The Christian Chronicle Podcast
The Christian Chronicle Podcast explores the news and stories shaping Church of Christ congregations and members around the world.
The Christian Chronicle Podcast
Episode 117: What happens when your neighbor is trying to kill you? Stories from the Church of Christ in Ukraine.
Almost as soon as Church of Christ missionaries entered Ukraine after the breakup of the Soviet Union, Christian Chronicle reporters entered the country as well. For more than three decades now, The Christian Chronicle has covered how the Ukrainian people embraced with joy the gospel of Jesus Christ. Few parts of Europe can match Ukraine for how the Church of Christ took root, sprang up, grew and spread.
Russia's invasion and occupation of Ukrainian territory in 2014 and all-out war against its neighbor starting in 2022 has done great harm to the Church of Christ and its members in Ukraine. But not grave harm. In the face of death and destruction, Church of Christ congregations and members are rising up and showing how the love and power of God is greater than bombs and tanks. But recent events in the United States are leaving some Christians in Ukraine feeling betrayed by their brothers and sisters in Christ.
In this episode, Jeff Abrams (executive director of Rescue Ukraine and former minister with Tuscumbia Church of Christ in Tuscumbia, Alabama) and Marina Noyes (a pillar in the Vinograder Church of Christ in Kiev, Ukraine) talk about how the Church of Christ and its members are holding out after three years of war in Ukraine. They also talk about how the changing political situation in the United States is affecting the Church of Christ in Ukraine.
Link to a full archive of The Christian Chronicle's coverage of the Church of Christ in Ukraine
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Welcome to the Christian Chronicle Podcast. We are bringing you the story shaping Church of Christ congregations and members around the world. Here is our host, BT Irwin.
BT Irwin:Family and friends, neighbors and, most of all, strangers. Welcome to the Christian Chronicle Podcast. May what you are about to hear bless you and honor God. When the Iron Curtain fell in the 1990s and Christian missionaries flowed into former Soviet bloc nations, the people of Ukraine were some of the most eager, joyful and responsive to the news that Jesus is the Christ and that his kingdom is near. The sound of splashing baptistries could be heard all over the land. At the same time that this happened, the Christian Chronicle began sending reporters to Ukraine to cover the story of new Christians and Church of Christ congregations being born in real time. Over the last 30 years, we've kept up that coverage as those Christians and congregations grew and brought forth new generations walking together in the way of Jesus the Christ.
BT Irwin:Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 upset life for almost all of the Christians in the Church of Christ community there. Since the first Russian missiles landed in Ukrainian territory and the first Russian soldiers stepped foot on Ukrainian soil, the Christian Chronicle has been covering how the invasion and war are affecting Christians and the Church of Christ in Ukraine. You can read all of that coverage in an archive link we'll post in the show notes. Now I don't mean to belittle anyone anywhere else, but here in the United States, for example, it may be common to hear congregational leaders talk about how awfully hard it is to keep a church on focus and together when there are so many distractions for members distractions like jobs and phones and social media and youth sports. But in Ukraine, keeping a church together and on focus is a matter of keeping its members alive and hopeful when an enemy army is actually trying to capture and kill them. So, after three years of non-stop war, how are Christians and congregations doing that? How has the war affected the life and work of the Church of Christ in Ukraine? Today we have two people who can tell us more about that from their own firsthand experience and eyewitness accounts in Ukraine.
BT Irwin:Jeff Abrams, a Church of Christ minister, leads Rescue Ukraine, an independent nonprofit ministry that for almost 30 years, has been bringing American and Ukrainian Christians together to build the body of Christ and to proclaim the kingdom of God in Ukraine. Since Russia's invasion in February 2022, rescue Ukraine has been mobilizing support for Ukrainians both at home and in the Ukrainian refugee diaspora around the world. Marina Noyes is a native Ukrainian who, with her husband, jim, planted the Vinogrado Church of Christ in Kiev more than 20 years ago. They fled Ukraine when the war started, but since then returned to continue working with the church and its neighbors. Marina and Jim are currently in the United States, but will soon return to Kiev to resume their work with the church there. Jeff, marina, thank you for making time in wartime to talk to our audience today.
