Christian Assemblies Support Trust

The Trust was formed in 1991 to satisfy the Inland Revenue that money we were receiving from believers and using to further the Lord’s work was not personal income, and to give those supporting the work the opportunity to reclaim tax. The Trust is simply a financial umbrella to the work, which as individuals called of the Lord, we have sought to do for the past forty years. The Trust does not become involved in any directional approach when giving supportive help to our brethren as individuals, or to the assemblies.

This work began on a business visit to East Germany in 1962 when we responded to a request for Bibles. In the 1980’s our involvement in ‘delivering’ literature became more intense and, during that decade until the fall of ‘communism’, we were able to ‘deliver’ to the brethren assemblies in Eastern Europe approximately 20,000 Bibles, and more than 30,000 books, plus limited financial assistance. In 1990 we made contact with believers in Russia, and it has been a privilege to draw alongside these dear believers and share some of the spiritual blessings we in the West have so richly enjoyed for the last century, but which were kept from them during seventy years of communism.

About 2,500 of the books and bibles ‘delivered’ were in English, including Day by Day in the Old Testament and also Day by Day in the New Testament by Precious Seed. Our late brother John Heading gave tremendous encouragement during some difficult times. Many of our English-speaking brethren expressed gratitude for the teaching contained in these books, and those of C.A. Coates and others.

When freedom came to those countries that had been behind the ‘iron curtain’, discussions with our brethren revealed a desire to publish many of these books in their own language so that believers could enjoy the revealed truth and be able to pass it on to others. Sixteen books have been translated and printed in Russian with three more in preparation. Three are in Romanian with one in preparation, and one is in Hungarian with another expected soon.

Our desire to not only to encourage believers but to help them present the gospel to as many unsaved as possible, led us to become involved in radio gospel preaching, and on occasions participating our selves. Ten recording studios were set up in several countries with two now presenting the gospel daily – in Romania and in Kasachstan. One in Czechoslovakia became the base for Trans World Radio. In Siberia, Ukraine and two other countries tapes are produced for believers to use in gospel outreach and teaching, together with quality Christian music tapes.

Many believers are without financial resources of their own, and it has been our privilege to help buy houses and convert them into meeting rooms. A few places have been helped to build new halls, but we desire that the brethren should seek to follow the simple pattern of ‘where two or three are gathered’, rather than take pride in a magnificent ‘church building’.

Our travels over the past forty years have often brought us face to face with the reality that many do not enjoy the same standard of living we do, and this causes our hearts to ache for our brethren. However, we feel a balance must be kept in these matters, because whilst meeting need (which we do) is a scriptural injunction on all believers, giving our brethren excessive help to live better than their neighbours, often hinders the proclamation of the gospel of Christ. Materialism can easily gain a hold. Some brethren have, in the past, reported that ‘diet related illnesses’ and ‘starvation levels’ exist, but in our judgement that is not the situation in Eastern Europe and Russia.

The privilege to preach the gospel to hundreds of unbelievers, and see many repent and come to faith in our Lord Jesus Christ has given us great joy. The youngest was a boy of eleven years, and the oldest, a lady of more than eighty years. In Siberia we have seen teenagers saved from the world, baptized and come into fellowship. Now married, they have children of their own who they bring up in the fear and admonition of the Lord. Several of these young families have moved (with our help) to very isolated Siberian villages, where there is no testimony to the Name of the Lord, seeking to take the gospel to their own people. In recent months some of these small witnesses have become powerful testimonies to the grace of God.

During the long hard years of communism, many of our dear brethren felt abandoned by the West, and especially so in Russia where they were forced to become involved in the religious systems of men through government decree. In simple faith, and the small measure of ability that God has given us, we seek to help those dear believers who have left these man made systems so that they may appreciate the truths and teaching their forefathers knew and enjoyed, and which came to them through men of God such as Lord Radstock and Dr. Baedeker.

A more detailed account of this little work the Lord has given us to do is available if you write to us at: Mitchell and Ruth Cargill, 8 Sparken Close, Worksop, S80 1BN. Tel: 01 909 478 095. E-mail: [email protected].