THE IVANO-FRANKIVSK CHURCH OF CHRIST 12 October 2014
News from Donetsk…this morning Olga received a phone call saying her mother-in-law had returned to Donetsk. Shocked she asked why. She was told that her mother-in-law’s neighbor had called her saying that Chechnya soldiers had been in the building asking if all of the apartments were occupied or if some of the residents had left Donetsk. These foreign invaders from Russia are going into apartment buildings and finding homes of those who left because of the war. They then break down the door and move inside. They live in those apartments for a few weeks and then move out to another. Of course they leave the apartments totally ruined. Their justification is that they are punishing those who fled from Russia and such deserve to have everything they own ruined! So when Olya’s mother-in-law received the phone call she felt she had to return or else have everything she owns destroyed. This is the “protection” that Putin and Russia is giving to the Russian speaking population in Ukraine!
The second Sunday of this trip was spent with the saints and beloved brethren in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine. This was the first time I have been with them after they successfully fought for the legal registration of the congregation.
Mike taught the Bible class. Ivan had asked Mike to teach on “Glory” and Mike did a good job on the lesson. I presented a lesson at the sermon time and continued the study on the Epistle to the Colossians.
We had a gathering of 25+ and there were several (about 10) who were ill or out of town that are regular members. Almost every chair was filled up and if all regulars had been in attendance we would not have had extra seating! The congregation is growing and almost every assembly sees a visitor present. The change that is brought about by the registration means the congregation is now “legal” and not some weird cult. This change in perception and the fact the congregation is meeting in a public facility will increase the interest of visitors.
The congregation has a spirit of warm acceptance and gentle nurturing that encourages all present to look to the Scriptures and live a holy life for the Lord. Being present in the assemblies or in any gathering of this congregation ALWAYS is uplifting.
Illustrating the loving environment of this congregation was the immersion of two souls following Sunday’s worship assembly. There were to be two more but they were ill and not able to be in attendance.
I have video of these immersions and supporters of UKRAINE MISSIONS will receive the DVD trip report with these videos and with the other trip materials.
Volodya is the taxi driver that I have written about over the last three trips. One night Andrew was on his way to our evening classes and his car broke down. Andrew called a taxi to take him to class and the taxi that responded was driven by Volodya. On the way to the class Andrew told Volodya where he was going and discussed the Lord’s Church. After listening to Andrew talk Volodya asked if he could come to the class. Volodya came and has been regular in attendance ever since. His story about his journey to faith and to the obedience of the gospel is a marvelous story of providential opportunities to a good and honest heart! I hope to share some of the details when I make reports to various congregations after this trip. Over the past year Volodya has been attending and enjoying the warm fellowship of the Church and studying with Ivan, Andrew, and Volodya (the preacher). The studies have been pointed and the Truth has been gently communicated and the understanding of how to be saved by God’s grace through faith has been realized. Volodya met with me last week and told me he was thinking of being immersed. I told him that was joyful news and I tried to impress upon him the urgency of “now is the day of salvation.” Sunday 12 October 2014 Volodya was saved by grace through faith! He was added to the Lord’s Church and his sins were washed away.
Galina is a lady I met for the first time on the June visit. She is the lady that was cleaning the building and when the Church rented the building they also “inherited” Galina. So from the beginning Galina has been attending and making sure the meeting place was clean for the Church’s assemblies. She also has an interesting story. It seems that when she told her children that she was cleaning for “a religious group” that her children were suspicious and told her that she better not be around the group because they had never heard of it. But Galina said she was to clean the building and would not neglect her job. Later Galina would say that she did come to clean and did her usual quality work BUT afterwards she would stay and read the materials in the Church’s library. Eventually she read everything that was there. Like the Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8) she had some questions about what she read and so she began asking small questions to some of the women. Eventually she said she had enough courage to ask Ivan. She started attending the worship assemblies and in my June visit she was present for several classes as we studied Nahum. Her study and questions inevitably led to her understanding the need to obey the Gospel and have her sins washed away by the blood of Christ. Last week she came up to me after our evening classes were over and we discussed the urgency for her to be immersed and be saved by grace through faith. Sunday she put that faith into action and was placed into Christ having her sins washed away. An interesting point that those who watch the video will see is how Galina reacted to the swimming pool. She had NEVER been in a swimming pool.
It continues to be a great trip and amazing results continue to surface. I continue to be awed at the way the Almighty’s providence has moved in unseen ways to bring about wonderful results. A kind word spoken; a sincere invitation to come to Bible study; the distribution of some benevolence assistance—all works together to achieve the Master’s purpose! Inspiration writes: “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6).” The most critical point of this text on the assurance of providential care is “YOU.” If “YOU” are unwilling to look at the opportunities that God is placing before you then “YOU” will be ill-fit to receive blessings from the providential God. Too often people are upset with the opportunities God presents—they want God to offer them options that are convenient to them. So they respond to opportunities with a bitter begrudging that robs them and others of the blessings that are possible. So…how do “YOU” cooperate with providential opportunities? Only “YOU” and God know the answer to this query but on the Judgment Day all will hear how “YOU” cooperated with God’s providence. Will it be with eagerness, with joy, with bitterness, with resentment, with jealousy? This is an awesome fact to ponder…
Be sure to tell others they register for automatic updates or can read posted updates on this mission trip at: www.kachelman.com/ukraine/blog
Thank you for your financial support and prayers for the brethren in Ukraine and for the welfare of the Lord’s Church in Ukraine!
John L. Kachelman, Jr.
Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine
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