Jeff Abrams:It's an honor to be here, brother.
Marina Noyes:Yes, I'm glad to be here.
BT Irwin:Well, in our reporting at the Christian Chronicle since the 1990s, it seems that the Ukrainian people have been exceptional in their receptivity in response to the good news that Jesus is the Christ. What can you tell us about how the Church of Christ found fertile soil in which to grow and multiply in Ukraine over the last 30 years?
Marina Noyes:Well, if you look at it from a historical perspective, in the last 30 years of the Church of Christ in Ukraine, I think it had several stages of development. It had several stages of development. So first it was this first wave of influx of converts that basically, at that time it was caused by the fact that people who had lived under communist propaganda they began to feel freedom and they had an opportunity to learn the truth, and I was one of those people. So I remember the feelings and aspirations of my people at that time. But at that time there were many, many newly born immature babies in Christ and they didn't know much about the church, what is church, and you know, I was baptized before I was introduced into the church. So yeah, and then they came to the second stage and it was marked by a very faithful and diligent work of American missionaries. They came and stayed in Ukraine and they helped the immature Christians get more rooted in the scriptures, learn about what biblical leadership is, what is Christian attitude, what is relationships, true-right relationships. And those missionaries they gave us a very good personal example and we're very thankful for their love and for their dedication. And then they came to the third stage.
Marina Noyes:The third stage is when Ukrainian brothers, having been taught by American teachers, having gone through some schools and getting some training, they took responsibilities of leadership upon themselves and that gave the church new opportunities because more and more people were trained and the church, getting more mature, started new ministries like children, teenagers, helping the communities of the blind. Our church was very much involved with the blind community, the handicapped, prisoners started prison ministry, low-income families, and that was the time the Lord gave us peace and the church had an opportunity to grow. That time to grow not only in knowledge but in love, showing mercy, showing kindness and compassion. And now let me suggest that now we are in the fourth stage of the Church of Christ in Ukraine being tested. The Church is being tested by the war.
Jeff Abrams:Part of the whole process. To me it's like they're reliving the book or duplicating the book of Acts all across Ukraine. Now there's the teaching, the baptizing, the teaching. There's the sharing of common good, there's taking care of the neighbors.
Jeff Abrams:They're meeting daily from refugee house to refugee house and it's really an amazing thing to see. It's a beautiful thing to see. But you know, it all hadn't been roses right, there'd been a lot of thorns in this time, a lot of challenges. We've had, to my knowledge, about 15 Christians that have died in this war since the full-scale invasion. We've had, to my knowledge, about 15 Christians that have died in this war since a full-scale invasion. We've had a lot of Christians that have lost everything. They've lost their cities, they've lost their homes.
Jeff Abrams:Obviously They've lost their church buildings, they've lost their life savings and they have really been up against it. And so many of them have been like you used the word tested. Their faith has been tested, unlike anything. I think this is the greatest attack on the Lord's Church since the days of the Roman emperors, certainly the European church, and I'm just thankful for the resilience of our brothers and sisters in Christ. But I think this war is giving us generational opportunities to overcome evil with good, and you know we need to be best we can embracing those opportunities.
BT Irwin:There's been a lot of information or disinformation as it may be about how both Russian occupiers and Ukrainian authorities are treating or mistreating churches. For example, the Wall Street Journal reported last year that in Ukrainian territory that is under Russian occupation, the Russians are cracking down on what they call evangelical churches, which I would expect to include the Church of Christ from Wall Street Journal's point of view. And then there are some reports of Ukrainian authorities cracking down on churches and restricting religious freedom for security reasons. Y'all have been in Ukraine since the war started. You're in touch with churches in Ukraine every day From what you gather. What do you make of these reports?
