian Emigre ministries, ministries to Slavic people in Western countries, Austrian refugee ministries, Eastern European relief ministries, literature work, radio work, work in New Zealand, Canada, Brazil, Great Britain, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Alaska. Also in the folder is a list of current projects. For refugee and emigree projects in the mid 1990s, see boxes 223 and 240. There are several folders with documents about SGA’s cooperation with other institutions for TEE and Biblical Education by Extension (BEE) (boxes 243, 247-248). Several files in box 245 describe providing food and literature for Poland and caring for Polish refugees.

Australia: Reports on visits by Peter Deyneka, Sr., in the early 1970's; reports on several visits to Australia in the 1970's and 1980's to help increase SGA's impact and acceptance there, film showings, recruitment of missionaries, itineraries for visiting SGA workers, gradual expansion of SGA Australia's activities and budget.

Austria: Increasing need for a base in Austria for SGA's refugee and literature work. (See also folder 89-5) Additional material about SGA’s refugee work is in box 92 and folder 134-11.

Canada: Report on work of Fred Filipchuk among Russian and Ukrainian people in Canada, unidentified diary (probably Anita Deyneka) about a visit to Canada in 1969, financial reports and executive committee minutes for 1981 and 1982. See also box 245.

France: Folder 223-10 contains reports from Bill Kapitaniuk about the SGA print shop and its work of printing Bibles and Christian literature for distribution in Russia and Eastern Europe. See also folder 223-7. (See also238, which contains the transcripts of interviews with Kapitaniuk, his wife Sophie, their children, and David Wagler which were used to create the autobiographical book, God’s Printer for Poland (1987) See also folder 240-7 and box 244.

Germany: Establishment of a work in a small office in Germany. See also box 91.

Great Britain: Correspondence with Eric Barnett, minutes of meetings of the British committee, reports on workers and churches in Eastern Europe that the British group was supporting, Bible distribution, involvement in the SYTE project, descriptions of British SGA staff members and supporters, assistance to Christians in Poland, statement on mutual cooperation between British and American Slavic Gospel ministries, missionary prayer letters describing their individual work. See also boxes 91-92 and 223.

New Zealand: Start of the office there, difference between American and New Zealand ways of doing things, relations with Underground Evangelism, constitution and bylaws of the World Radio Missionary Fellowship of New Zealand; plans for reaching emigres to New Zealand, itineraries of visiting SGA workers. See also boxes 101 and 107 and folder 223-7.

South America: Materials cover 1965 to 1979 and include a report of the SGA committee on work in Uruguay and Argentina, letters defining the SA field council's responsibilities to supervise workers and handle donations, minutes of the field council, minutes of the executive committee of SGA international, plans for incorporation in Argentina, appointment of Nicolas Zukowski as representative in Argentina. See also boxes 101 and 107.

Agendas and reports from the international conferences that SGA held to coordinate and plan its world wide activities can be found in boxes 89 and 90.

*****

VI. European Ministries. Boxes 23 through 25, 89-107, 153-155, 238-251.

This series contains the records of the department responsible for maintaining liaison with SGA's activities in Europe, including a few materials on European work predating the formation of the department. There is general correspondence, files of the directing and field councils, files on special projects, materials relating to literature publication and distribution in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, files on the Student Youth Training in Europe (SYTE) project, and trip reports on visits to Eastern European countries. Except where otherwise noted, all this material is from the late 1970's and early 1980's.

General Correspondence: This correspondence consists almost entirely of letters sent and received by the director of European ministries. Letters deal with recruitment, arranging for visits of missionaries to churches and conference, thank you letters to donors, requests for assistance from missionaries in Europe. There are also letters with literature distribution news and suggestions from people who are immigrants from Eastern Europe and who are acquainted with the area. Folder 24-11 contain information on possible cooperation with other missions. Additional correspondence can be found in boxes 90, 93, and 101-103. Boxes 107 and 207 contain information about various projects SGA in which SGA cooperated with Bibel-Mission in the 1990s in Russia and other members of the Commonwealth of Independent States on several humanitarian aid projects, including help to the homeless and children of prisoners. See box 244 for folders with material about cooperation with Evangelical Literature Overseas (ELO).

Directing and Field Councils: Minutes for the European field committee (which preceded the field council) and for the SGA executive committee on matters relating to the field committee can be found in folder 23-41 and boxes 90-91 and 240. The field committee was based in Germany and responsible, under the executive committee, for work in Western Europe except for Great Britain. The other files in this part of the series are minutes and reports of the field council (made up of representatives elected by the SGA's workers in Europe) and the directing council (general director, field director, field council). Position descriptions and policy statements on the responsibilities of both councils are in folders 23-42 and 23-44. Some reports are from periodic conference of SGA European staff. One held in 1976 discussed security, literature work, desirability of concentrating on one Eastern European country, evaluation procedures, goals for next year. Folder 23-43 contains planning papers for the European ministries department in Wheaton and goals and strategy for work in Christian literature, leadership training, and evangelism. There are also several pages of budget analysis. Minutes concern allocation of resources, personnel matters, requests for aid, reports on work in progress. These files give both an excellent overview and a look at details in Eastern and Western Europe activities. Vienna, Austria, was a center for the mission’s refugee ministry, as well as a base for literature work into Eastern Europe and other activities. Boxes 90-93 have material about the work of the Vienna office. Box 93 includes listing of the missions’ contacts in several east European countries. See also folder 140-12.

