Collection 660 Records of the CoMission and CoMission II
Scope and Contents
Correspondence, memos, minutes, reports, transcripts, schedules, manuals, policy statements, magazine and newspaper clippings, curricula, audio recordings, videos, photographs, slides and other materials documenting the work of the Commission. This was an alliance of over eighty American Protestant ministries, churches and business (almost all Evangelical) that, in agreement with the Russia government, entered the country on a five year contract to train Russian educators to teach Christian ethics and morals in the public schools, in conjunction with the showing of the Jesus film in convocations held across the former Soviet Union. The group also hoped to develop Bible studies, indigenous Christian leaders, and ultimately to plant churches.
Dates
- 1989-1998
- Majority of material found in 1992-1995
Creator
- CoMission. (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.
Conditions Governing Use
The copyright to materials created by the CoMission and the CoMission II in this collection is held by the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center Archives.
Historical Information
Name of organization: The CoMission. In its very early stages, it was called the Soviet CoMission, or SCM. The organization, in a reduced form, continued as The CoMission II in 1997 and 1998.
Other names and dates when used: After the expiration of the CoMission’s original contract with the Russian Department of Education, the organization continued for a few years under the name of the CoMission II.
Purpose: To unite dozens of American Protestant organizations (ultimately 82), almost all Evangelical, in recruiting and supporting volunteers (ultimately about 1200) to work in the former Soviet Union, mostly Russia. After showings of the Jesus film throughout Russia and other former Soviet republics provided yearlong training for Russian educations in curriculum teaching Christian morality in public schools. It was also the intention and hope of the CoMission that Bible studies and witnessing growing out the work of the volunteers would lead to the developments of indigenous Christian leaders and the planting of new churches. A summary of the CoMission’s strategy can be found in folder 24-5.
Date of Dissolution: Ca.1998, although the ISP continued to show the Jesus film in Russia, as it did around the world, and have some follow-up activities.
Dates 0f Operation 1992-1998
Offices:
401 Peachtree Road, Suite 1997, Atlanta, Georgia 30341. 1992-1993
760 Heritage Parkway, Ft. Mills, South Carolina 29715
1900 Rexford Road, Suite 10, Charlotte, NC 28211. 1995?-1998?
Significant officers or leaders:
Members of the Executive Committee:
Margaret Bridges, J.B. Crouse, Peter Deyneka, Paul A. Eshleman (Vice Chair), Paul H. Johnson, Paul A. Kienel (Vice Chair), John E. Kyle, Ralph Plumb, Mary Lance V. Sisk, Terry Taylor, Bruce H. Wilkinson (chair)
Mary Lee Griffith – Administrative Coordinator
King Crow – Chief of staff, Executive director
Ivey Harrington – Communication Coordinator
N. Matt Martin – Mobilization Executive Director
Sending Organizations of the CoMission: Sending organizations recruited the volunteers and sent the teams to Russia and provided the structure needed.
BCM International
Campus Crusade for Christ
The Christian and Missionary Alliance
European Christian Missions
Gospel Missionary Union
The Mission Society for United Methodists
Mission to the World
The Navigators
OMS International
SEND International
Wesleyan World Missions
Worldteam
Sponsoring Organizations of the CoMission: Sponsoring organizations provided financial, logistical, training, material or moral support for the effort, some much more than others
A.C.M.C (Association of Church Missions Committee)
Alpha Care Therapy Services
American Tract Society
Association of Christian Schools International
Baptist General Conference
B.E.E. International
Biola University
BMC International
BMC of USA
Boneem International
Bright Hope International
Cedarville College
Child Evangelism Fellowship
Chosen People Ministries
The Christian and Missionary Alliance
Christian Associates International
The Christian Bridge
Church Resources Ministries
Columbia International University
Community Bible Study
Daniel Iverson Center for Christian Studies
Educational Services International
Evangelical Covenant Church
Evangelical Free Church Mission
Evangelical Friends Mission
Evangelical Mennonite Church
Evangelical Methodist World Missions
Evangelism Explosion Ill International
Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches
Focus on the Family
Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention
Gospel Light Publications
Grace College of the Bible (Nebraska)
Great Commission Ministries
HCJB World Radio
In Touch Ministries
Institute for East/West Christian Studies
International Aid, Inc.
