Its been a busy, action-packed week since I wrote last.

Wednesday we celebrated Christmas with Golgofa Serque (Calvary Church). It was a 2 hour service in the morning with a children’s drama program, singing, and teaching. That evening we celebrated Christmas with Sasha’s extended family at his parents home. It was a great time of dinner, games, and conversation. We even played TWISTER! Don’t worry, I won twice for us Amerikanski’s 🙂

I also had a great conversation with one of Sacha’s younger brothers, Vova. He epitomizes what is happening among young people both in Ukraine and America: a discontent with the status quo of the 21st century Church. Like America, the Ukrainian culture has changed and people’s willingness to embrace none Orthodox, American versions of Christianity has wanned tremendously since communism fell in 1991 and evangelists flooded the country. Ukrainians no longer show up to evangelical events or churches anymore simply because they are built or invited. From Vova’s perspective, those churches are out of touch with 2009 Ukraine, are too traditional, and unwilling to change to reach his world. I get the sense that he doesn’t know where to turn or what to do with contemporary Ukrainian Christianity. This gives me hope for this new generation, though, because it is out of this discontendedness that I believe God is raising a new generation of church leaders to take the Ukrainian Church and Ukrainian culture in new directions that better center simply on Jesus and point toward His Kingdom Reign.

The next day, Thursday, was long. We began the day with another service at the church. I shared some of my story and spritual journey/testimony, which was a joy. That afternoon we headed out to a youth prison in western Ukraine. The trip was long and cold, but a great experience. We had 2 hours to share with about 120 youth prisioners from age 13-18. They were there for various crimes: theft, assault, and even murder. Apparently a large majority of those youth are from orphanages, places that offer them little and lead to a life of crime, in the case of guys, and prostitution for women. While there another church sang some songs, golgofa church performed a wonderful drama, John preached a bit, and I shared my again from my story and spritual journey.

I shared about my anniversary date of what I would consider my transformation experience, February 7, 1999. I shared about how that date is a before and after moment in my life. I described how I was and the person I was before Feb. 7, and the person God has been crafter after Feb 7. I said that with Christ there is always a before and after. Paul says that if any one is in Christ he is a new creation, the old is gone the new is come. A before and after. I said that we celebrate in American and Ukraine 2 other dates that thrust the world into a before and after: December 25 and January 7, our Christmas dates. Jesus’ arrival was a before and after event. Before Jesus there sin and rebellion reigned. After Jesus rescue and salvation. Before Jesus darkness, decay, and darkness. After Jesus light, new life, and re-creation. I said that I’ve experience a before and after in my life. Then I asked about about them. Do they have a before and after date? I explained what it means to be “in Christ” to experience that before and after, to experience relationship with Jesus: we are called to repent of our sins and turn from our own selfish way of living; called to turn toward Jesus and His way of living by following Him and obeying His teachings; and we are called to believe in Him and His sacrifice by totally entrusting ourselves to Him and His salvation. It was an honor to share and I trust God will use my words in the lives of a few young guys.

On Friday I spent the day with Sasha talking about theology and ministry and Ukrainian Christianity. He showed me two churches that in large ways represent contemporary evangelicalism in Ukraine: a 5 year old church with a brand new building built with money from Atlanta Georgia and an aging Baptist church in the heart of Lutsk. Like everything else America, Georgians exported their brand of Christianity and flooded Lutsk with money to build new church that would rival any megachurch facility in the US. It is a $1 million dollar building that was bought and paid with money from the US.

The other Baptist church reflects much of the problem of America: it seems they exist for themselves. While they are 1000 people–massive for Ukraine–they seem to do little for the community socially and expect Lutsk to come to them. Like the other Atlanta-money church, the building sits empy and unused Monday-Saturday. The building is church. The event on Sunday is church. They are not being the church. This is a common problem in Ukrainian evangelicalism, and innovators like Sasha at Golgofa and Pasha at Fimiam seem to be marginalized and barely tolerated in their Baptist association. Sasha told me that only 5 churches out of 120 or so are innovating and contemporary enough to engage their 2009 Ukraine culture. I am hopeful, though that leaders like Sasha, his brother Andre, Pasha, and even sasha’s brother Vova will offer Christianity anew to the Ukraine culture and lead an entire generation of Ukrainians to faith in Jesus Christ!

We ended our Friday by gathering with 6 women who are dreaming about starting a crisis pregnency center in Lutske. Nothing exists to come along side women who are facing unexpected pregnancies and the decision to have an abortion in their area. These women want to provide counseling, support, discipleship, and ultimately friendship for the young, struggle women of Lutsk. Already they have a room in the local hospital that provides abortions and a Chrisitan doctor from that hospital wants to help them. They do need money to renovate the room and provide materials for the women, but they are well on their way toward making their vision a reality! I shared about my experiences from the political side with abortion in America and urged the women to not make the same mistake the church has in America with this issue: I urged them to focus their efforts not at making abortion illegal through protest and policy, but to make it unthinkable. I shared my favorite metaphor Jesus uses in Matthew and Luke for the Kingdom: yeast. I said this very normal, simple, small element has great power to transform and stimulate change in dough, just like them. It was an encouraging evening for John and me, and I look forward to hearing about their progress in the coming months.

Our time in Lutsk is almost over with! We leave Monday for Kiev and then Thursday for America. Tonight I have 40 min to teach and share with the youth service at Fimiam. Tomorrow John and I will attend and share at 2 more innovative churches in Lutske. Hopefully Monday or Tuesday I can write one more blog post before I leave.

Thanks for your prayers and interest in my trip! I look forward to sharing more of my thoughts with many of you in person soon…

-jeremy