Marina Noyes:day from what you gather. What do you make of these reports? Well, I want to say that Russian propaganda has done a very good job of spreading lies about the so-called persecutions of the Russian Orthodox Church of Moscow patriarchy. It is true that Ukrainian parliament banned the denomination, but it was banned because it has become a tool of undermining the security of our country and the facts of collaboration cooperation of the Russian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchy with Russian Secret Service. Those facts are so innumerable that it is only a blind who cannot see them. At the same time, I do not know of any other religious restrictions that would be imposed by Ukrainian authorities on churches authorities on churches. We enjoy religious freedom in Ukraine and I have not heard about any cases of persecution, and since the beginning of the war, we experienced more tolerance and cooperation among churches of different persuasions, and this is one of the fruits that the war brought.
Jeff Abrams:I've been in the occupied territories a couple of times since 2014, whenever Russia pro-Russian forces initiated all this over, been to Donetsk a couple of times, in fact, and in those territories that are under Russian control, there is not freedom of religion, there is oppression. There were many of my brothers and sisters in Christ in those areas were afraid to meet with somebody like me because they're being watched and they're being monitored, and that's from the Russian side. That's what Russia does. That's what Russia does. That's what Putin does. The head of the Russian Orthodox Church is a fellow by the name of Kirill and he sees this as a religious or holy war. He, wherever territory is gained by Russia, the Russian military, he sees that as territory, as people gained for his denomination, the Russian Orthodox Church, and, as Marina has expressed it very well, they're a tool of the Russian government, russian military. Kirill there's a lot of evidence he's a former KGB agent Coincidentally, vladimir Putin former KGB agent and those guys are close. And so in Russia, there is significant persecution of Christians. There is the denial of religious liberties and evangelism and putting up church signs, and in occupied territories there's more than that, and we've actually in the city of Gorlovka in 2014, about a month into the war, during a Sunday morning worship service, masked military people, pro-russian people, came in and they interrupted that worship service, guns pointing, making threats. Basically, they stole that facility and we've never gotten it back. And we have one of the people that we have here in Tuscumbia from Ukraine. She was in that assembly that day. It was very terrifying. People were screaming, fainting. So that's Russia. That's the reality of what Russia does, what they want to do. People were screaming, fainting and you know it was hard. So that's Russia. That's the reality of what Russia does, what they want to do. If Putin and Kirill have their way, any land conquered by Russia in Ukraine, the only religion that will be free to exercise its rights would be the Russian Orthodox Church.
Jeff Abrams:The Ukraine government has been extremely friendly with all religious groups, as far as my information, with the exception of these priests that are publicly, you know, praying for the death of Ukrainians, praying for the death of Zelensky. I mean, they were openly, you know, as in their sermons, as in their prayers, they're praying for the destruction of the land that they're standing in. It was, you know, preposterous thing. And Marina, again I keep getting back that Marina's right that you know russian propaganda is is amazing. How. How anybody could believe such illogical and ludicrous things is beyond me. But it is being spoken again. You know, if you repeat a lie enough times it sounds like the truth.
Jeff Abrams:But yeah, our experience, our experience has been we've had no restrictions. We printed and distributed bibles, we've had camps. I've traveled. When I, when I tell people these blog posts, I say why are you here, what are you doing? I'm a preacher, I've come to check on some people, encourage them, bring Bibles. Okay, go ahead. God bless you. These military people. They even let me pray with them in these places, frontline places, we pause for prayer. So there's a very welcoming environment today for the Church of Christ and, I would say, for all religions.
BT Irwin:We talked a little bit before we started recording. Jeff, when you first started going to Ukraine, you were going to the eastern part of the country, which is now occupied by Russia. Now occupied by Russia. Do you know if any of those congregations over there are still meeting?
Jeff Abrams:are still intact In the Donetsk area. That's kind of the Bible belt of Europe, right? More Christians in that area than in all of Europe put together, I would say. So in that area there are some congregations left. There are some Christians left, but they're in the occupied territories. They're very difficult for them to meet to openly worship. Most of them are not doing that anymore. Most of them, whatever worshiping they do, is from their homes and they've had to leave those areas.
