Religious groups in Russia are voicing their concern amid reports that the country’s Justice Ministry plans to tighten the rules for granting visas to foreign missionaries in the coming weeks, reports Mission Network News.

|TOP|According to Sergey Rakhuba, vice president of Russian Ministries, who has been in Moscow, the new controls, if introduced, will limit the number of foreign ministries allowed to enter the country to carry out mission work.

“Especially with their visas, registration, and especially they have to report to the government about their activity in Russia. What do they do? What kind of group [do] they represent? What kind of ministry [do] they have?

“It sounds like it’s all going back like it was during the Soviet time,” he said.

According to Mission Network News, it appears at this time that these regulations are not coming from the government but rather from the Russian Orthodox Church.

Mr Rakhuba said: “At this time Russian Orthodox Church initiates all of this. And, they inspire the Russian Government to help control other religious groups.

“Basically it means they want to monopolise all religious activity,” he said.

|QUOTE|According to Rakhuba, Russian Ministries will not be affected the restrictions to be applied to foreign missionaries as it is an indigenous organisation. He expects, however, that there will be some issues with reporting on work with children and the kinds of materials used.

Mr Rakhuba predicted, however, that foreign missionaries would face many difficulties in the coming year: “So, they either have to turn into tentmakers and work under the business visa, or something else, but I know next year lots of foreign mission groups will have some problems.”

Rakhuba remained positive about church growth in the region despite the impending restrictions: “I don’t think that it will affect evangelism because you cannot stop people from talking about Christ.

“You cannot stop people talking about their experiences with Jesus. And, that’s what Russian Ministries is doing.”