{"id":41523,"date":"2022-03-15T13:04:50","date_gmt":"2022-03-15T04:04:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/?p=41523"},"modified":"2022-03-15T14:31:44","modified_gmt":"2022-03-15T05:31:44","slug":"vomk-report-196","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/2022\/03\/15\/vomk-report-196\/","title":{"rendered":"UKRAINE: CHRISTIANS LEARN TO LIVE OUT THE GOSPEL DURING WAR"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”41521″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”\u201cNow in the city there is a curfew,\u201d says Vitaly, a 28-year-old Ukrainian church leader from a Baptist Church in Kiev, as he gathers together for the evening in a home with his coworkers, in a room with a small desk, a printer, paper, and scissors. \u201cSome people are preparing ammunition and armor. Others might prepare Molotov cocktails. We are preparing our \u2018armor\u2019 – God’s word and prayer.\u201d” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:1.2em|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” el_class=”headline”][vc_column_text]Living out the Christian life amidst difficulties is nothing <\/span>new for<\/span> Vitaly<\/span>. <\/span>His grandfather was imprisoned <\/span>eight years <\/span>for his <\/span>Christian <\/span>faith under the Soviet Union. His <\/span>mother spent three years in prison for printing Christian materials.<\/span> H<\/span>is father <\/span>spent three years in prison for leading a Christian youth group.<\/span> Now, Vitaly leads his own group of young people who have chosen to stay in Kiev <\/span>and evangelize <\/span>despite <\/span>increasing <\/span>dangers due to the war<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]But <\/span>Vitaly\u2019s <\/span>father <\/span>addressed him and his young ministry coworkers on a call this week to <\/span>warn<\/span> them that the <\/span>greatest dangers <\/span>they will <\/span>face <\/span>will <\/span>not <\/span>come from <\/span>tanks or artillery but <\/span>from <\/span>their own hearts<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_single_image image=”41525″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Voice of the Martyrs is supporting local Ukrainian churches, as well as Polish and Moldovan churches along the border with Ukraine, as the churches respond to both the humanitarian and spiritual needs that are arising during the war.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>He told them, \u2018If you see a Russian plane crashing, don’t rejoice; otherwise, God will not fight for you\u2019<\/span>,\u201d says Voice of the Martyrs Korea\u2019s Representative Dr. Hyun Sook Foley.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Representative Foley\u2019s organization operates \u201c<\/span><\/span>\u0413\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0441<\/span><\/span> \u041c\u0443\u0447\u0435\u043d\u0438\u043a\u043e\u0432<\/span><\/span> \u2013<\/span> <\/span>\u041a\u043e\u0440\u0435\u044f<\/span><\/span>\u201d, a Russian language edition of its popular Facebook page on Christian persecution, with 12,000 followers from across the Russian-speaking world<\/span>. The majority, <\/span>approximately 7,000<\/span>, live <\/span>in Ukraine<\/span>. <\/span>Representative Foley says that <\/span>many of the comments on the <\/span>page <\/span>th<\/span>ese days<\/span> are from<\/span> Ukrainian Christians <\/span>seeking <\/span>both the right tools and the right heart to serve the Lord <\/span>in the midst of<\/span> war.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>There is a lot of hatred now against Russians, <\/span>not only in Ukraine and not only against soldiers<\/span>,\u201d says <\/span>Representative Foley. <\/span>\u201cMany <\/span>of the Ukrainian Christians visiting our page are accessing our resources on how to <\/span>plant or operate <\/span>an underground church<\/span>, or they\u2019re reading <\/span>the stories we publish <\/span>about <\/span>underground Christians in places like North Korea<\/span>. <\/span>But a <\/span>lot of them are <\/span>just saying<\/span> to us<\/span>, \u2018I know I need to pray for my enemies\u2019.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”41511″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Ukrainian Christians near Kiev prepare evangelism materials for distribution” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]Representative Foley mentions <\/span>Victoria<\/span>, a <\/span>Ukrainian Christian <\/span>who lives <\/span>in <\/span>Irpin<\/span>, a city near Kiev<\/span>. \u201cVictoria <\/span>wrote<\/span> to us<\/span>, <\/span>\u2018<\/span>T<\/span>here is now a humanitarian catastrophe<\/span> here<\/span>. My <\/span>church members who live very close to the church gathered just once for a worship service. It is dangerous to have a meeting now, roads have been destroyed, houses are damaged<\/span>\u2026<\/span> May God touch <\/span>[the Russian soldiers\u2019]<\/span> hearts, they need salvation too. <\/span>It is very difficult for us, but <\/span>as <\/span>we struggle with the feeling of hatred towards them, we try to forgive them.<\/span>\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Ukrainian Christians\u2019 efforts to <\/span>learn to <\/span>forgive are coming <\/span>at the same time that<\/span> they are <\/span>also <\/span>seeking to learn how to carry on their Christian life and ministry <\/span>in the midst of <\/span>war.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