Jeff Abrams:In the cities that are not occupied but destroyed, if that makes sense to you. You know we still have a few, a remnant of Christians there. We've helped a lot of those Christians to evacuate to safer areas. But, for example, in Kramatorsk there are still probably 15 to 25 Christians that are there. They meet every Sunday and there were Mark while I was with them just a few weeks ago and they have maybe 60 to 100 that will come and worship from the community. That are refugees that are having various material needs met and then they stay for Bible classes material needs met and then they stay for Bible classes. That's one of the reasons there's been so much numerical growth, because these refugees are coming and they're receiving bread, but also it was a bread of life and they're responding favorably to what Marina responded to three decades ago.
Jeff Abrams:But it's really tough for these churches near the contact line. We have great Christian families in Zaporizhia, in Sumy, in Kramatorsk, slavyansk, konstantinopoulos. Now there's just like two or three Christians. I know I'm using names with you. That may not make sense to you, but it's that whole line down there next to the Russian border and that's a very challenging place to be now. But our Christians, I mean, they're getting used to the sound of the sirens and the bombs and they just press on, they just they keep doing what they're going to do. It can be like a fatalist attitude. If I live, I live. If I die, I die. But I'm going to stay here, I'm not going to run, I'm just going to put it in the hands of God. Some of them don't even respond anymore to the sound of the sirens to go underground and take refuge. They're just three years of it, they're just tired.
BT Irwin:Marina, you live in Ukraine.
BT Irwin:You're in New Mexico right now as we're recording this, but you're getting ready to head home to Kiev and you and your husband are residents there. You work with the Vina Grata Church of Christ. Yes, how? This is a awfully big question that I don't know that you can answer. But let's take it down to the personal level, to individuals and to households. At three years, in how much has life changed for our Ukrainian brothers and sisters in Christ? I mean, what is life like now and how? How are how are they dealing with?
Marina Noyes:life. Okay, I want to tell you that there hasn't been any single person in the whole country of Ukraine there hasn't been any single person who has not been affected by the war. Some lost their loved ones, some lost their, their homes. Some have their family members serving in the front line. Some mothers that we know have their sons missing in action, maybe somewhere in prison Russian as war prisoners may be lost, they do not know. Some had to flee abroad and had to find some refuge in other countries. Many people lost their jobs, many people developed health issues because of daily stresses. Almost all, I would say, have been emotionally wounded.
Jeff Abrams:No doubt.
Marina Noyes:It's the whole nation emotionally wounded, emotionally suffering people, emotionally wounded, emotionally suffering people. And another thing they all learn to survive under missile attacks, under drone attacks, with night alarms, blackouts, heating shortages, water shortages, and I think Apostle Paul and his words in 2 Corinthians I think they describe this condition better than anyone else. This is what Apostle Paul said we are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed. Perplexed but not in despair, struck down but not destroyed. This is the spirit of the country and the church as the spiritual leader of the country.
Jeff Abrams:You know, I had a lady named Anna that I became friends with back in 1990. She was a babushka, which means a grandmother, but she was never married. The love of her life died in World War II actually, and she was the oldest Christian in Ukraine and you know, her attitude is so representative of so many Christians there where I tried to persuade her. I would go she's like a Ukrainian mother to me. I would go and persuade her.
Jeff Abrams:Kramatorsk is a dangerous city. There the Russians are about 15 miles away and they can reach it with artillery and it's not an ideal situation. And I would beg her, you know, talk to her like a son to a mother. I say we have a place, we have people that take care of you. And I thought she'd listen to me. She's her first word, translated to me, was the word impossible. Now you're not, not gonna leave her.
Jeff Abrams:Her attitude was she said I was here when the Germans occupied Kramatorsk. When the Russians come, if they do, if I can survive the Germans, I'll survive the Russians. And she said my next stop when I leave Kramatorsk is going to be heaven. And I was there with her last january for her 90, for 100th birthday party. And then a couple months later, she, she died and I wasn't able to be there for a funeral. But I went back a few weeks later and went to a grave, took some roses, we said some words, had a prayer, but her attitude is is one that that is like it is the voice of our faithful brothers and sisters in Christ.
