Last week I traveled to the town of Svyatohirs’k in the Donbas region of Eastern Ukraine where I met with leaders from 20 churches in and around the war zone.
This group of churches asked me to come and share with them about how their churches can do a better job in evangelism and missions. Now that’s an amazing thought isn’t it?! 9 of these churches are facing intense pressure from the government to close down. Some churches in their area have closed their doors because of this pressure, others have had their buildings confiscated and turned into government offices and yet they are thinking about how they can share the gospel more effectively and send out missionaries!
I’m convinced that a church that does not actively pursue the gospel and share the gospel is a dead church. It might have attendees, it might have events, it might have a building but it’s as good as dead for any spiritual or eternal purposes!
Remember what Paul told the Philippians?
“I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”
Php 1:12-14
Indeed my faith was strengthened after ministering to these courageous church leaders!
On my final evening the men all went to the “banya” after our evening teaching and fellowship time. We sat together and sweated in the 240°F sauna while discussing why some people grow cold towards God’s Word.
If you’d like to help support some of these faithful men and women in Eastern Ukraine you can do that here.