Vienna, Austria, was a center for the mission’s refugee ministry, as well as a base for literature work into Eastern Europe and other activities. Boxes 90-93 have material about the work of the Vienna office. Box 93 includes listing of the missions’ contacts in several east European countries. See also folder 140-12.

Special Projects: Projects covered include proposals by Fred Holland on the use of Theological Education by Extension and Biblical Education by Extension in Poland and other Eastern European countries, possibility of a printing press in France to print SGA literature for Eastern Europe (23-52, also 23-71), a cassette tape ministry for Eastern Europe, a plan to provide small libraries of Christian literature to east European pastors who could read English, evangelism among Russian emigres in Rome including Jews, the needs of Polish Christians especially as regards to literature and a Bible training school (23-63). The same folder contains translated letters from Polish workers describing their lives and the persecution they suffer, plans for SGA workers to do personal evangelism at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, the SGA camp at Billy-Montigny in France for evangelizing French and American young people. Folder 23-65 has a list of some miscellaneous projects. Folder 23-62 is very interesting; it contains lists, which probably date from the late 1940's or early 1950’s of Russian and Ukrainian believers in displaced person camps in Austria. Additional documents about the work of the printshop are in box 91. A manual for the delivery of the literature is in folder 92-6. See also Bill Kapitaniuk’s files in box 118.

Besides what is mentioned elsewhere in these Scope and Content notes, background information and other reports on specific countries can be found in these boxes: Albania (box 94), Bulgaria (box 94), Czechoslovakia (box 94), East Germany (box 94), Hungary (box 94), Poland (box 95), Romania (box 95), Russia/USSR (boxes 95 and 96), and Yugoslavia (box 96). The charter for SGA’s Moscow office is in folder 95-8.

Literature Work: The documents in this section are concerned not only with the selection and printing but also the distribution of Christian literature. Because there are severe restrictions on Christian literature in Eastern Europe, there were many difficulties in bringing material into these countries as well as making it available to believers. Some of the problems that could be expected are described in the manual in folder 23-74. This manual was prepared for people who would be delivering Bibles and/or visiting Christians in communist countries. It contains advice on preparation, appearance, border crossings, making contacts, preaching, correspondence, etc. Folder 23-64 contains minutes of the literature committee, which evaluated what material should be translated into Russian, in what amounts, etc. Other folders contain correspondence with contacts in the USSR and other countries, notes on depots of literature, information on the possibility of distributing evangelistic recordings and Moody Science films, the possibility of setting up a European printing press, the desirability of translating Christian literature into the language of minority groups of the Soviet Union such as Karla-Kalpaks and the Uighars, and a micro-print edition of the Bible. Folders 24-4 to 24-6 contain statistics and reports of deliveries of Christian literature made by SGA and non-SGA workers as well as thank you letters from recipients. Folders 24-7 to 24-10 contain letters, notes, and memos suggesting possible translation projects for the Hungarian, Romanian, Russian, and Ukrainian languages. See also boxes 242, 250-251.

Boxes 238 thru 240 are wholly concerned with the printing and distribution of Bibles and Christian literature in the Soviet Union, Poland and the rest of Eastern Europe. This includes correspondence (box 238) with other ministries participating in the work, supporters and inquirers. Files of individual SGA workers who were printing and distributing the literature can be found in box 239.

SYTE: The Summer Youth Training in Europe program consisted of recruiting college-age young people to assist in various SGA projects in Europe over the summer months. Projects could include running a youth camp, delivering literature, evangelism in youth hostels, working with Soviet emigres, construction, etc.

Folders 24-12 to 24-34 contain applications from students; reports by students and team leaders on activities in Austria, France, and other countries; housing information; and a report about the arrest of three SYTE students on the Czech border in 1979 for bringing in Christian literature (24-26). Information on SYTE projects is contained in every other series of this collection as well. Additional SYTE documents, including manuals, evaluations, and letters from the students are in boxes 106 and 153-155. SGA also had similar student programs for summer evangelism among Native Americans in Alaska and Canada (Summer Evangelism Alaska), in France (Evangile), and among Russian Emigres (Russian Émigré Ministries, REM). Files about these programs are in Box 153 and in folder 155-19. Boxes 137 and 154 contain folders about the SGA’s participation in I the 1970s and 1980s in InterVarsity’s triennial Student Missions Convention held in Urbana, Illinois (see also folder 155-1). Brief biographies of SYTE participants are in folder 155-10.