International Coalition for Christian Counseling
International Cooperating Ministries
International Teams
John Guest Evangelistic Team
Lancaster Bible College
Maranatha Ministries International
Mission Athletes International
Mission Aviation Fellowship
Mission to Unreached Peoples|
Mission Board of the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana)
Missions Fest Vancouver
Moody Bible Institute
Multnomah School of the Bible
Nashville Bible College
Philadelphia College of the Bible
Prairie Bible Institute
Project C.A.R. E.(Coordination of all Resources for Evangelism)
Reimer Foundation
Ronald Blue and Company
Russian Ministries
Salt and Light
Sea-Tac Ministries
Serve International
Slavic Gospel Association
Team Expansion
Transport for Christ
U.S. Center for World Missions
Walk Thru the Bible Ministries
Wesleyan World Missions
Wheaton College
World Gospel Mission
World Help
World Partners
Chronology
October, 1979 - Premiere of the Jesus film directed by John Heyman and produced through the agency of Campus Crusade for Christ. Paul Eshleman, who had been involved in the production, headed up the use of the film around the world as an evangelistic tool, a use that continued into the 21h century. Eventually the film in various formats was translated into more than 1800 languages and was credited with 500 million conversions and more than 5 billion viewings.
1985 - The Jesus Film Project, a part of Campus Crusade, was formed to promote the use of the Jesus film around the world. Paul Eshleman was director.
December 8, 1989 - Premiere of the Jesus film in Tbilisi, Georgia. Communist authorities gave permission for the showing of the Jesus film in the Republic of Georgia. Requests from many educators across the USSR for the film to be shown in their cities.
October 19, 1990 - USSR adopted the Law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations, confirming the liberty of religious freedom and religious education within the country.
January 1991 - After receiving approval of the project from the Soviet ministry of Education, Eshleman formed the International School Project (ISP) within the Jesus film project to plan four day convocations of Soviet educators to prepare them to each Christian morals and ethics in USSR public schools. The first one was held in Perova, a suburb of Moscow on May 15. These convocations were held for the next six years all over the former Soviet Union and in Bulgaria.
September 13, 1991 - Martha Bridges, a high school principal who had been helping to start Christian schools in Romania, meets Bruce Wilkinson, president of Walk Thru the Bible, at the annual conference of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) and tells him of the urgent request of Romanian Christians that he begin a work in Eastern Europe.
October 11, 1991 - Meeting of leaders from Walk Thru the Bible, the Jesus Film Project -Campus Crusade, the Association of Christian Schools International to develop the idea of an organization that would bring volunteers from several Evangelical organizations to work in Russia to train public school teachers who had viewed the Jesus film in teaching Christian ethics. It was intended that This work would also lead to Bible studies in many cities which would grow into churches and also be a means of developing indigenous Christian leadership. A second meeting was held in Pushkin, Russia on November 22nd.
December 25, 1991 - The Soviet Union ceases to exist as the former Soviet republics, including Russia, assert their independence.
January 23-24, 1992 - Meeting of fifty Christian organizations at the ACSI headquarters in La Habra, California to hear the plans for the CoMission, which resulted in commitments from most of the organizations to supply volunteers or support in some form.
March 23-31, 1992 - CoMission orientation Conference in Chicago, Illinois, attended by more than one hundred Christian leaders (box 26).
June 24-25, 1992 - Meeting held in Dallas, Texas for major financial donors.
September 30-October 17, 1992 - First Primary Training Institute for volunteers to Russia held at the Colorado Springs, Colorado headquarters of the Navigators Later in October the first CoMission teams go to the Commonwealth of Independent States (the former Soviet Union)(See folders 8-5 through 8-7).
November 5-6, 1992 Official national public launch of the CoMission at the ACSI annual convention in , with presentations by members of the CoMission and from delegates of the Russian ministry of education (box 27).
December 1992 - A protocol signed between the CoMission Executive committee members and the Russian Ministry of Education outlining the purpose and work of the organization and establishing that it is for a five year period, ending in 1997.
February 1996 - Russian authorities informed executive committee of the CoMission that the 1992 protocol was cancelled.
