Ukraine, the Fastest Growing Church | 17

Ukraine is the country in Europe with the fastest expansion of new church plants. Why is this happening? Well, during a recent visit to the country, Baptist World Alliance General Secretary Neville Callam saw why. During the last week of March Callam met with leaders of the All-Ukrainian Union of Churches of Evangelical Christian Baptists (AUCECB).

Callam said how impressed he was with the commitment of Ukrainian Baptists to evangelism and social ministry, such as a ministry to drug addicts. Each congregation, and each of the 25 regional associations, has a director of evangelism.  The directors of evangelism from each association meet together to make and execute evangelism plans. In this way, the evangelistic work in the country is well organised and coordinated as there is a clearly defined focus of work.

Callam observed that there was ‘high church attendance and professionalisation of the music ministry’ at the worship services and events in which he participated. The Ukrainian churches have been blessed by reaching out to many of the country’s political leaders, and Callam visited the First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, Oleksandr Turchynov, who is a Baptist layman. He also met Pavlo Unguyran, a member of the Ukrainian parliament who is chair of the Euro-Asian Baptist Federation Youth Committee. Ukraine has one of the largest Baptist memberships in Europe, with nearly 3000 churches and 145,000 members.

Source: Assist News Service; Revival Media

BIBLE STUDY: Joel 2:2-27

PRAISE: God for the Ukrainian’s commitment to evangelism and church growth. Pray especially for Christian political leaders in the nation.