In starting a new church the goal is to see it established and become a viable spiritual force in reaching its community. For this to occur there must be a commitment to training disciples and leaders. This must include systematic training at the local level.
In 1999 we secured the rights to material produced by International School of Ministry (Good Shepherd Ministries) in video CD format. We have added to this curriculum teaching of our own pertinent to the needs of leaders of our schools.
We have opened 260 schools in this format. An entire school can be funded, including equipment and leaders material, for $600. Over 170 hours of teaching are available to our schools. Additionally, some of the churches in small towns have been provided a portion of the curriculum that focuses on the very foundations of our Christian faith.
We are constantly searching for additional materials to continue developing leaders in the church. We also co-founded the Kiev Pastor’s Training School with Pastor Valeriy Reshetinskiy.
Our main thrust of church planting and development has been in Ukraine. However, we have had the privilege of using the Bible schools to train believers for the work of the ministry in: Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Moldova, Romania, Armenia, Iran, Iraq, Krygyzstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and China.
Church Plants
When the Lord called us to the former Soviet Union in the early 1990’s our primary focus quickly became church planting. We saw thousands of people respond in evangelistic crusades, yet often we would be left feeling empty as there were few churches for the people to attend and have discipleship in their new found faith.
Early on our mission became clear: Plant churches and put tools in their hands that will help them grow into a healthy, self sustaining, growing Body of Believers.
It is not difficult to start a church. The greater need is to see it develop to a place where it reaching its own people and others. We believe the most effective method of evangelism is church planting.
We have four primary steps in our church planting efforts:
1. Training Pastors and Leaders 2. Giving Financial Assistance: We commit to financial support for the new church for one year. After one year we believe for them to be self supporting by teaching and practicing the principles of tithing, giving and alms (giving to the poor). The principles of God’s Word work in any country no matter its condition.
3. Providing Evangelism Tools: One tremendous source of evangelism literature is the Book of Hope. BOH provides between 2 and 3 million copies of the Book of Hope for distribution in Ukraine each year. The Bible school program contains very effective teaching on evangelism. The churches evangelize their own people by distributing the Book of Hope. The Book of Hope is the Gospels written in chronological order.
4. Helping the Poor: One of the most effective tools in helping a church is through touching their own community with humanitarian relief. You can read more on the Humanitarian Aid page.
God has given us the opportunity to see 93 new churches started in the past 2 years alone. He is the One building His church. We are grateful He allows us to be involved.
Humanitarian Aid
See our Humanitarian Aid section to learn more about how we are reaching a hurting world by meeting needs.
Orphanages
See our Orphanage section to learn more about how we are changing the lives and giving how to Ukrainian precious children.