Marina Noyes:I think that the Lord, in His incomprehensible divine wisdom, prepared His Church in Ukraine for this trial of the war, and His preparations were twofold. Basically, there were two major testing and training grounds for the church. One came in 2014, and at that time many people had to flee from the east, from those occupied towns, and there were lots of Christians among them, and those were the Christians that they found new spiritual families in other parts of Ukraine. They joined other churches in other parts of Ukraine and by their example of how to really deal with trials and prosecutions, other churches were strengthened. Also at that time, some preachers from the East. They relocated to Ukraine and they either planted new congregations or preached in the already established congregations. So the churches in other parts of Ukraine was strengthened at that time and that was the first testing.
Marina Noyes:At that time we first time we learned what is IDP internally displaced people, refugees, so to speak.
Marina Noyes:Well, and those refugees found support and help of the churches and the church for the first time learned what to do with them, how to provide them with dwelling places, this food distribution and, of course, how to offer this spiritual and moral support to the refugees.
Marina Noyes:Little did we know at that time that the Lord prepared us for something bigger. So that was the first test, and the second test came, or maybe the Lord's second tool of preparation. It's the pandemic COVID pandemic because at that time the church learned to teach and preach online when the members are scattered and or sitting in their homes, and we learned to keep in touch with each other through groups in messengers. But little did we know at that time, also that it was a preparation for a bigger test, but that gave Ukrainian Christians an opportunity not to lose contacts with their churches. And it's like now we have a prayer group which is online, and the members of our prayer group are scattered Some are in Europe, some are in underground church in the occupied territory and some are in Kiev. And here we are in America, you see. But those things were really the preparations for the trials, and this preparation that the Lord gave helped us to endure these trials.
BT Irwin:I should note that, just before we recorded this, marina was in a Bible study with some.
Marina Noyes:Christians in Ukraine over Zoom.
BT Irwin:I was going to ask you about that. Recent survey data has shown a decline in evangelical support for US financial and military assistance to Ukraine, and I know a lot of Church of Christ folks don't consider us evangelical, but pollsters do, because we share some common characteristics with what they classify as evangelicals. Our focus here in this interview is not how much, if any, financial and military support the United States should give to Ukraine as a nation and military support the United States should give to Ukraine as a nation. However, recent times have proven that those kinds of political debates can color the attitudes and actions of Christians and congregations. So with the change in administration in Washington DC and recent events, have you detected any kind of change of attitude among Christians in the United States as regards coming alongside and supporting their brothers and sisters in Ukraine?
Marina Noyes:Well, I want to address that. I think that those Christians in America who have been to Ukraine or who personally know some Ukrainians or heard their testimonies, I don't think their attitude will change or has changed or will change. Those that have followed the events, the developments from the very beginning. I think they have already made up their minds and they know what is right, what is wrong, who is the aggressor, who is the victim. I don't think that those people will be shaken or turned. However, recently I began to notice that some Christians in America begin to more agree with politicians rather than with the word of God, and that is shocking to me.
Marina Noyes:You know, and I think there's a very good advice that Solomon gave to all of us, and Solomon says whoever says to the guilty, you are innocent will be cursed by people and denounced by nations. It's in Proverbs 24, 24. It's just not by people cursed by people and denounced by nations. So I don't want to be cursed or denounced and I think that many Christians will just need to understand where the truth is. It goes through all this propaganda and lies.
Jeff Abrams:You know there's undoubtedly taking place a trickle-down effect from the divisive political rhetoric, the pro-Russian propaganda. Again, if something is repeated over and over, it can be a lie, but it begins to sound like the truth. Zelensky's a thief. Ukraine is corrupt. You know they don't want peace, they provoke the war and any. If someone is even a little bit reluctant to give or to pray to begin with, that kind of can be the domino that pushes them on over and says okay, I'm out. I don't know who's right, who's wrong, I don't. So I'm just not gonna, I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna help, I don't trust the situation and, and you know we, I gotta be careful how we express this. But for, for a guy like me, who's, when I think of Ukraine, it's family, it's, it's, it's, it's blood. For me it's, it's everything for me, it's my heart, right, just like marina's, and to her even more, of course.
Jeff Abrams:But when I hear, when I hear america first, america first, america first I, I listen to that through, uh, through ukrainian lens and and you know it almost sounds like if you're not american, and you know it almost sounds like if you're not American, I'm not going to help you, I'm not going to care about you.