July 18, 1996 - First meeting of the Partnership Council, which was to carry on the work of CoMission II to complete the work of the CoMission.
July 1997 - The last of the eleven training cycles for volunteers held.
September 26, 1997 - President Boris Yeltsin of Russia signs the Law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations which, among other things, greatly restricts any activities by outside Western organizations in Russia.
Extent
15.6 Cubic Feet (39 boxes of paper records (DC), Audio Tapes, Digital documents, Photographs, Slides, Videos)
Language of Materials
English
Russian
Arrangement of Material
The collection is divided into seven series. The first six were created by the staff of the CoMission and is generally in the order and with the folder titles in which they arranged them. The Archives staff arranged the folders in rough alphabetical order. The seventh series was created by the Archives staff to provide a brief general description of the recordings and images that accompanied the paper records.
Series A. Executive committee minutes. Boxes 1-4
The executive committee of the Commission consisted of the chief executive or a senior staff member from the organizations that made the major contributions to the effort in terms of resources, staff and volunteers. This group set policy, participated actively in recruiting the involvement of other organizations, worked together to ensure productive cooperation and did planning. Each member was in charge of a particular aspect of the CoMission’s work.
The section consists largely of the minutes of the executive committee, along with related correspondence, agendas and reports. Since they were concerned with every aspect of the CoMission, information on all aspects of its activities can be found here, although the emphasis is on the larger picture rather than the actual details of the volunteers work in Russia and other countries. The minutes occasionally included reports from Peter and Anita Deyneka and others about the developing political and religious situation in Russia and how it impacted the organization’s work. Particularly in this sections, but throughout the collection is contrasted the aggressive dynamism of American organization and methods with Russian and East European conservatism and tradition. The minutes also often contain letters or reports from volunteers about their experiences. Material on efforts to create partnerships between individual American and Eastern European churches can be found in folders 6-20, 7-11, 9-7.
B. Executive director files. Boxes 4-10
Each of the most active organizations in the commission appointed a staff person to serve as the executive director of that organizations’ participation. These executive directors formed a committee that was in charge of the day to operations of the effort (see folder 14-1) and there was an overall executive director who chaired the committee and was in charge of the staff. Folders 5-27 through 6-1 contain minutes from twenty months of these committee meetings. These files are concerned with the CoMission’s overall planning, relationships with American Christian organizations and Russian governmental departments, and the ongoing work of the organization during its existence. Partly it involved Crow function as a director of executive directors and partly or mainly as the chief of staff of the organization.
C. Administrative Coordinator
This staff person worked under the overall executive director. She maintain contact with the participating organizations, made arrangements for conference, and supervised the mobilization of volunteers.
1. Member’s files. Boxes 10-22
There is a file or files for almost every participating ministry, college, Bible school, denomination, foundation, business and individual church, both those which recruited, trained and supervised volunteers and those which provided financial and other support. There are also file son several potential members who never actually joined. Except for a handful of files, the documents in each case are concerned with the early days of the CoMission and each individual organization or church joining and the mailings the organization received from CoMission staff. For most of the sending organization there are list of the volunteers they sent out. Sometimes the file also contains information or brochures about the organization’s ministry. Many folders include the application the organization filled out to join. There are also several folders with signed copies of the Lausanne Covenant, which was apparently a required commitment for members.
