Originally published in Christian Daily
European Christian Mission International (ECMI) reports that 160 churches have been planted across Europe by displaced Ukrainians in the four years since Russia invaded their country.
In a report, ECMI said that what began as a devastating displacement through war is becoming an unexpected movement of Gospel witness across Europe.
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“Ukrainian believers, carrying deep pain and loss, are also carrying the hope of Christ wherever they go,” said the ECMI report.
Jim Memory, Strategic Partnerships Director for ECMI and Co-Regional Director for Lausanne Europe, attended a recent Ukrainian Baptist Churches in Europe Conference in Poland and came away deeply encouraged by what God is doing through Ukrainian Christians across the continent.
Memory disclosed how inspiring it was to hear story after story of faithfulness under pressure.
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“It was a privilege to listen to their stories, make connections, and briefly speak,” he said.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, millions of Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homes, said the report.
“Yet in the midst of grief, separation, and uncertainty, God’s light is shining brighter. Among Baptists alone, around 160 Ukrainian churches have been planted across Europe during the past four years.”
The report added, “Increasingly, Ukrainian believers are refusing to see themselves only as refugees.
“Instead, many are embracing a different calling — missionaries sent by God into the nations of Europe.”
ECMI reflected on how the Kingdom of God advanced through tragedy in the book of Acts and compared that reality with the church planting being carried out by Ukrainians displaced by war.
When persecution scattered the first Christians, the Gospel spread wherever they went, said the report. What looked like tragedy became the very means by which the Kingdom of God advanced.
“Ukrainian Christians are arriving in unfamiliar countries carrying trauma and heartbreak, yet many are also bringing courage, prayer, hospitality, evangelistic passion, and a deep dependence on God,” said the report.
“New fellowships are forming. Churches are being planted. People are hearing about Jesus through those who themselves have suffered greatly.
“Their witness is a powerful reminder that darkness does not have the final word. God is still building His Church, still drawing people to Himself, and still turning suffering into testimony for His glory.”
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