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Riga Powers Ahead
26 September 2006
This is a season of unprecedented growth in the city of Riga, capital of Latvia.
After years of oppression, the city is beginning to shine.
Latvia has enjoyed only 35 years of national independence in its long history. It was ruled for centuries first by the Germans, then the Swedes and finally the Russians. The country was granted independence for a short while after the Russian revolution, but this gave way to Soviet rule.
Now, the nation is free once more and its capital is emerging as an exciting place to be.
Plane-loads of European tourists head for the city every weekend. It is being marketed as the ‘new Prague’. People visit for parties, to taste the history, or simply to eat out in the many restaurants within the old town.
Mal Fletcher recently visited the city for the fourth time, for the Generations MasterClass sponsored by the Good News Church, one of the largest in the city.
The Good News Church numbers 1100 active members, after starting just 13 years ago under the leadership of Pastor Rick Renner. Renner now leads a large church in Moscow.
This was the second Mal Fletcher MasterClass to be hosted in Riga and both have made an impact on the city’s church leaders who are desperate to move forward quickly, with an understanding of post-modern culture and keys to growing the church. Senior Pastor of Good News Church, Andrey Chebotarev, said, ‘We really loved to be challenged and stretched – and Mal really does that. He understands culture, but he also understands the church. We get so much just from talking to him, even outside of his ministry.’
Mal also preached for the church on Sunday. After the weekend, he said: ‘It’s obvious that this city is on the move. People have opportunities they never dreamed of before – and they’re grabbing them with both hands.'
‘The average wages in Latvia are growing at the rate of about 15% every three months at present. Millions of people visit every year.’
‘The church here has a unique opportunity to attract the public with a positive and proactive Christian approach which is God-centred but for people.’
For more on Good News Church, Riga, visit www.goodnews.lv. For more on MasterClass events across Europe (and beyond), visit www.masterclassonline.com
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