Ukrainian Evangelical Baptist Convention, USA
The Ukrainian Missionary and Bible Society, INC
Об’єднання Українських Євангельських Баптистських Церков у США
517 Bonsall Road, Ridley Park, PA 19078 USA
www.ukrbaptist.org
Зростати, Збудовувати, Звіщати
February 22, 2024
An appeal of the Board of the Ukrainian Evangelical Baptist Convention in the USA on the second anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.
February 24, 2022. On this day the “rider on a white horse”, just like in the 6th chapter of the Book of Revelation, entered Ukraine to conquer and divide, to rob and destroy. He was followed by three other horsemen: war, famine, and death.
Yes, this day led to division; time was divided into before and after, peace and war. People were divided into the living and the dead; armed forces were divided into defenders of their compatriots and aggressors in another land. Churches were divided into those that opened to refugees and those that closed to refugees; citizens were divided into “we help everyone” and “everything is lost”. Consciousness was divided into “freedom and fighting” and into “slavery and dependence”. Christians were divided into volunteers and chaplains compared to those who are “out of politic”, into those who condemned Russia’s aggression and into those who justified the “SVO” in Ukraine, into prayer warriors and into passive spectators. Despite the efforts of the “rider on the white horse” to divide Ukraine, God gave strength and patience to the people and the church in Ukraine not to divide.
Two years of war are behind us, two years of separation from family, separation from home and homeland, separation from peace and tranquility. Ahead is hard work and persistent prayer to the Lord, so that He will make us able to connect the divided; to wipe tears, heal wounds, sympathize in grief, fight evil, rebuild what has been destroyed, instill hope, and continue to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Book of Revelation in chapter 19 shows another “Rider on a white horse” Who will be followed by an army on white horses and Who will defeat the army of aggressors, occupants, and invaders. In fact, now in the second year of Russia’s war against Ukraine it has became clear, looking at the actions of both individual Christians and churches, who follows the “horseman” with a lowercase letter and who follows the “Rider on a white horse” with a capital letter; who supports or is silent about Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and who condemns it. Who is indifferent to the deaths and torture of Ukrainian Christians and who protects them and intercedes for them. Who comes to the occupied territories of Ukraine with the permission of the FSB of Russia and who was deported from the occupied territories of Ukraine for their faith. Who was mobilized into the Russian army for the war against Ukraine and who became a defender of their family, city, and Ukrainian homeland. Who paid a bribe for illegal departure from Ukraine and who donates to support Ukraine. Who listens to lies about Ukraine while spreading lies and who intercedes in prayer for Ukraine. Do we follow either the “horseman on a white horse” or the “Rider on white horse”: are we helping to destroy the country with the largest number of evangelical churches in Europe and the freedom to preach the Gospel, or are we fighting alongside Christians in Ukraine for the souls of the poor and the church?
The Board of the Convention calls on Christians of good will and churches to pray for intercession before the Lord for the churches of Ukraine, and to continue to actively support Ukraine in its struggle for the right to worship God and glorify Him freely under a peaceful sky.
Your Brothers in Christ
Roman Kapran, Ioan Ustenko, Viktor Kuzmenko, Igor Melnichuk, Alex Kolesnik