For several organizations there is significant information either on the organization’s participation in the CoMission or generally on history and ministry, including some organizations that never actually joined the CoMission. The organizations for which there are significant information include: ACSI (folders 10-11 to 10-13), Asbury College (folder11-4), BCM International (folder 11-7), BEE International (Bible Education by Extension) (folder 11-10), Boneem International (Priority One Ministries) (folder 11-15), Campus Crusade for Christ (folders 12-5 to 12-10, 31-11), Care Flight (folder 12-11), Christian Bridge (folder 13-5), the Christian and Missionary Alliance (folders 13-6, 13-7), Christian Camping International (folder 13-10), Evangelical Covenant Church (folder 14-18), Evangelical Free Church (folder 14-19), Evangelical Methodist World Missions (folder 15-2), Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches (folder 15-5), Focus on the Family (folder 15-8); Global Light (folder 15-11); Gospel Missionary Union(folders 15-12, 15-13); Hope for the World (folder 15-17); Institute for East/West Christian Studies (folder 16-2); International Aid (folder 16-3); International Partnership (folder 16-6); International School Project (folder 16-7; see also 6-13, 12-8, 12-9, 30-10, 30-15, 31-9); International Teams (folders 16-8, 16-9); Joni and Friends (folder 16-11); John Guest Evangelistic Team (folder 16-12); Mission Athletes International (folder 17-9); Mission Aviation Fellowship (folder 17-10); Mission, Inc. (folder 17-11); Mission Society for United Methodists (folders 17-12, 17-13); Mission Without Borders (folder 17-14); Mission to the World (folders 17-15, 18-1); Moody Bible Institute (folder 18-6); Navigators (folders 18-10,18-11, 18-12, 19-1); OMS International (folders 19-2, 19-3, 19-4, 19-5), Project Care (folder 20-1); Promise Keepers (folder 20-5), Russian Ministries (folders 20-10, 20-11); Sea-Tec Ministries (folder 20-16); Send International (folder 21-1); Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board (folder 21-6); Team Expansion (folder 21-7); United World Mission (folders 21-10, 21-11), U.S. Center for World Mission (folder 21-12), Walk Thru the Bible (folders 21-13, 33-4 through 10), Walter Bennett Communications (folder 22-1), Wesley World Mission (folders 22-2, 22-3), World Help (folder 22-6), World Partners (folder 22-7), World Team (folders 22-8, 9), Youth for Crist International (folder 22-11).
2. Applications, manuals, miscellaneous. Boxes 23-29
These files document the applications of organizations to join the CoMission effort, the manuals and training session created for each section and all other activities of the staff. There are files for general CoMission concerns, (boxes 23-24), including a directory of CoMission members in folder and the activities of various committees. A list of the members of the various committees is in folder 24-6. Among the committees were Arrangements (Boxes 24 see also box 34), Church Relations (box 24), Communications (box 24), Development (box 24), Mobilization (boxes 24-25; see also boxes 31,34), Prayer (box 25, see also box 34), Recruitment (box 25), Sending Organizations (boxes 25; see also box 34) and, Training and Materials (boxes 25-26; see also boxes 33 thru 35). The early planning meetings and conference, including the important March 1992 meeting at Moody Bible Institute (folder 26-7)are documented in boxes 26-28.
D. Communications Office. Boxes 30-33
These files are concerned with the CoMission’s efforts to publicize and raise support both among the general public and especially among Evangelicals. It handled media inquiries, created publicity materials such as videos and brochures, and generally handled public relations. Types of material in this section include as well as efforts to communicate with and encourage the staff, volunteers and participating organizations within the CoMission. There is also significant materials from participating organizations that was sent to their own membership. Lastly, there are articles and other reports on the activities of individual volunteers and organizations that appeared in nonCoMission publications. This section also contains significant information on the Russian parliamentary religious law that ultimately led to the CoMission Protocol being rescinded (see also folders 8-11, 8-12, 29-11, 37-5). For more on the Protocol signed with the Russian government, as well as drafts of Latvian and Ukrainian protocols. Additional material on the CoMission’s media and PR work can be found in folders 8-4, 7-4, 7-8, 7-12, 8-3, 9-8, 28-11, 31-18, and 32-1. There are also materials on the Russian political, cultural and religious situation in general in 1990 particularly in boxes 32 and 33. Similar materials on the conditions in Russia can be found in 8-8, 8-11, 9-1, 23-3, 28-10, 29-6, 29-9, 29-10, 30-19.
E. Publications. Boxes 33-37
These files contain the curricula prepared by Walk Thru the Bible and organizations and other brochures and booklets prepared by the organization. Some of these were intended ultimately for use with Russian educators (although they are in English). Other are internal training manuals for volunteers and staff members of supporting organizations.
F. Early history files. Boxes 37-39
These files were kept together by the staff and probably represented the first filing system. They document the early planning meetings and efforts to begin the organization’s work in 1991 and 1992. Besides minutes of meetings, there are also several transcripts from planning meetings.