Trip Reports: These reports, along with the information in the missionaries/ national workers files, offer excellent information not only on the Church but also on other aspects of life in Eastern Europe and the Soviet union. Folder 25-9 contains an interesting document--a newsletter on the Soviet Union edited by an individual who claims to be heir to the throne of the Romanovs. Further trip reports are included on trips to Australia (box 97), Austria (box 97), Bulgaria (box 97), Czechoslovakia (box 97), Eastern Europe (box 97), East Germany (box 97), Finland (box 97), Hungary (boxes 97 and 98), Poland (box 98), Romania (box 98), and Russia/USSR (box 99). Nicky Crane, who was possibly an Anglican church worker, was also involved in ministry in Eastern Europe, although not necessarily with SGA. Her reports were apparently given to SGA for background information. Reports of her visit to Eastern European countries and her interactions with Christians there are in Box 100. These documents cover the late 1970s until the late-1980s and describe the situation in Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany (the DDR), Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Yugoslavia. See also box 142.

Files about SGA’s cooperation with Europaische Literatur Organisation (ELO) and Eastern European Ministries Missions Conference (EEMC) are in box 102. For ELO, see also folder 138-19. For material on the Coalition for Solidarity with Christians in the USSR, see boxes 138 and 139.

*****

VII. Files of Missionaries and National Workers. boxes 25 through 31, 51-55, 108-132.

These files consist of reports, often in Russian, from national Christian workers and SGA missionaries on their activities as well as forms detailing the statistics of their ministries. There are some files of individuals who are not full-time SGA workers but who are in one way or another associated with the mission. This series includes reports of national workers, prayer letters from missionaries arranged by missionary/national worker name, and files on individual missionaries (including reports and general correspondence) arranged alphabetically. Much of the information in these three sections overlap. A very few of the national worker reports in the first part go back to 1957-1973, but all the rest of the material in this series is from 1974 on. Statistical reports give such information as number of meetings held, attendance, decisions for Christ, homes visited, tracts distributed, places of meetings, etc. These files include SGA workers in Alaska, South America, and Europe. Folder 28-7 contains yearly lists of all SGA missionaries for most of the years between 1969 and 1979. Besides reports on Bible distribution, evangelism, etc., these files also often contain correspondence concerning deputation work, photographs, benefits, expense accounts, and travel plans. For some individuals there are only a few items.

Several boxes of personnel files from the late 1970s and ‘80s are in boxes 51 through 55 and 108 through 131 for SGA workers in Eastern and Western Europe, South America and Alaska. The contents vary greatly, but often then include an individual’s candidate application, their reports from the field, and copies of prayer letters to supporters. Many of the folders are for college student participants in the Student Youth Training in Europe (SYTE). Also, several of the files have material in Russian. Among the individuals for whom there are files are Tom Albinson (boxes 108, 239), Walter Covich (box 111), Alex and Anna Deikun (box 113), Peter Deyneka, Sr., (box 113), Peter, Jr., and Anita Deyneka (box 114), Bill Kapitaniuk (boxes 118, 238), Peter and Fenia Kiriaka (Box 119), Elizabeth Lewshenia (box 122), Boris and Zina Poliszczcuk (boxes 126 and 127), Andrew Semenchuk (box 128), Jack and Ruth Shalanko (box 129), and David Wagler (box 131). Also in this section is a folder with biographical information on speakers at SGA’s staff chapel in Wheaton (speakers were SGA missionaries, folder 110-15) and a list of donors to national SGA workers in South America (Folder 130-1).

*****

VIII. Media and Publication Depatment Files. Boxes 31 and 32, 156-208, 224-237.

There are voluminous files on the various media productions of the SGA – radio programs, television programs, films, videos, and filmstrips. The files deal mostly with radio programs and films. Some of these (especially the radio programs) were original SGA productions and some were the productions of other ministries (especially the Moody Institute of Science) for which the SGA had obtained permission to provide a Russian (or Hungarian or Polish or Czech) soundtrack. A manual for the SGA radio studio at the Wheaton headquarters is in folder 227-1. This contains information on the operation of the SGA’s radio program, as well as general information about the mission’s work in the 1980s.

Miscellaneous files dealing with SGA English language radio programs, such as "Passport to Russia" and "Russia Report," and broadcasts in Russian and other eastern European languages to Slavic communities in Russia, South America, and elsewhere. Included are minutes of the radio committee which made decisions about programming (31-38), statistics on listener responses to shortwave broadcasts (38-39), formats of programs (31-40), commercial spots for programs, information on the stations carrying the programs (31-41, 31-42, 31-45 to 31-47), index of some programs (31-43, 31-46), and quotes from responses of listeners. See also box 232-233, 250. One very interesting folder from 1960 contains scripts of programs written by H. H. Savage for broadcast by Trans World Radio, possibly into Yugoslavia. He spoke on great Bible words and their theological meaning: God, sin, gospel, grace, regeneration, Virgin Birth, substitutionary death, bodily resurrection, second coming, flesh, Christianity, prayer, love, forgiveness, the Trinity, Holy Spirit, mediator, righteousness, the rapture, judgments, redemption, sanctification, unbelief, and other topics. Boxes 226 and 228 include reference files on religious radio associations such as National Religious Broadcasters (see also box 234). International Christian Broadcasters, and other broadcasters to Russia. There is also a folder on the Lausanne Movement’s 1990 Moscow Congress on Evangelization.

