Russian Russian peasant reform, the spiritual crisis of the dominant Church, and the translation of the Bible into Russian stirred up interest in the primary source of the Christian faith among all strata of the Russian people. Everywhere – in capital cities and in remote provinces-circles and groups on Bible study in which there were talented national preachers began to be formed. The purely ceremonial way of Church life no longer satisfied the indefatigable seekers after the Highest Truth. They sought to serve God in spirit and truth, arranging life after the example of the ancient first Apostolic Church.

Large pockets of the Evangelical-Baptist movement broke out in the second half of the 19th century among the Volga provinces, in the Caucasus, in the South of Ukraine and in St. Petersburg. In remote areas, the first communities were formed from peasants, artisans, merchants, and in the Northern capital, the initiator of the movement was the highest Petersburg nobility. Retired guards Colonel, rich aristocrat V. A. Pashkov, counts M. M. Korf, A. p. Bobrinsky, princesses E. I. Chertkov, N. F. Lieven, V. F. Gagarin arranged public spiritual meetings with the preaching of the gospel in the capital’s mansions and in their ancestral estates.

The participants of the Evangelical movement in the nation awarded various nicknames: “stundist”, “pashkivtsi”, “sectarians”. Despite some differences in rites and forms of service, all serious Confessors of Christ were United by the creed and worldview of the Christian Baptist Church. The word “Baptist ” is derived from the Greek text of the New Testament and is derived from “baptismal”, that is, baptism, or ablution, through complete immersion in water. The spiritual origins of the Christian Baptist Church go back to the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ and are connected with the gospel doctrine of baptism. “So go and teach all the Nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy spirit. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved “(Matt. 28, 19; Mar. 16,15-16). Baptists reject infant baptism, professing conscious, meaningful baptism by personal faith in the presence of firm Christian beliefs and a real rejection of the sinful way of life. In the practice of Church life, Baptists adhere to the principle of universal priesthood. All Christians are equal before God. The presbyter of the community does not have absolute power, the most important issues are resolved at Church councils, General meetings of believers, conferences. Services are creative and consist of preaching, singing accompanied by musical instruments, heartfelt improvised prayers (in their own words), reading spiritual poems and poems.

Seeking to recreate the living spirit of Christianity in the first centuries, the Evangelical-Baptist movement has always put the first place Apostolic Ministry, that is, the broad preaching of the gospel. Therefore, from the very beginning of their existence, Russian Christian Baptists are known as advocates of spiritual enlightenment. In the far and most remote areas of the Russian Empire, they delivered a large number of Holy Scripture.

All the major Christian movement has consistently produced outstanding religious figures. On the horizon of Russian Protestantism, three names and three original personalities Shine most brightly: V. A. Pashkov (1831-1902), V. G. Pavlov (1854 – 1924), I. S. Prokhanov (1869 – 1935). St. Petersburg aristocrat V. A. Pashkov founded in 1876 “Society for the promotion of spiritual and moral reading”. Pashkov and his collaborators-count M. M. Korf, Princess E. G. Chertkova, Countess E. I. Shuvalova-at their own expense for eight years published more than 200 titles of various books and pamphlets of spiritual content. The society produced collections of poems for singing, theological treatises, sermons, edifying stories, and booksellers distributed this literature throughout Russia. The monthly magazine “Russian worker”gained great popularity among the people. It was also published by Pashkov’s friends. The magazine published stories from Sacred History, sermons of John Chrysostom, conversations of Tikhon Zadonsky, essays on spiritual and ethical topics.