The first Lord’s Day of this mission trip was spent with the brethren who worship at the Shevchevenko church of Christ. Andrew and Veronika Zhuravlev had spent many years in Gorlovka but were forced to flee to Kyiv for safety as the Russian invasion progressed. Andrew had been preaching at the Gorlovka Church but the church building was forcibly seized by the pro-Russians and the worshipping assembly was told to leave with Kalashnikov-47 automatic assault rifles pointed at them. They were told they had only two hours to clear out the things they wanted and then they have not been allowed back into the church building. The Bear Valley Biblical Institute relocated to Ternopol where it has reopened and continues their exceptional training of fulltime church workers.
The Gorlovka Church scattered to various locations in Ukraine and Andrew and Veronika found themselves in the Kyiv Region.
Recently Andrew was asked by the Shevchevenko brethren to come and preach and teach.
The Shevchevenko congregation has had a most difficult time. It has struggled with a succession of “preachers” who were more totalitarian in their approach than that of the biblical character of gentle and nurturing. Consequently there has been a dearth of teaching on the rudimentary principles of New Testament Christianity and the Lord’s Church. The last “preacher” had been appointed by his predecessor and continued the lack of distinctive biblical instruction. Consequently there was a “religious group” but it did not cherish the distinctive marks of New Testament Christianity. The members knew little about basic doctrine.
After a confrontation with a group of foreign visitors last summer, the last preacher decided to leave and join a denominational group. The preacher did everything he could to persuade the entire congregation to go with him—evidencing the damning “works of the flesh” characterizing those who do not follow God’s will. Such illustrates the base level upon which the congregation had functioned. Those who were left after the division were wounded and hurt.
And then Andrew “came” to Kyiv because of the war that Russia’s invasion ignited. Andrew visited and was asked to speak. The congregation listened and appreciated his lessons. They asked him to continue coming and teach and preach as long as he was in “exile” from Gorlovka. For those who receive my monthly UKRAINE MISSIONS newsletter you will recall Andrew’s reports on this development.
Andrew has begun teaching and is stressing leadership and devotion to God’s simple doctrines found in the Scripture. His task is challenging. It is almost as if he is presenting the Truth of God to a group that has never heard it. By the discussions in the Bible class today it is as if this congregation has no knowledgeable identity of who they are or for what purpose they come together or in what activity they should be engaged. It is really amazing to consider that this congregation has been in existence for decades yet it is shrouded with ignorance!
The worship period was delightful and the fellowship was warm. I was welcomed and my sermon was received with good and honest hearts. The sermon was from Colossians 1:3-8 and focused on Epaphras and his example of devotion to God’s Truth and willingness to work with diligence. I discussed the background of the Colossian heresy and how the Church in Colossae had accepted not only the Lord’s commands for New Testament Christianity but they had also decided they could add novel beliefs and practices to make Christianity more accommodative and accepted to those in the world.
Afterwards the congregation had announcements of birthdays and there were sandwiches, sweets and hot tea that were shared. Several asked about my trip and where I would be teaching in Kyiv during this trip. I told them that today was the only day scheduled for me to teach. They asked me with sincerity to return and stay and teach many classes.
Yesterday I received all of the data necessary to fill out a transportation request that will load a container of dry food, water purifier, and personal hygiene kits from A Child’s Hope located in Cincinnati, Ohio! When we first began asking for help in shipping relief containers into Ukraine I received an email from Paul and Larry stating they would like to see if they could raise the funds to fill a container with food and ship it for the children displaced by Russia’s invasion into Ukraine. They had worked with a group that helps orphans in Ukraine (Jeremiah’s Hope, described in a report May 13, 2014 in The Christian Chronicle) and wanted to know if it might be possible for some of the food to go to that location. A Child’s Hope has been mentioned in other updates on the relief efforts for Ukraine as they diligently worked. Paul emailed me Saturday saying they had all things ready and were prepared to load. So, thanks to the compassion and sensitivity of A Child’s Hope soon there will be a 40 foot High Cube container loaded in Cincy, OH and shipped for distribution in Ukraine. This one container will provide 45,837 pounds of high protein dry food mix that will make 300,024 meals; 1,400 packets of P&G Purifier of Water Pouches that will provide 120,000 gallons of potable water; and approximately 350 hygiene kits!
Tomorrow Mike and I will travel to Uman and then back to Kyiv where we will then travel to Ivano-Frankivsk and join the brethren there in a study of the Epistle to the Colossians.
Be sure to tell others they register for automatic updates or can read posted updates on this mission trip at: www.kachelman.com/ukraine/blog
Thank you for your financial support and prayers for the brethren in Ukraine and for the welfare of the Lord’s Church in Ukraine!
John L. Kachelman, Jr.
Kyiv, Ukraine
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