Boxes 232 through 237 contain material about the management of the SGA’s radio program. These files contain a variety of items and do not appear to be in any particular order. Among the items of interest are: scripts for SGA’s broadcast of Spanish versions of Focus on the Family with James Dobson are in folders 232-14 and 251-17; printed micro New Testaments in Russian (folder 233-8), pocket calendars in Russian with the schedules of Christian broadcasts (box 233); seminars and conferences of organizations involved in Russian Christian broadcasting (boxes 233, 235, and 237); research material on Russian radio broadcasting; conditions in the Soviet Union, other ministries (folders 235-1, 236-4); of Russian radio listeners (folders 235-3, 236-6); surveys of SGA radio audience in the USSR (folder 236-8); transcripts of interviews with radio listeners (folder 236-9); budget materials (folder 237-1); job descriptions of the positions in the radio station (folders 237-2, 237-3); reports on evangelist Billy Graham’s 1982 visit to the Soviet Union (folder 237-9))

Passport to Russia (boxes 170-171, 224) was intended for American audiences and highlighted various aspects of Russian life and culture, with information as well on SGA’s work. In most cases the files for individual radio productions contain Russian and English scripts for individual programs and in some case correspondence, production notes, and other files relating to making the programs. There are a few productions that were Bible studies, such as Acts (Box 156), Galatians (Box 165), and Romans (Box 184). Others were program’s produced by other ministries, such as Billy Graham’s Hour of Decision and Pacific Garden Mission’s Unshackled (box 226). The SGA staff felt that science and travel programs were of great interest to Russian audience, so there are numerous files for programs such as Amazing But True (Boxes 157-158, 225), Korean Panorama (Box 166), Natureworld (boxes 167-170, 225), RADAS (Russian Academy of Science) (boxes 172-184, 226), and Through Countries and Continents (boxes 185-189). Other programs were especially aimed at Russian Orthodox believers, such as Blagovest (box 160), Orthodoxy Hour (Box 170), and Voice of Orthodoxy (box 190). Other programs for which there are files include Airmail (156-157), Bible Doctrine (box 225), Bible News (Box 158), Bible Seminary of the Air (boxes 158-160), Call to Worship (box 225), Conversation from the Heart (sometimes called From the Heart) (boxes 161-164, 225), Culture and Religion (boxes 164, 225), Events and Reflections (box 166), Jewish Hour (Box 166), Power of Infinite Love (box 171), Poetry Corner (box 172), Storybook Room (box 184), Time and Eternity (box 189), University Forum (box 190), and Written from the Heart (box 190). Box 158 has a folder with some of SGA’s announcements. All of the programs had a Christian message. Folder 225-1 contains evaluations of SGA’s radio programs. Boxes 228 through 231 contain correspondence, reports, and other information on other broadcast ministries, usually to the Soviet Union. Most of these are ministries that SGA worked with, but some files appear to be just for reference. Ministries represented include Far East Broadcasting Company (box 228), Station HCJB (box 230), Station IRBA (Box 230),rans World Radio (boxes 330-331), Radio Vatican (box 331), and Voice of America (box 331). Folder 331-10 contains information about broadcasts to Israel in Russian.

Materials for SGA’s television specials, Russia: Land Without God, (1982) and Russia: Land in Search of a Soul (1990) are in boxes 192 and 193, intended to explain its ministry to American audiences and raise support. Some material for video scripts are in Box 193. The film Passport to Russia (box 192)was also intended for American audiences. Most of the files in boxes 192-196 are concerned with films which could be distributed in Russia as well as Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, and Yugoslavia One of these was SGA’s own production, Passport to Russia. However, most films were productions of the Moody Institute of Science (MIS). Boxes 193-196 contain English and foreign language scripts for MIS films and in some cases some production notes and correspondence. Boxes 196-197 contain correspondence about SGA joint projects with MIS, as well booklets and other material on MIS’ history, catalog, and lists of the different languages in which films were available. Details about MIS plans for producing films in many languages during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany, are in folder 197-2. Folder 197-4 contains an interesting report on the history of the use of MIS films and videos in Russia and Eastern Europe.

Response to programs broadcast in the United States about SGA's work are in 31-43, along with records showing the number of letters and donations received from different areas. Response to programs broadcast to the Soviet Union and eastern Europe are much more voluminous and can be found in folders 31-50 through 32-4 and 32-7. These responses consist of English translations of paragraphs taken from letters. Each response is usually identified by country. They cover the period from 1958 to 1975. The responses are organized by topic: baptism, burdens, circumstances under which they listen to broadcasts, conversions, fellowship, importance of broadcasts, life in the Soviet Union, literature, miscellaneous, music, persecution, prayer, questions, stories, thank yous, unconverted, who listens, youth programs.