Jeff Abrams:And we've got to be Christians first and we belong to a heavenly kingdom. And there's nothing in the Bible that says I'm to be more concerned about a neighbor based on their proximity to me, their ability to repay me, what language they speak, what passport they have, I mean. And so there's undoubtedly going to be a chilling effect in the Lord's church among people who know better, and so it's up to people like me, like Marina, like the listeners of this podcast, to say, hey, come on, we got to help. We got to help these folks. They're in a ditch and we have great opportunity, we have generational opportunity to step up and be a true blessing to people who would do the same for us and do the same for us. Ukrainian Christians are. They're not perfect. They got their flaws, like we all do, but they're so kind, they're so generous, they're so willing to help their neighbor and we need to do for them what they're doing for each other best we can.
BT Irwin:We're recording this. It's interesting we're recording this a few days after the meeting that President Zelensky had with President Trump in the White House and we all know how that went. And it's interesting that I don't engage in social media, but I still snoop around in there sometimes. I have a lot of friends, a lot, a lot, a lot of friends in the Church of Christ. It was curious to me that in the days following that Oval Office meeting, how many of those Church of Christ folks started posting things about Zelensky being a thief, things that I'd never seen them be very interested in before. So, circling around to this question, both of you talked about how important it was when American missionaries came to Ukraine in the 1990s. American missionaries came to Ukraine in the 1990s and the love and the support that the church in the United States has poured into the church in Ukraine over the last 30 years. How are Christians in Ukraine processing what they must be hearing about what's going on in the United States right now?
Marina Noyes:Well, I think the latest tension in the relationship between our countries. First it brought the feeling of shock, complete shock, and then the feeling of betrayal. But after getting over the shock, we began to come back to the old truth that we should not trust kings and their alliances, that we trust the Lord and his word, and this is what we need to stand on. This is the position of the church in Ukraine, I could say.
Jeff Abrams:Georgian Ukraine I could say. Well, I would add to that there is some justified concern about Russia and America, and maybe some European nations, just kind of going off by themselves and determining the fate of Ukraine and Ukrainians. And there has been a lot of rhetoric on social media that is very disappointing from brothers and sisters in Christ. It is the repeating of false information. It is I'm ashamed to say this it is, it is. It is from the Kremlin more than from Christ. It is Russian propaganda and, for example, even in in president Trump's speech last night it was there were so many elements of it that we Christians would agree to. That makes us more vulnerable to agree with everything and need to, and that makes us more vulnerable to agree with everything.
Jeff Abrams:And when political leaders have great influence and they say things that aren't true about Ukraine, we know. Not true. It's bona fide, easily provable. But when our brothers and sisters in Christ, when they have such allegiance to a personality that they lose the ability to filter out what is real and what is false, especially if you're already inclined America, first hang on to our stuff. We're not going to be victims anymore. We're the piggy bank of the world, we're the policemen of the world and we're just tired of that and it's extremely troubling. I am active on social media and Facebook. I'm trying to get the truth out there in a positive way, bring us together, help us to not divide over political disagreements, and we can be a faithful Christian and still disagree with our political leaders. We can be a faithful Christian and still disagree with other faithful Christians, and we've got to keep the kingdom of God in focus and our mission in focus.
Jeff Abrams:And this war, while giving us again generational opportunities to do good, it's also giving the devil an opportunity to divide us, and it blows my mind. I was on a Zoom call this morning with people in Ukraine, and today our government is not only withholding military assistance to help Ukrainians defend themselves against missiles and drones and bullets, but now we are withholding from them the intelligence that lets them know a missile is coming your way. There are apps that Ukrainians use. They can tell a cruise missile is headed to. Key drones are coming, take, take, shelter.
