Our history

In Greek «Agape» means  — God's love. In 1991 Roland Kurth, a representative of "Campus Crusade for Christ", came to Nizhny Novgorod in order to establish initial contacts with the people of the city. On behalf on many Swiss believers he administered aid to hospitals, kindergartens, schools and churches. As the result many Nizhny citizens received practical relief as well as new hope and true meaning in life. Later the contacts established with the city authorities allowed the Swiss Christian to think of a much closer involvement with the city and its people. In November 1992 Roland Kurth came up with the initiative to establish the «Agape Center». In May 1993 the center was officially registered. In November 2002 we celebrated our 10th anniversary. In 1992-1998 the Center delivered practical aid (food, clothes, shoes, household items, toys, musical instruments, medical equipment and medicaments) to many institutions of the city Among others practical relief was brought to 60 social organizations and institutions for children, to administrative departments of the city and the region, to hospitals, schools and higher education institutions. In 1992-1998 the Center organized various summer projects for believers from Nizhny Novgorod churches as well as students of the German Department of the Linguistic University. About 650 people took part in those projects the aim of which was to study the Bible and to preach the Gospel throughout the city. In 1993-1996 the Publishing Department of the Center issued a monthly Christian newspaper «The Living Word», with the print run of 1000 copies. In January 1996 the music band «Agape» was formed. In 5 years the band gave over 180 free performances. In the summer of 1999-2000 the Center organized two missionary trips to Kazakhstan (more than half of the Kazakh population are Muslims). 5 Christian churches of the city as well as some Swiss churches sent their missionaries and evangelists to help the local Kazakh churches in preaching the Gospel. In the summer of 2001 the Center supported an evangelistic outreach in Mongolia. In the spring of 2000 the TV Club "Globe" began its work in the city. Its goal is to produce and distribute TV programs for whole families and children, as well as TV documentaries, educational and popular-science films. Video-cassettes with our programs are held up to very high standards which does not mean outstandingly high prices, but true European quality!