Trip to Ukraine - Pictures from Tuesday

I wanted to share some pictures and some of the stories of these people I have met on my trip.  This is Anatole and he is a church planter in the Ukraine.  He served in the military for 25 years, was called into the ministry, graduated from seminary and has started 2 churches.  He is getting ready to start his third church.  Our church at Mt. Tabor has the privilege of partnering with him as he plants churches in the Ukraine.

Included in the picture below is a group of Iranian refugees who have converted from Islam to Christianity.  They are studying in the seminary now here in Kiev.  They have a group of about 15 Iranians that have their own service here and are trying to reach other Iranians in Kiev for Christ.  How wonderful it is to see God at work in bringing people from Iran to hear the gospel and be saved.  He is calling out people from all nations to be a part of his bride.

The Iranians are the first four on the first row, as well as the 2nd from the left on the back row and the one all the way to the right on the back row.  The man on the back left is Vitaly, the director of the seminary and also is planting a church in Kiev.  The third man from the left on the back is Dr. Larry Oats, who is teaching at the seminary all week.  To his right is Sam Slobodian, the director of BIEM.  To my right is Oleg, a church planter in St. Petersburg, Russia.

This is Sasha, and he is planting a church in Turkey.  In just a few months, he has seen 3 Muslims saved and baptized and is working on others.  He was in the Ukranian special forces in the military before getting saved and surrendering to ministry.  

God is using BIEM in a wonderful way.  In the 20 years they have been planting churches in Russia and the surrounding areas, they have planted 103 churches and constructed 43 church buildings.  To God be the glory!  It is wonderful to meet these brothers and sisters in Christ from the other side of the world and get a taste of what Heaven is going to be like.