“<\/span>Ukrainian Christians are telling us <\/span>that their churches are experiencing <\/span>three <\/span>types of situations<\/span> now<\/span>,\u201d says Representative Foley. \u201c<\/span>First, <\/span>most of <\/span>the <\/span>churches located in <\/span>combat \u2018<\/span>hot spots<\/span>\u2019 can\u2019t meet in their buildings, so they are <\/span>learning how to \u2018go underground\u2019 by <\/span>meeting in <\/span>small groups <\/span>in their <\/span>home<\/span>s<\/span>. <\/span>Second, <\/span>c<\/span>hurches located in quieter areas <\/span>are <\/span>literally going underground, <\/span>opening their <\/span>church <\/span>basements <\/span>for use <\/span>as bomb shelters. They <\/span>are <\/span>also provid<\/span>ing<\/span> residents with food, water, warm clothes, and sometimes shelter for those who are trying to leave the country. <\/span>Third, some groups, like Vitaly\u2019s<\/span> group in Kiev<\/span>, are actively out<\/span> evangelizing. <\/span>They are delivering food and medicine, helping doctors to <\/span>get to <\/span>and from the hospital<\/span>s<\/span>, and <\/span>setting up <\/span>bomb shelters.<\/span> When they meet non-believers in the bomb shelters, they <\/span>are <\/span>evangeliz<\/span>ing<\/span> them, pray<\/span>ing<\/span> with them, and<\/span> giving them <\/span>specially prepared tracts.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Still, says Representative Foley, m<\/span>any<\/span> Ukrainian Christians are <\/span>thinking less about ministry and more about <\/span>surviv<\/span>al<\/span>. \u201cOne brother wrote to us, \u2018<\/span>Pray for us! <\/span>Pray that the Lord will f<\/span>orgive <\/span>me for <\/span>respond<\/span>ing<\/span> poorly to the needs of others! War is scary. I am now taking my family to the border. In our area, it is relatively calm so far, but the situation is becoming more complicated every hour<\/span>\u2019<\/span>.<\/span> Another wrote, \u2018<\/span>This Sunday we had <\/span>a <\/span>worship service. I don’t know what will happen next.<\/span>\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”41514″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Vitaly and a group from his church gather around a phone in order to listen to his father as he encourages them from the Word of God.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”41517″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Victoria, one of our Russian language Facebook subscribers, sent us worship videos from her church in Irpin. This picture is a screenshot from their worship service. She said it is now currently too dangerous for them to meet in person.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]But <\/span>Representative Foley says that <\/span>she has learned in her twenty years of leading Voice of the Martyrs Korea that the Christians God uses the most are often the least bold and the most afraid. \u201cWe have had 38 martyrs on our Voice of the Martyrs Korea team since my husband and I co-founded the ministry,\u201d says Representative Foley. \u201c<\/span>What they all had in common was not <\/span>some special heroic quality but rather a deep awareness of their need for and dependence on God<\/span>. That\u2019s why the message we share through our Facebook posts in all languages is not \u2018<\/span>Be bold<\/span> for <\/span>God\u2019 but rather<\/span> as Jesus said in Luke 12:7, \u2018<\/span>Don\u2019t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.<\/span>\u2019 I think that\u2019s why so many Ukrainian Christians keep coming back to our page these days.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Representative Foley\u2019s organization and its sister mission, Voice of the Martyrs Poland, <\/span>are<\/span> supporting local <\/span>Ukrainian churches, as well as Polish and Moldovan churches along the border with Ukraine, <\/span>as the churches <\/span>respond to <\/span>both <\/span>the <\/span>humanitarian and spiritual <\/span>needs <\/span>that are arising <\/span>during the war. <\/span>Voice of the Martyrs Korea <\/span>advanced <\/span>10,000 USD <\/span>earlier this month <\/span>to <\/span>fund <\/span>the churches\u2019<\/span> emergency <\/span>refugee and outreach ministries.<\/span> Representative Foley says <\/span>her organization hopes to <\/span>send additional funds<\/span>,<\/span> as <\/span>donations permit<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Individuals interested in donating to the Ukraine Christian Emergency Relief project <\/span>can give at <\/span>www.vomkorea.com\/en\/donation<\/span><\/span><\/a> or via electronic transfer to:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\uad6d\ubbfc\uc740\ud589<\/span> (KB Bank) 463501-01-243303<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\uc608\uae08\uc8fc<\/span> (Account Holder): (<\/span>\uc0ac<\/span>)<\/span>\uc21c\uad50\uc790\uc758\uc18c\ub9ac<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Please include the word \u201cUkraine\u201d with the donation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_video link=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=xjSdATZR64g”][vc_custom_heading text=”Vitaly\u2019s church preaches the gospel wherever they can \u2013 in bomb shelters, and even in open residential areas like in the video. In the video, a church member reads from Psalm 91, but right before he reads verse 5, an explosion occurs nearby. But he continues reading.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”41521″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”\u201cNow in the city there is a curfew,\u201d says Vitaly, a 28-year-old Ukrainian church leader from a Baptist Church in Kiev, as he gathers together for the …","protected":false},"author":659,"featured_media":41518,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[857,235,869,140],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41523","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-russian-special","category-special-column","category-china-special","category-vomk-report"],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"3.0.2","language":"en","enabled_languages":["ko","en","zh","ru"],"languages":{"ko":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"zh":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"ru":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41523","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/659"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41523"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41523\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41518"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41523"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41523"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41523"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}