Nassau, Bahamas
Julian and Christiana Russell are missionaries in Nassau, Bahamas (Yellow Elder Gardens), serving with Mission to the World (MTW). They are originally from the Bahamas, and they returned there a few years ago after discerning the Lord’s call to spend the next season of ministry in their homeland. Prior to this, Julian served as a pastor in the PCA with two churches in Texas, and Christiana served as a school teacher. They are now using both callings to serve in Nassau!
The Russells want to glorify the Lord by planting a healthy church (Covenant Life Presbyterian) that focuses on instituting indigenous leadership, incorporating theological training, establishing transformational mercy ministries, integrating medical missions and disaster preparedness, and facilitating short-term mission trips.
River Oaks will be sending a short-term team to the Bahamas in July! Julian and Christiana also visited River Oaks in 2018 as part of our Missions Sunday.
Where They Serve
Nassau is known as a tourist destination for cruises leaving Florida. But outside the resorts, it is in many respects like many other island cities, though it has a relatively high average per capita income level due to its strong economy. Its population is over 260,000. Eighty percent of Bahamians identify as Protestant.
About MTW
Mission to the World is the international mission agency of the Presbyterian Church in America (ROC’s denomination). It sends Christian workers all over the world to serve in a variety of ministry contexts: church planting, caring for orphans, running medical clinics, training of indigenous leaders, evangelizing on college campuses, and more. MTW supports over 600 full-time missionaries and thousands of short-term missionaries in nearly 100 countries. Find out more about MTW’s vision and mission in the video below.
How You Can Pray
- Mission trip: Please pray for the River Oaks mission team that will be partnering with the Russells in July.
- Spiritual renewal: Pray for revival in New Providence and beyond, beginning in Yellow Elder. There is a strong dependence upon the government, and many residents are becoming disenchanted with all the socio-economic challenges they face daily. Pray for those in political and civic authority.
- Covenant Life Church: Praise for some signs of growth. Pray for their leadership development ministry (for future elders and deacons), purchase of a 15-passenger van, and Summer Reading Enrichment program in July
- Odds’n’ends: Pray for Julian’s application to become a licensed Marriage Officer in the Bahamas; the spiritual, emotional, and physical health of their team; recruiting plans for additional workers (both local and foreign); fruit from their partnership with four local schools.