G. Audio-Visual materials. Described in the Collection inventories.
These audio recordings, photographs, slides, and videos are materials mainly produced by the CoMission for publicity or training purposes. Most of the audio recordings and videos are of sessions held for Christian leaders to explain the purpose and method of the association. There are a few miscellaneous items, such as audio tape T1 of a church service in which a CoMission volunteer describes her experiences in Russia.
Accruals and Additions
The materials in this collection were given to the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center Archives by the office of CoMission II in March 1998.
Accession: 98-7
December 7, 2020
Bob Shuster
B. Hicklin-Campbell
Exceptional Items
Note: The notation “folder 1-8” means Box 1, Folder 8.
A. Executive Committee Minutes
Folder 1-8: Transcript of the press conference on in November 1992 in which leading members of the CoMission, along with officials from the Russia and United States departments of education announced the formation and purpose of the CoMission. See also folders 14-14 and 31-11 thru 13.
Folder 1-10: Memo on the possibility of recruiting Alexandr Solzhenitsyn to work with CoMission, something which never occurred.
Folder 2-4: October 7, 1993 letter from Bruce Wilkinson summarizing some of the significant events in the CoMission’s two year history.
Folder 2-9: May 30, 1994 letter from Bill Marty, seconded from MBI, about his impression of the CoMission’s work in Russia and Ukraine.
Folder 2-10: Draft of a form letter from Wilkinson to Russian teachers, explaining the way of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Folder 3-3: Minutes for the November 21, 1995 executive committee meeting include discussion of the ways of continuing the work of the CoMission after its contract ends.
Folder 3-7: 2/23/1996 letter about Olga Lutsemko, including her need to leave Russia because of threats to her life.
Folder 3-20: Listing to the members and goals of CoMission II’s Partnership Council (also 3-22). Statistics on work of the CoMission II as of January 1997 in folder 4-1. See also folder 4-8.
Folder 4-3 through 4-6 contain Executive Committee minutes out of order, from 1992-1994
B. Executive Director Files
Folder 4-7: List of the 127 cities in which convocations were held between May 1991 and December 1996, mostly in Russia and Ukraine but also Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania.
Folders 4-9 through 4-12: Material on the work of the Alliance for Saturation Church Planting, which was formed at the same time as the CoMission to plant churches in Russia. Also, folder 5-21, 10-6, box 39.
Folder 4-15: Speech by the Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey on church planting. For material on the CoMission’s church planting plans and efforts, see also folders 5-5, 15-9, 21-7, 24-11, 24-12, box 39.
Folder 4-20: Invitation from a television ministry in Bulgaria.
Folder 4-22, 23: Information on the CoMission Alumni Network (CAN). See also 23-1. 23-2.
Folder 5-7: Summary of the talk Paul Eshleman used when recruiting volunteers for the CoMission.
Folder 5-9: Various documents on the history of the CoMission, including reports from the Navigators and Walk Thru the Bible, a chronology of events, some of the many charts and graphs of the CoMission model are in folder 5-13.
Folder 5-7 through 5-20: Plan of the different cycles by which the organization planned to reach Russian and East European cities.
Folder 5-22: People and resource available for providing for deaf participants.
Folder 5-24 Form letters to financial donors.
Folder 5-26: Plan for an outreach in Estonia.
Folders 6-13, 23-1, 30-11, 30-12, 30-15 contain newsletters about CoMission activities.
Folder 6-16: Material on developing indigenous Christian leaders in Russia; see also folders 5-1, 6-4, 6-5, 6-9, 7-7.
Folders 7-1 to 7-3: Reports, minutes, and other materials from the Mobilization Committee, which had the task of recruiting the volunteers for the effort, working through sending and sponsoring organizations. Folder 7-1 includes statements from the sending agencies about their efforts. Also, folders 7-9, 7-14.
Folder 7-6: Reports and other documents from a meeting to investigate supplying the CoMission’s methods to developing a similar program in Mozambique. See also Folder 22-22.
Folder 7-15 contains minutes, memos, reports and other materials relating to the creation of CoMission II to carry on the work of the Commission. See also folder 10-1, 10-5.
