This is Why They’re Called Terrorists

Terrorists are those who use fear and threats to control people and get what they want. In general that means beat, torture and kill those who disagree with you or in any way oppose you!

Unfortunately Eastern and Southern Ukraine are full of terrorists now and sadly Pastor Sergey has experienced this first hand!

Armed men with tear down the prayer tent in Donetsk -image prochurch.info

-Fifteen armed men with identifying signs from Donetsk People’s Republic and St. George’s ribbon destroyed the prayer tent while there were two people serving in it. The bandits took the equipment, battery, speakers and microphone. The banner and tent they threw into the river Kalmius. The attackers promised to shoot anyone who would come to the prayer meeting.

Friends, today was a tough day, but for me very difficult. To begin with, representatives of Donetsk People’s Republic destroyed our tent, and then there was the following story.

Several times I have gone to the city administration building to talk with the leaders of the Donetsk People’s Republic, so I went once again. I didn’t find the person I had talked with earlier there but happened to see someone who attended my church. I was glad when I saw him, but he didn’t seem too glad we met. He began to yell that I was manipulating the people and things like that. In short, the negotiations failed, in the eyes of these people I had become the enemy. You tend to have short conversations with your enemy.

People are very angry, because, first of all, their hearts are empty and not filled with God. I told them that God loves them, I harbored no anger or hatred towards them in my heart, even when they beat me. I will not describe the very beating, but that I am still alive, just the grace of God.

Among them were people who knew about our prayer tent, they cursed the others for what they did to me. After that, they gave me my things back and my money, then asked for forgiveness from me and that I would not be offended.

Before they started beating me I told them about Christ, called them to turn their hearts to God, and while they beat me I just prayed. I couldn’t make it to the prayer meeting in the evening because I had to go to the hospital.

Dark times have come to our region, people hate each other, they’re ready to kill, beat for a preposterous idea, and to die for those ideas. And they can not see Him for Whom it is really worth living and dying. God save the people, turn their attention to yourself.

It hurts not physically but morally, that Ukraine is wallowing in sin, and instead of people fighting together against the enemy they are pointing their weapons at each other.

Please pray for Donbas!

Of course Pastor Sergey’s story is only one story. There are many others from Eastern and Southern Ukraine that still have not been told. Many have been beat, abducted and murdered for their political views.

• This church building and Bible institute was forcefully seized by 25 masked men with AK47s on May 25th.
• This video (warning graphic) shows separatists in the city of Gorlivka executing 2 Ukrainian officers as a way to get one of their people released, they promised to execute 6 more!
• The list of those who have been abducted or simply have gone missing in Eastern Ukraine is long and growing! Currently there are around 80 people being held in the basement of the separatist occupied security building in Donetsk.

One of the hardest things is to know how Christians should respond to these events. Here are my suggestions.

• Let’s call sin, sin and terrorists, terrorists! We can’t afford to walk the fence and appease both sides. When groups and individuals use fear and violence to control others we must say, “This is wrong!” We must speak truthfully about who they are and what they do like Jesus did! (Mat 23:27)
• Let’s not stop doing right because of the possible repercussions! Doing the right thing sometimes means you end up getting spit on and beat up and sometimes worse! (1 Pet 4:12-16)
• Let’s not stop praying! Don’t forget that we are called to pray for our government (1 Tim 2:2) and pray for those who persecute us. (Mat 5:44)

Finally I want to leave you with a great response from Pastor Sergey. When asked what he thinks the church’s response should be he said,

– I am confident in this, that the church should formulate a clear position on such social issues like abortion, euthanasia, divorce and including separatism. The task of believers hasn’t changed, it is to be light in the darkness, not to agree with sin but to show people the love of God.

Question: In what areas do American Christians need to speak out and call sin, sin and terrorists, terrorists?