Although responses from Poland can be found throughout these folders, folder 32-4 consists exclusively of responses from that country. Files 32-5 to 32-24 consist of research files for the program Russia Reports. They contain newspaper clippings, trip reports, SGA newsletters, pamphlets, and miscellaneous items used by the staff in preparing the program. The files are arranged by topic: Alaska, communist satellite countries, listeners, missionaries' stories, Russia--art, Russia--atheism, Russia--Bibles and literature, Russia--Children and youth, Russia--Christianity and religion, Russia--church activities, Russia--persecutions, Russia--radio, Russia--religious history, Russia--Soviet life, Russia--visitors, Russian Bible Institute, South America, western Europe. File 32-23 has an early pamphlet about one of Peter Deyneka Sr.'s first trips to South America. Files 32-9 and 32-22 contain long testimonies by SGA missionaries and national workers in the Soviet Union about their conversion. File 32-21 contains brochures and other material describing the work of the Russian Bible Institute in Argentina. File 32-17 has notes on the effectiveness of radio as a means of evangelizing. File 32-16 includes a newsletter about the life of Soviet Jewry. File 32-14 includes a report on a visit to the Soviet far east as well as a letter about the underground church. File 32-8 has a note on Richard Nixon's 1973 trip to Russia. File 32-30 has several letters from tourists who visited Russia, giving their impressions. File 32-7 has letters from listeners to the program.

Besides radio, television and film, SGA used print media to inform and move people to contribute. The collection includes publications such as newsletters, magazines, prayer letters and appeals for support. They can be found in boxes 197 through 206. Some of the administrative files, such as goals and procedures, of the Publications department are in box 197. Other files about projects of the Publications department, such as translating the works of Josh McDowell and others can be found in box 208. Boxes 198 through 206 contain what were called retention files. These cover the years from 1991 through 2002. For each month, the file would include SGA various publications for that month, including newsletters, magazines, press releases, appeal letters, missionary prayer letters, invitations, annual reports, annual financial statements for the fiscal year mailing, brochures, prayer lists, brochures, and reports on events in Russia. Additional appeal letters can be found in box 223, as well as a folder of scripts for telephone appeals. There are also earlier newsletters (1980-1990) for Breakthrough (box 206), Inside Report, Newswire, Prayer and Praise, and Send the Light (box 207). Box 207 also has newsletters in German of the Bibel Mission for 1989 to 1992, a mission SGA cooperated with. The mission’s German name was Slawische Evangeliums Vereinigung (SEV).

*****

IX. Educational Work Files. Boxes 32, 133-152, 220-221

The bulk of the material in this file concerns the work of the Institute of Slavic Studies in Wheaton, although there is one file each on the Russian Bible Institute in Argentina and the Russian Bible correspondence school. Additional information is in boxes 84, 85. Summaries of the work of Wheaton Institute during its early years in the 1970s can be found in folder 140-7. File 32-32 contains prospectuses and memos about the idea of an Eastern Europe Institute to help train missionaries and these documents show how this idea resulted in the ISS. File 32-27 contains an interesting letter written by history professor Paul Steeves soon after the Institute started in 1976 giving his suggestions for improvement. The faculty minutes in 32-29 and the curriculum ideas in 32-28 contain a great deal of material, including questionnaires filled out by students, which describe different ideas on what the Institute should teach and what kind of information a missionary to Communist countries needs. Information on admission procedures, graduation exercises, housing, independent studies and thesis projects guidelines, internships, class schedules, staff position descriptions, and registration (32-25, 32-31, 32-33, 32-34, 32-35, 32-37, 32-38, 32-42) is also in this series. Folder 32-36 contains student manuals and catalogs for a number of different years. These help give an idea of life at the institute. Folder 32-30 contains financial information such as budgets, statements, and a students' accounts book. Folder 32-44 concerns the Russian Bible Institute. The material in it covers 1962 to 1980 and consists mainly of prayer letters, press releases, and articles. However, there are also a few letters and memos which deal with the evaluation of the history, work, and administration of the school. Materials are in English, Spanish, and Russian. Similar, but fewer, materials are found in folder 32-45 for the Russian Bible Correspondence School, also in Buenos Aires and started in 1970. See also Boxes 84 and 85.

Boxes 133-152 contain records of the Institute of Slavic Studies, ISS (later called the Institute of Soviet and Eastern European Studies, ISEES), from the late-1970s to the early-1990s. In the later part of this time period, Anita Deyneka was the director. There is also many files from other aspects of SGA’s work that she was involved in, many of them relating to research undertaken by SGA into the needs and interests of their Russian-speaking audience. The order of the files is not apparent, although box 133 contains a great deal of Deyneka’s correspondence, and box 134 contains files of other Christian organizations cooperating with SGA in various ways. For example, folder 134-5 has correspondence with Campus Crusade about making the Jesus Film available in the Ukrainian language. Several files in box 134 have information on SGA’s participation in the Moscow Book Fair. Box 135 contains the curricula for many of the courses taught in the Institute by SGA staff, Wheaton College faculty, and others, such as Joseph Ton (see also folders 137-4 and 147-13). Information about the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization meeting in Moscow in 1990 is in box 137. See also folder 144-11.

Boxes 148-152 contain the files of individual students from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s. These sometimes include a brief autobiography and statement of faith, and sometimes a completed thesis on topics related to evangelism among Russian speaking populations.