Folders 8-1 and 8-2 contain material from the Prayer Committee, which includes many, many reports on the particular needs of individual volunteers in Russia and Eastern Europe, as well as the staff of the CoMission. The requests are usually not for personal needs, but for the activities of volunteers in various cities, and so provide a detailed look at the organization’s work.
Folder 8-4: This folder contains on several copies of the orig. Materials relating to the protocol signed with the Russian government. See also folders 21-6, 28-18, 29-4, 31-18, 32-1. Material relating to the Ukrainian protocol can be found in folders 10-2 and 10-3.
Folders 8-9 and 8-10: Minutes and reports of the relief and development committee, about small amounts given for aid in various Russian cities, mostly for things like medicines and clothing.
Folders 9-4 and 9-5: Minutes, memos and reports of the Sending Organizations Committee, made up of ministries that sent volunteers. Several reports showing what organizations sent teams to what cities in Russia, Ukraine and elsewhere.
Folder 9-9 contains several drafts of the organization’s integrated strategy. See also folder 9-10.
Folder 9-14: Reports and minutes of the Training and Materials Committee, which supervised the training of volunteers.
C1. Administrative Coordinator – Member Files
Folders 10-11 to 10-13: Correspondence to and from Paul Kienel of Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) one of the founders of the CoMission and a member of the executive committee.
Folders 12-5 through 12-10 contain the correspondence with Campus Crusade for Christ, one of the major sponsors of the Commission. This includes a letter from Bill Bright (12-5), applications and biographical information on many of the volunteers recruited through CCC, and two folders of correspondence and memo to and from Paul Eshleman, head of the Jesus Film Project and ISP and one of the prime architects of the CoMission (folders 12-8, 12-9) See also folder 30-10. Folder 31-11 has a report on the 1991 showing of the Jesus film in the former Soviet Union. The Archives also has a copy of the training manual CCC prepared for its own staff in Digital Documents.
Folder 13-1: Long memo which apparently consists of the opinions pro and con from CoMission members (?) as to whether charismatic organizations should be allowed to join.
Folders 13-17 through 14-6: These files contain correspondence, memos and form letters to various CoMission staff, including King Crow (13-21, 14-2) and Matt Matin (13-22). Folder 13-7 concerns CoMission members from Australia and 14-5 from South Africa.
Folder 14-8 contains an in-depth evaluation from a Russian Christian of a convocation held in Minsk July 1992.
Folder 15-4: Include is a memo describing the various functions carried out by the CoMission headquarters, including mobilization, development, relief work and communication.
Folder 16-8: Includes a 1993 critique from the director of International teams of the CoMission strategy and methods.
Folder 17-1: Material relating to Paul Johnson’s chairmanship of the Arrangements Committee.
Folder 18-7: List of the Moody students who volunteered to go to Russia.
Folders 18-10 to 18-12: Material on the Navigator’s participation in the early development of the CoMission and Peter Deyneka’s participation.
Folder 20-10 Includes a copy of the CoMission’s articles of incorporation and Peter Deyneka’ s participation, also 20-11.
Folder 21-12: 1992 thoughts of Greg Parsons of the U.S. Center for World Mission on the formation of the CoMission.
Folder 22-1: Material on Walter Bennett Communications PR efforts for the CoMission.
C2. Administrative Coordinator - Applications, manuals, miscellaneous
Folder 23-4: The application and other paper work filled out by people volunteering to be commissioners.
Folder 24-2: Listing of the requirements of organizations wishing to join, along with the additional requirements for Sending organizations and for Materials/Resources Organizations.
Folder 24-11: Material on the activities and concerns of the church relations committee, which was especially concerned with the relations with existing churches in the former Soviet Union and how they would react to the CoMission’s activities.
Folder 28-13: Various notes and chronologies on the early history of the CoMission.
Folders 29-1 to 29-3: Proposals that were sent to foundations seeking grants or other participation. These give a good idea of strategy and methods. See also folders 6-18, 30-21, 30-23, 31-7, 8, 36-4. For the Maclellan Foundation, see folders 9-12, 31-3 to 5, the Reimer Foundation folder 20-9, the Crowell Trust folder 31-2, and the Thomas A. Wilson Foundation folder 31-6.
Folder 29-9: Memos and minutes relating to how the CoMission should be organized and present its work in Russia and Eastern Europe.
