Why are we staying in Ukraine?

Dennis Melnichuk, May 30, 2025

The work we set out to do is not easily analyzed statistically. Sure, we can map out how many people have attended events and the responses made to the prophetic cry of the gospel on the streets, create a list of ministries to chart growth, and track our team size. None of it would accurately represent what we are after. The greatest prize we have received is closeness with Jesus. Everything else that falls short of this aim results when our steps derail from the heavenward tracks the Gospel sets for us. This is the road that Paul calls "the upward call of God" (Philippians 3:14).

Our "Yes" cannot be sustained if we look to quantitative measurements for our sense of usefulness or security in the Kingdom of God. It is because our eyes are fixated on Jesus that we continue to stumble towards him in the learning curve of discipleship. When we catch a glimpse of Jesus, we find that there is no one else so worthy of our everything.

Everything that eternity whispers about finds its rightful place, and vanities shift to the periphery as we continue to fall in love with Jesus Christ. This is why we are still in Ukraine. We are enamored with the King of heaven and earth. There is nothing else that is so sweet as to obey him in acts rightly called "devotion." When we stand before him one day, we will all wish that we could have given Jesus more, even if just a little bit more, than what we did in our lives.

Tears of suffering have scarred the cheeks of a generation whose culture has been bathed through histories ravaged by communism, state-sponsored famine (1932-33, resulting in 3.5 to 7 million deaths), two World Wars, the rampant street crimes of the 90s, oligarchical systematic corruption, and much more. Just around 2014, signs began to point toward positive change, but a war no one had asked for soon slammed the country, resulting in a full-scale invasion in 2022. Millions of lives have been debilitated, and once again, most people are living just to survive. Yet, in the throes of pain, God has found a people calling on His name, listening to His voice, and stretching out their hands to join His narrative in the story unfolding in their country.

Our eyes see hope emerging from these years of devastation. There is awakening spreading among those who have set their hearts to love the Lord with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength in the face of great chaos. The youth and young adults in Ukraine are burning with a desire to deeply know Jesus and live the life of the New Testament. With everything we've seen, our hearts resonate with Habakkuk's prayer deep within: Lord we have heard of your fame, we stand in awe of your deeds. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known (ESV).

Through domestic and international mission trips, street and group evangelism, discipleship intensives, and conferences, we have seen the Lord raising up sons and daughters of the faith who are discovering the truth about who their God is. Casting off the restraints of past hurts and broken identities, an emerging generation is showing the beauty and strength of the gospel, bringing authentic transformation to anyone who will call on the name of the Lord. The need is acute, and so the divine answer is coming with unmistakable power. We are witnessing the foundation of a larger movement that is already stirring waves of revival with a momentum that will reach future generations.

We are witnessing the forming of such a movement as ministries in Ukraine continue joining hands in friendship. We believe this stirring is creating momentum that will impact future generations. So, in response to this vision, we will run our week-long School of Sons and Daughters this August. This will be followed by a 3-day citywide outreach, during which we will be calling 70+ evangelists to preach the gospel in our city. At this time, we are coming together with several local churches to run a 24-hour prayer and worship "burn" set in the middle of the outreach, all of which will culminate with a weekend conference gathering!

Events like these help us nurture a "revival culture" by turning our gaze on the King and embracing the values of His Kingdom. We desire to be a community that loves the Lord in both word and action. To have this among us, we recognize our need for the genuine presence of Jesus. Therefore, we pray that He will come and reveal Himself as the source of our life. Please pray the same with us.