Box 220 contains a Russian translation of an introduction to the Old Testament by Dr. Samuel Schultz (folder 220-1) and a introduction to the New Testament by Dr. Merrill Tenney (folders 220-2 and 220-3), both professors at Wheaton College.. Tenney’s book is missing the first fifty-one [pages. These were apparently used in one of SGA’s educational programs or perhaps they were printed and distributed to churches or Bible schools in Russia. Folder 221-1 has a contains a curriculum for a course on marriage which was apparently used in one of SGA’s education programs. Folder 221-2 has an interesting paper on the history of cross-cultural evangelism in the USSR up to 1987, a paper prepared perhaps by a student in one of the SGA’s educational programs, or by one of the SGA staff. SGA also assisted Russian pastors and Christian workers to come over to the United States to further their theological education. Folder 221-3 contains information on the programs at Moody Bible Institute for these students and information on their progress. Folder 221-4 contains information, in Russian, on some of the students in the program. Folder 221-5 contains a report on the Theological Education by Extension (TEE) for women.

X. Church Ministry Resources. Boxes 209-219, 222-223 The files in this section are wholly concerned with the Sister Churches Project, whereby the SGA staff matched an American congregation with a congregation in the Commonwealth of Independent States. The documents are all from the mid-1991 through 1994. The two churches, usually through their pastors would correspond with each other about their ministry and their life in faith. American churches would also provide the CIS churches, largely Russian, with much needed resources: Bible and Christian literature as well as other things tailored to a particular church’s needs, from funds for building materials to flannelgraphs and slides for Sunday school to tools for evangelism. Some individuals in the United States also volunteered to supply resources to individual Russian churches. SGA provided the Bible and Christian literature in Russian and also helped when necessary to arrange for the translation of letters between the churches, the transfer of funds, and the shipping of resources. Details of the administration of the program, including addresses and resources shipped (box 211) of the churches involved in Moscow, Kiev, Omsk, Almaty, and Kabarowsk are in boxes 209 through 212. Box 212 contains a notebook with participants listed by Russian city, American church, country, pastor. Files on individual churches’ involvement are in boxes 213 through 217. Box 222-223 contain Canadian correspondence and the files of individual people who were corresponding with CIS churches in the program. The files are arranged alphabetically by the name of the American church. These files include correspondence between SGA staff and the staff of the church, usually the pastor. There are also copies and translations of the letters exchanged between the churches. The files also often include details on the CIS’s church’s history, size, and evangelistic activities. Files also contain details of life in Russia in this period. Folder 250-17 has a list of indigenous Chrisitan ministries in the CIS. Folder 250-4 has an interesting letter about the expectations of Russians after the breakup of the Soviet Union.

Accruals and Additions

The material in this collection was received from the Slavic Gospel Association from 1982-2009.

Accession 82-166, 83-12, 85-87 October 23, 1986 Robert Shuster S. Averell A. Peterson J. von Rosenburg J. Nasgowitz

Revised June 1, 1993 Robert Shuster

May 17, 2023 83-12, 89-51, 90-32, 91-46, 91-55, 92-37, 93-109, 93-115, 94-04, 08-27, 09-13 Bob Shuster Eli Avery Bella Hicklin-Campbell

Janaury 22, 2024 91-46, 91-55, 91-109, 08-27 Bob Shuster E. Avery

Separated Materials

All books and periodicals, including Russian Gospel News, Russian Gospel News Bulletin, Slavic Gospel News, Slavic Gospel News Bulletin, and Breakthrough were given to Buswell Library of Wheaton College.

MISSIONARIES OF THE SLAVIC GOSPEL ASSOCIATION

MISSIONARIES OF THE SLAVIC GOSPEL ASSOCIATION

Listed here are SGA missinaries for whom there are indiviual files in Collection 237. After each missionary's name is the box or boxes in which the fule can be found. If the the folder is restricted, there is a capital R after the box number. See Conditiond Governing Access for information on restricitons.

