Peter Deyneka (1898-1987) and Peter Deyneka (1931-2000)

The two Peters were father (Sr) and son (Jr).

Peter Sr. was born in in Belarus. With his parents he immigrated to Chicago USA in 1913/4 where he worked in a machine shop. He was brought up in the Russian Orthodox Church.
He was born again in 1920 at a Moody Memorial Church. He graduated as valedictorian from the Moody Bible Institute in 1925. God ignited a fire in him to witness to anyone who would listen, especially Russians. He found many Russians across USA and Canada. His animated style and intensity earned him the nickname ’ Peter Dynamite ’

Peter Sr returns home to Russia to evangelize his own people and works in Latvia and Estonia as field secretary for the All Russian Evangelical Union. Peter Sr married Vera Demidovich in 1926. and Peter Jr was born in 1931.

January 1934, with 3 other men a committee is created to support his work. The Russian Gospel Association is founded in 1936 ( since 1949 called Slavic Gospel Association (SGA)).
SGA over the years has help provide missionary radio for the Russian people. Russian pastors said that missionary radio was instrumental in the conversion of many Russian families.

The story of the 2 Peters begin to overlap. Peter Jr . accepts Christ at home during grade school years. He graduates from Wheaton College in 1953and a M.Div at Northern Baptist Seminary in 1957. The SGA send him to numerous countries between 1955 and 1965. He becomes Assistant director (1966-3) and then president of SGA from 1975-1991.

Between 1976-1989 the Soviet Government rejects 10 visa requests from Peter Jr and his wife Anita. For 13 years they were denounced frequently in publications.
While they waited Peter Jr and his colleagues translated about 100 book titles. They were printed in the West and imported in limited quantities . He engaged in radio ministry. Russians received his pastoral training materials with enthusiasm.
Finally when glsnost (openness) and peresroika (restructuring) developed they received a visa February 1989. They moved to Moscow in January 1991.

By this time Peter Sr had died. He died in 1987 having dedicated his life to the ministry of evangelism despite the dangers and persecution under the Soviet regime. His biography is called ’ Twice Born Russian ’

In 1991 Peter Jr became president of the Peter Deyneka Russian Ministries 1991-2000). Peter Jr. died on 23rd December 2000. He had been diagnosed with lymphoma cancer earlier in the summer.

The sources I have used includes Peter Jr. Deyneka’s writing in *Ambassadors for Christ * (published in 1994)

The Christian faith, hidden, but vibrant for many years was allowed to flourish
All of my past was preparation for these past seventeen months
Peter Deyneka Jr.

Sources used Ambassadors for Christ
East-West Church Ministry report