President of Ukrainian Baptist Theological Seminary in Lviv, Yaroslav Pyzh, has said that about 400 Baptist churches have ceased to exist due to the Russian invasion.
While speaking to The Christian Post, he said, "This estimate comes from territories that have been occupied. Also, it includes some of the churches where I pastor and people just move out of the country. This is the number that the Baptist Union of Ukraine is using."
In his words, the churches were lost because the members were either displaced or they have moved to other countries for refuge.
It will be recalled that on February 24, 2022, Ukraine was invaded by its neighbor, Russia with claims that it wants to protect its territory in eastern Ukraine.
Since then, about 10 million refugees have left the country, United Nations reported. Churches have also been affected by the invasion.
One of those churches who were destroyed in the disaster is All Saints Monastery Svyatogorsk Lavra, an ancient church in the country.
Besides, some churches are said to have halted gatherings to the present state of the nation.
Dan Upchurch, a missionary with the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, who serves in Eastern Europe, told CP that there are plans to re-establish the churches.
He said, "Church leaders who have relocated and are working to establish or re-establish churches, including leaders are working to gather scattered believers.
"Despite the chaos the war has produced, many churches across Ukraine have seen new people coming to faith over the past six months and being baptized this summer.
“The biggest challenge of this war will not be rebuilding buildings and infrastructure but rebuilding leadership capacity.”
Meanwhile, Pyzh said that he is hopeful that the war is an avenue to create new opportunities. He said, "I believe that God placed the mission in the right spot at the right time with the right people.
"This crisis also brought a lot of new opportunities. A lot of new people will step into the position of leadership. The mission is as clear as ever to train and equip leaders. This is what we will do."
Post a Comment