Abbey, Rhaylene 28, 51R, 108

Albertson, Kris 28, 51R

Albinson, Tom 28

Albinson, Tom and Donna 108

Allport, Debbie 108

Balisky, Gordon 108

Balisky, Gordon and Esther 28

Bardonova, Agripina 28

Becker, Gretchen 108, 109

Bendas, Stephen 28

Bergstrom, Jim 108, 109, 110

Berke, Edith 28

Bice, Wil 28

Bice, Wil and Georgia 51, 109

Blatchford, David 28, 109

Boltwin, W. 28

Bordin, Andrew 109

Breithaupt, Gideon 28, 51R

Brezinski, Peter 110R

Brown, April 109, 110

Brown, Bryan and Donna 109

Bryant, Tony 110

Bryant, Tony and Wendy 110

Buckanary, Ed 28

Bultman, Buddy 28

Burkiewicz, Vicente 28

Burkiewicz, Vicente and Noemi 110

Butterfield, Anne 110

Carlson, Dennis 51

Carpenter, Mary Lynn 51R

Chartschlaa, Platon 110, 111

Chinikidiadi, Paul 110

Cicero, Meria 28, 51

Clark, Helen 110

Coffey, Mary Ann 110

Cone, Ralph 28

Cone, Ralph and Lucy 51, 110

Cone, Ralph N. Jr. 111R

Covich, Walter and Eldy 28, 111

Cowan, Robert and Alice 28, 111

Cramer, Carlos and Mabel 111

Crane, Bob 28

Crane, Robert and Robin 51

Crawford, Martha 28, 111

Culpepper, John 111

Daciuk, Ignacio and Lidia 28

Daciuk, Ignacio Jr. and Celia 112

Daciuk, Ignacio Sr. 112

Daciuk, Ignacio Sr. and Maria 112

Dacuik, Lydia 112

Daneliuk, Florence 112

Danko, Bill 29

Danko, William and Mary 51

Davenport, Becky 112

Davoine, Lucette 112

de Yampert, Jean 29

Dechtiarenko, Roman 29

Dechtiarenko, Roman and Luba 112, 248

Deikun, Alex 29

Deikun, Alex and Anna 113

Deyneka, Peter 29

Deyneka, Peter Jr. and Anita 114

Deyneka, Peter Jr. 114

Deyneka, Peter Sr. 113

Dickinson, Judy 29, 114

Dieker, Willie 114

Ditommaso, Gail 51R

Domich, James 114R

Drobny, Enoch 29

Duffy, Barbara 114

Dyment, Carolyn 51, 114

Dziadkowiec, Leon 29

Elkind, Sasha 114

Ellsmore, Jim and Sarah 29, 51R

Erickson, Olga 29, 114

Everett, Peter and Sandi 115

Fedorchuk, Juan 29

Fedorchuk, Juan and Luba 115

Fischer, David 115

Fletcher, Doris 51R

Foss, Ian David 51

Freeman, Aileen 51

Freeman, John Robert 51

Gierum, Roy 52

Gordiejew, Paul Petrovich 115

Gordiejew, Peter 29, 115

Gordiejew, Peter and Ludmilia 52

Greeson, Joe and Holly 115

Grosman, Eugene 115

Halaby, Tony 116

Hammond, Katie 116

Hanchett, Sam 29, 116

Haring, David and Ruth 29

Haring, Ruth Phipps 52

Hartman, Connie 116

Hawley, Dwight 116

Heyn, Randy 29, 52, 53

Hill, David and Sally 52, 116R

Hoch, Brian and Holly 116

Hoffman, John 52

Hofinga, Phillip 116

Holovaty, Orest 116

Hromadka, Van and Erika 116

Huffmire, Karen 117R

Hughes, Karen 52

Hunt, Lenore 29, 52R, 54

Hunt, Lenore and Lorraine 117

Iverson, Karen 52

Jarema, Stella 117

Jaruchik, Alex 29, 118

Jaruchik, Alex and Izabel 117

Jenkerson, John and Nancy 118

Jepson, Reid 29, 118

Johnson, Lloyd 29

Kaarina, Ham 116

Kadley, Gabi 29

Kalder, Frank 29

Kapitaniuk, Bill 118

Kapitaniuk, Bill and Sophie 119

Kapitaniuk, William and Sophie 29

Kietzman, Robin 29, 119

Kiriaka, Peter 29

Kiriaka, Peter and Fenia 119

Kirsch, Betty 29, 120

Kivesch, Betty 52

Klekos, Esteban 29

Klekos, Esteban and Maria 120

Koleba, Gust 52

Komaszczuk, Lawrenti 29

Koopmans, Paul 29, 52R, 120

Kosciuczyk, Carlos 120

Koziol, Jack and Vera 120

Koziol, Jacob 120

Kozned, Alex 120

Koznedelev, Alex and Nadia 52, 120

Kramer, Carlos 29

Kruk, Luba 29, 121

Kryston, Kazimierz 29

Kryszuk, Konstanty 29

Kulakoff, Walter 121

Kushernik, John 29, 121

Kuvshinikov, Alex 121

Kuvshinikov, Mike 121

Kuvshiniov, Michael and Diane 29

Kuvshiniov, Mike and Diane Morely 52R

Lamb, Doni 52

Lamond, Myrtle 29, 52, 121R, 122

Lathrop, Joe 122

Lathrop, Joseph and Elsie 52

Law, George and Linda 29, 52, 122

Le Clair, Ray and Cindy 122

Leonovich, Jim and Ann 122, 123

Leonovich, Nick 29

Leonovich, Nick and Roz 122

Lewshienia, Constantine and Elizabeth 122