Jeff Abrams:A lot of that information comes from american intelligence, our satellites, our, our planes and and, and now our country's saying no, no. It's like ukraine is being blackmailed to to surrender or be obliterated. That's the peace plan. And so what do we do? You know we're encouraged as Christians to add a politics and just focus on spreading the gospel, but they're intertwined here. Some and I even fear Marina may can address this more than I can, but I fear that some Ukrainians will be less receptive to a gospel that is being brought to Ukraine by Americans, because you know, we Americans betrayed Ukraine. We sided with the invader, with the dictator, and we don't want any more to do with you or your gospel. Surely that will be an upcoming concern.
Marina Noyes:That's true. This is one of the concerns that might be, but also another. Ukraine doesn't want the so-called Ruski Mir, russian world, because it would mean the prosecution of Christians, evangelical churches and no religious freedom. We know that. We look at Russia. Look at Russia. There's only one big denomination, the right one, so to speak. There's no religious freedom there. Look at the occupied territories what they're doing there to our churches. So territories, what they're doing there to our churches. So this is the biggest concern of Ukrainian Christians, I think, because one of the things that we've been really enjoying in Ukraine since Ukraine became independent is religious freedom. It's true, religious freedom, and if Russia comes, it will be taken away from us and this is the dearest thing for us. We don't want that.
BT Irwin:Well, I want to close with the assertion that all the land in the world belongs to God and God is present and working on every square inch of the earth. And, as Psalms 2 says, nation-states are always conspiring and plotting, but God laughs and has them in derision. So, even as war is raging in Ukraine, no army can evict God from God's own earth and God's own land. And even as the killing and maiming go on and on, god is making new life and resurrecting life. Would each of you close us out by telling us a recent story of where you have witnessed God at work in a powerful way, among the Ukrainian people or in Ukraine?
Marina Noyes:Well, I want to share one fact. On February the 12th, ukrainian parliament established a national day of prayer in Ukraine. There are only two countries in the world that have a national day of prayer, so from now on, february 24th is to be annually observed as a national day of prayer, and this year, the first time in history, the Ukraine's parliament began its session by performing the spiritual prayer anthem. That was unprecedented, but this is the first time it's going to happen now annually on that day, and that reminded me of the words in 2 Chronicles, 7-14. 714, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. And here is what is interesting. And here is what is interesting. The latest turbulent events on the international arena began after February the 12th, and they got especially hot after the 24th day of February.
Marina Noyes:It looks like Satan, the father of all lies, is at great rage right now Because Ukraine, on the national level, on the level of its government, is turning to God and at the same time, the Lord began to expose some leaders. And the Lord is really revealing now what is in the hearts of many men, of many, many, both rulers and common citizens. That is all happening since that new law that was issued.
Jeff Abrams:There's a preacher, for example, in the frontline city of Sumy. His name is Andrei. Prior to the war, prior to the full-scale invasion, andrei had never even held a gun in his hand. When the Russians invaded, he joined his local militia. He learned how to shoot a javelin and since getting that education he's very successfully defended his city against Russian invasion, especially in tanks. He's killed himself three tanks. He's been decorated for his heroism in battle. We helped him not only get a van but to reinforce the van with metal sheets and I visited him on multiple occasions.
Jeff Abrams:You can see the bullet holes in this van from Russian fire and he's paid such a high price because of this war. His son has been killed in battle recently and I was with him a few weeks ago, with Andre and you know, just praying with him and crying with him. It just puts a face to this tragedy. It's not a statistic, you know. And he has three brothers that are also fighting against Russian forces. He has a sister that is fighting, two of his brothers have been severely injured, one with a brain injury. Both of them are still hospitalized in Kiev and one may not survive. And I know of no family, no Ukrainian family. Certainly that's paid a higher price than this.
Jeff Abrams:There's another preacher over there named Alex. Before he was enlisted or drafted in the Army a few weeks ago, he looked like John the Baptist would look, I think Long hair and just loves his music kind of an artsy guy. Just got married and he never really stepped up and led the Lord's people. But the professional preachers relocated to safer areas.
