Twenty people went out with us to the streets of our city to reach those who may never otherwise step into a church, sit in on an evening small group, or join a Christian summer camp. The last few years have proven that these ministries are not done in vain; nevertheless, the reality is that they cannot storm the gates of hell on its own turf. I will share shortly where this 20+ group of people came from, but before I do, I will explain why we contend for street evangelism as a primary thrust of our ministry expression.

YWAM Ternopil friends
With our good friends who serve at YWAM Ternopil

The Gospels tell us that after John the Baptist was arrested, Jesus began "proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel'" (Mk 1:15). His earthly ministry began with a confrontation of the powers that bound humanity in darkness, hopelessness, sin, and demonization. Since we maintain Christ is King now, we ought not to confine his manifestation to any one finite place, whether that be a church or otherwise. Therefore, it is proper to the nature of the Gospel that we do not preach timidly. Also, we must desire that the Gospel be expressed with power.

So, we make it our practice to head to the streets in the same spirit that declares, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof" (1 Cor 10:26). This is an anthem that harmoniously proclaims with the Lord's Prayer that God's heaven would come and his will be done, wherever his saints may be.

training and activation
Running training and practical activation with Andrey who co-leads our weekly evangelism outreaches in Ternopil

When YWAM invited me to train in a discipleship intensive on evangelism, I jumped at the opportunity. Taking our Awakened Generation team with me, our goal was to impart knowledge through teaching and practice. Our design was to make sure we did whatever we could so this would not be a one-time event for the class.

This is exactly what our team has been pursuing and cultivating every week, so when we came to run this training, I was eager to let our leaders of evangelism take time to share. It was thrilling to watch them lead others in their generation into the same breakthrough they have found.

Anhelina and YWAM students worshipping before training
Worship before training at YWAM Ternopil

We are passionate about equipping and mobilizing local Ukrainians in a lifestyle of bold and Spirit-empowered evangelism. To make this possible, we have worked the last few years alongside our friends and ministry partners to train believers to walk in effective gospel preaching and demonstration. This has involved organizing conferences, intensives, and local gatherings at our base. Still, nothing has compared to the efficacy of simply going out in our city and sharing the Gospel regularly.

Why do this? Well, the example of Christ anchors us. His love compels us. Jesus's gift of regeneration ushers us into a new and greater experience of life. By virtue of the mission the Father gave Jesus, and as his inheritors, we are released to bring the world an encounter with the same God that we have come to know. He is the Savior of the world, and this needs to be made known by bearers of the knowledge of God.

Part of our training consisted of writing out the central points of our personal testimony in Christ and then sharing it with a peer in two minutes with an appeal to turn from sin and come to Christ.

We also outlined what a Gospel presentation is. We took example from the Book of Acts by noting the frequent recurring themes in the sermons preached throughout the narrative. These emphases are important to recognize because, by taking note of them, we can see the mould of the apostolic preaching (or, kerigma) that the first Jewish Christians were declaring. After jotting down these notes, we took turns sharing the Gospel to practice mentioning these same points when leading someone to Christ.

Sidenote: (I have a Substack article coming soon on the topic of apostolic preaching that I will be sharing with subscribers. You can separately sign up here if you would like to join the receiving list).

Dasha sharing her personal experience in evangelism
Sharing from our personal experience and encouraging others to step into God's move!
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The assignment of mobilizing believers in active evangelism faces challenges due to the constant effects of the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia. If you came for a visit, depending on the city you were in, you might not even feel that there was a full-scale war going on. However, this is not an indication that life is getting easier. The impact of war continues to grow the chasm of need, all the while resources are difficult to come by. Despite the dwindling population numbers caused by military casualties and civilians leaving the country, many Ukrainians have grown resilient in the face of all the constantly evolving challenges. It does not cease to amaze me when I meet youth who, after having all the opportunity to leave the country and build a new life in a much wealthier nation, make a conscious decision to stay. For many believers, it is a love of country and a commitment to God's voice that has instilled in them a perseverance deeply rooted in the hope that a better future will come.
Stopping for the one
Stopping for the one in front of you and making time. Each person matters.

This was a first for many of these students. Most had grown up in the church. Yet, outdoor evangelism appeared distant. When we got to the center city, we began to see God show up on the streets! People we spoke to opened up. Many had compelling conversations and prayed for strangers; something ignited inside us. Once you have tasted of the Kingdom, there is no going back. We are celebrating the burgeoning inklings of Christ's "greater works" among us. After outreach, some came to us with a newfound zeal, asking when we are going out to try this again! The Gospel's fire is spreading in the hearts of the youth of our city!

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TESTIMONY OF HEALING I was at our city's weekly Tuesday morning pastors' prayer meeting a couple of weeks ago, when, after prayer, a pastor from a well-known Baptist church spoke up. Prayer had already ended, and pastors were beginning to disperse and leave the church to begin their day. The Baptist pastor confided with those remaining that he had a problematic viral skin issue on his lower back he was struggling with for several years now. It recently flared up again, and he wanted to receive prayer. Without hesitation, we laid hands and prayed with declarations of God's victory over sickness. It's been a couple of months since that event, and at a recent sit-down with some friends from that morning, I learned that the pastor was completely healed after receiving prayer!
One on one Gospel presentation
Sharing Jesus in the neighborhood

It is difficult to speak about the good results we are seeing in our work in Ukraine without mentioning the challenges. Perhaps I venture to share this to convey how much our entire ministry depends on the gracious love of Jesus and our obedient love for him. This reliance is what has brought the growth we have seen over the last few years.

The last few years have been trying, to say the least. We envisioned life much differently before the full-scale invasion. The closure of Ukrainian airspace makes it arduous to visit the USA, and I can admit that homesickness often lies nearby. I fear I lack the competence to bring about much of what I believe the Lord desires to do through our lives. And yet, the motion forward in our mission prevails against even my own frailties.

When I think of the beaming faces of those in our community, their growing radiance as they come to increasingly know and love Jesus strikes my heart with such joy that I can hardly express it with words on this page. I am reminded of the Scripture that says: And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9). These words are faithful and true.

Recognizing this, I decided to be more outright in this portion of my letter with my struggles, with the hope that it may encourage any of my readers. Continue to do the work the Lord has entrusted you with. Be steadfast and do not lose sight of the divine promise. Even as it was for Joseph—"the word of the LORD tested him"— so it is for us (Ps 105:19 ESV). But we consider his ends and so strengthen our feeble knees and limping arms, taking hold of the plow gazing at us by fixing our mind steadfastly on God, so as not to look back but to press onward to his upward beckon.

The fields are white with harvest. "I pray, Lord, that you would send forth laborers into your harvest fields." Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!

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