Lewshienia, Elizabeth 123

Liechty, Sarah 29, 123

Light, Mary 29, 123

Lofquist, John and Lana 29, 52

Losiak, Joe 29

Lovrek, Branco 29, 123

Lundeen, Carol 52

Lysak, Miguel and Rosa 123

Macza, Rom 29

Macza, Rom and Nancy 52R

Maczka, Ronwald 123

Markiovich, Dabrivoy 29

Marshall, Chris 29, 52, 110

Martchenko, Ludmila 29, 123, 124

Martin, Jim and Hilma 124

Marvin, Ed 124

Marvin, Ed amd Eini 52

Matiko, Sidor 29

Maximchuk, Jorge 29

Maximchuk, Jorge and Maria 124

Maysky, J. 29

McElreath, Joel 29

Mchenry, Bill 124

Meaney, Mike and Marie 52R

Melnick, Jim 30

Melnick, Jim and Karen 52, 124

Miguel, Lysak 29

Mihailova, Valentina 124

Morgulis, Mikhail 30, 124

Morken, Monte 124

Mosely, Janet 124

Naidenko, Paul and Nadia 30

Najmalowski, Kazimierz 30

Nanaka, Anna 30

Nasteka, Stanislav 52, 125

Naumoff, Alice 125

Otero, Natalia 125

Panasiuk, Pablo 30, 126

Panasiuk, Paul and Diana 53, 125, 126

Pankiewicz, Richard 30, 53, 126

Pasechnik, Nick and Olga 53

Petterson, Luis and Elvira 126

Phillips, Woodrow and Rosemary 53

Pieresko, Juan 30, 126

Pinter, Joel 126

Pleshko, Peter 126

Poliszczuk, B (Children) 127

Poliszczuk, Basilio and Natalia 30

Poliszczuk, Basilio and Zina 126, 127

Poliszuk, Natalia 127

Portnov, Anna 127

Porublev, Nick 127

Povolotsky, Allina 127

Prislupsky, George 53

Prokopchuk, Roberto 53

Prokopczuk, Andrew 53

Pugh, Lydia 53

Ralek, Andres and Elena 127, 128, 129

Riney, Ellen 128R

Riney, Sam and Ellen 53R, 128

Robinson, Joanne 30, 53

Robinson, Linda 53R, 128

Rosheger, Bergen 128

Rosheger, Vince 30

Rosheger, Vincent and Nina 128

Roth, Eugeniusz 30

Ryabinov, Alyosha 128

Rynearson, Dennis and Robin 53R, 128

Santefort, Jim 30

Santefort, Jim and Bette 53R

Santefort, Jim and Betty 128

Sawchuk, Sam 53

Sazanov, Juan 30

Sazonov, Joao and Ana 128R

Schaefer, Richard 54

Schmidt, Marie 30, 128

Schoenberger, Ann 54

Schuelke, Martha Crawford 54

Semenchuk, Andrew 31

Semenchuk, Andrew and Pauline 128

Semenchuk, Paul and Betty 54

Shaffer, Rob and Sandy 129

Shalanko, Jack and Ruth 129

Shaw, Claudia 54R, 129

Short, Andrea 129

Shturma, Walter 54

Siczek, Joseph 31

Sidoruk, Eliza 31

Slobodian, Nicholas 31

Smith, Lonnie and Debbie 129

Smith, Vicki 54R

Smolski, Pablo 31

Smolskiy, Pablo and Susana 129

Snydor, Paul 130

Spitzer, Elsa 31, 130

Stahl, Elaine 130

Stauffer, Bob 54R

Stepan, Rhoda 54, 130

Stierwalt, Bob and Joan 130R

Stoehr, Richard and Vera 54

Strelczuk, Pablo 31

Sturdivant, Bill and Marty 130

Suortti, Hannu 54

Szczepanski, Eugene and Valia 131

Szostak, Basilio and Ana 131

Szostak, Wasili 31

Szymeryszyn, Stephen and Tania 130

Szymeryszyn, Tania 31

Tadecszowicz, Tadeusz 31

Tarnovezky, Pedro 31

Tatarchuk, Peter 31, 131

Ter Louw, Jay 31, 54R

Thompson, Chris and Mary Ellen 54

Thorn, John 31

Titcomb, Ed 131

Todd, Jim 131

Tolwinski, Jan 31

Tschernij, Anton 31

Turco, Joseph and Eleanor 54

Turkanik, Henry 31

Urbaniak, Tadeusz 31

Uttley, Ruth 31, 54

Veszpeller, Laszlo 54

Vielva, Anita and Raul 31

Wagler, David 31, 54, 131, 238

Walden, Steve 31, 132

Walicki, Miguel 132

Walicki, Miquel and Francoise 55R

Waszuk, Pablo and Lupka 31

White, Timmy 132

Wilson, Ron 31

Wilson, Ron and Jennifer 55R

Wolch, I. 31

Wolf, Paul 30

Yakevenko, Elena 31

Yaruchyk, Pedro 31

Yastrebov, Andre 31

Yastrebov, Andre and Anastacia 55

Zarubin, Jeorges 31

Zatulovsky, Dimitry and Jean 132

Zernov, Helen 31, 132

Zubchuk, Susana 31

Zukowski, Nicolas 31

Zukowski, Nicolas and Julia 132

Title
Collection 237 Records of the Slavic Gospel Association
Author
Bob Shuster
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Roman Script

Repository Details

Part of the Evangelism & Missions Archives Repository

Contact:
501 College Avenue
Wheaton IL 60187 US
630-752-5910