Jeff Abrams:He stayed there in Kramatorsk and I met him where he's in his training camp in an undisclosed location a few weeks ago and, you know, took him a bunch of hand warmers and he's just such a great fellow. He's got such a big heart for the Lord, for his country, and he could have chosen to run away, but he chose to run to the fight, you know, and to you know he's willing to die for the freedoms that we take for granted here. And how can you not stand with people like that? How can we ignore them and just say that's far away from here and that's not our problem and it is our problem? You know, when one Christian hurts, we all hurt, and there are a lot of Ukrainian Christians that are hurting. And this is an opportunity for us to show something of our character, show something of the heart of Christ that presumably lives in us.
BT Irwin:People are listening to this all over the world right now. I would include we do have listeners in Russia to this program and 117 countries and the United States all 50 states. So here at the very end. If Christians are listening to this anywhere in the world and they want to help, what can they do?
Jeff Abrams:We do need to pray. We need to pray fervently, frequently, faithfully, and that ought to be a mandate not just in every congregation, but in every Christian, in every family, every home. We need to be praying daily for Ukraine. If we believe in the power of prayer, we believe this is actually a winnable war. That's the message, you know. It just aggravates me to no end when I hear someone say this is an unwinnable war. It's like saying that God is not going to answer my prayers. I'm praying that it is winnable.
Jeff Abrams:David's battle looked unwinnable. Right Christ's battle with the grave looked unwinnable. Daniel's fight with the lions looked unwinnable. But prayers get answered when we lift them up. But, furthermore, we need to put feet on our prayers. We need to cry. We need to cry out. We need to encourage our Ukrainian brethren. We need to give of our treasure to cry out. We need to encourage our Ukrainian brethren. We need to give of our treasure to help them and whomsoever.
Jeff Abrams:Much is given that's me. Much is required, and Rescue Ukraine is a nonprofit organization. We've got our website, rescueukrainecom. People can go there, they can give, and I appreciate people's trust in us and what we're trying to do and we try to be good stewards of everything that comes to us and there's not a day that goes by that we're not in contact with Ukrainians that need to know we're standing with them faithfully and also financially, and I appreciate Christian Chronicle and doing so much good to keep this news out there in people's consciousness, in their hearts and aware of opportunities to step up and overcome evil with good. This is an opportunity that we've never had in our lifetime before to show the power of good, and again I'm grateful for so many brothers and sisters in Christ who do care and do help, who are making a difference. Don't stop.
BT Irwin:Well, like I said at the top of the show, we'll put links in the show notes to all of the ways that you can help the church in Ukraine. We'll also put links to the Christian Chronicles extensive coverage of the church in Ukraine, not only over the last three years but the last 30 years, so you can get the whole story. Jeff, marina, all of us who are listening to you today join in prayer for you and with you, and for the people and places you love in Ukraine and for Ukrainians who have spread out all over the world. Thank you for sharing with us today.
Marina Noyes:Thank you.
Jeff Abrams:Thank you for giving us this opportunity. Slava, slava Ukraine. God bless you. God bless Christian Chronicle, and God bless everybody that's listening, that has Slava Ukraine. God bless you. God bless Christian Chronicle, and God bless everybody that's listening that has a heart for Ukraine. Our brothers and sisters need us to step up.
Marina Noyes:Thank you.
BT Irwin:We hope that something you heard in this episode encouraged, enlightened or enriched you in some way. If it did, thanks be to God and please pay it forward. Subscribe to this podcast and share it with a friend. Recommend and review it wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. Your subscription, recommendation and review help us reach more people and please send your comments, ideas and suggestions to podcast at christianchronicleorg. Don't forget our ministry to inform and inspire Christians and congregations around the world is a non-profit ministry that relies on your generosity. So if you like the show and you want to keep it going and make it even better, please make a tax-deductible gift to the Christian Chronicle at christianchronicleorg. Slash donate Until next time. May grace and peace be yours in abundance.
Holly Linden:The Christian Chronicle podcast is a production of the Christian Chronicle Inc. Informing and inspiring Church of Christ congregations, members and ministries around the world since 1943. Members and ministries around the world since 1943. The Christian Chronicles Managing Editor is Audrey Jackson, editor-in-chief Bobby Ross Jr and President and CEO Eric Trigestad. The Christian Chronicle Podcast is written, directed, hosted and edited by BT Irwin and is produced by James Flanagan in Detroit, michigan, USA.