Folder 29-10: Memo detailing some of the risks of a foreign ministry operating in the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Communications
Folder 30-1: Articles from Christian and secular magazines about the CoMission, often focusing on one of sending organizations or one volunteer.
Folder 30 to 30-8 contain the different versions of the brochure given to potential volunteers.
Folder 30-16: Maps of the cities with CoMission volunteers in Russia.
Folder 30-17: Accounts, published and unpublished, by individuals about their experiences as volunteers were used to prepare volunteers for their work in Russia.
Publications
Folders 35-5 through 36-3 contains several years of succeeding training manuals used to prepare volunteers for their work in Europe.
Acronyms Commonly Used in Collection 660
AMN – Alumni Mobilization Network
CAN - CoMission Alumni Network
CC - Community consultant; a team member (one of eight) whose primary function is to minister to adults and get NCECs going through the schools. They function in the community track of the CIS.
CDS – Character Development Seminar
CIS - The CoMission strategy that works toward multiplying model schools wherein nationals have been equipped to lead Christian Educational Classes to adults (NCEC), teachers (TCEC) as well as to students (SCEC).
CM - CoMission
CoMissioner - A volunteer sent to Russia and Eastern Europe
EC - Educational consultant; a team member (one of two) whose primary function is to equip teachers to be more effective in their teaching students the Morality & Ethics Curriculum.
EST - Educational Specialists Team; a team made up of people with educational backgrounds who will focus on teacher aspects of the CoMission strategy.
ISP – International School Project
IVBC - International Bible Video Curriculum
MS - A Model School. A school that has been 'launched' and has been successful in implementing NCECs, TCECs and SCECs.
JF - Jesus Film
LDI – Leadership Development Institute
M&E - Morality & Ethics Curriculum
NCEC - Neighborhood Christian Education Class
PC – Partnership Council. The Governing body for CoMission II
PTI – Primary Training Institute. The training sessions or cycles held for volunteers going to Russia
TEN – The Equipping Network
SCEC - Student Christian Education Class
TCEC - Teacher Christian Education Class
WTB - Walk thru the Bible; the ministry itself or the Bible overview course developed by them
- Association of Christian Schools International.
- Billy Graham Center. Institute of East-West Christian Studies.
- Bright, Bill.
- Campus Crusade for Christ.
- Charismatic movement.
- Christian and Missionary Alliance.
- Christian education -- Albania.
- Christian education -- Bulgaria.
- Christian education -- Estonia.
- Christian education -- Latvia.
- Christian education -- Mozambique.
- Christian education -- Russia.
- Christian education -- Ukraine.
- Christian literature -- Publication and distribution -- Russia.
- Church and state -- Russia
- Church development, New -- Russia.
- Church work with students -- Russia
- Crouse, J. B., Jr.
- Deyneka, Anita.
- Deyneka, Peter, 1931-2000.
- Eshelman, Paul.
- Evangelicalism -- Russia.
- Evangelistic work -- Russia.
- Falwell, Jerry.
- Focus on the Family (Organization)
- Gospel Missionary Union.
- International Teams (Organization)
- Jesus (Motion Picture)
- Kienel, Paul A.
- Kyle, John E., 1926-
- Men', Aleksandr, 1935-1990.
- Methodists.
- Mission to the World.
- Moody Bible Institute.
- Moscow (Russia)
- Motion pictures in church work -- Russia.
- Navigators (Religious organization)
- OMS International.
- Orthodox Eastern Church -- Russia -- Relations.
- Prayer groups -- United States.
- Promise Keepers (Organization)
- Russia
- Russkai︠a︡ pravoslavnai︠a︡ t︠s︡erkovʹ.
- SEND International.
- Stowell, Joseph M., Jr., 1911-2007.
- Taylor, W. Terry.
- Television in religion -- Bulgaria.
- United World Mission.
- Walk Thru the Bible (Educational ministry)
- Walter F. Bennett & Co.
- Wilkinson, Bruce.
- World Help.
- World Team.
Creator
- CoMission. (Organization)
- CoMission II. (Organization)
- Title
- Collection 660 Records of the CoMission and CoMission II
- 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