Church leaders unite to support Bible Society
Focus on Southern Ukraine

UKRAINE — Once a month, local Church leaders gather at the Ukrainian Bible Society’s Southern Region office in Kherson to talk about issues of mutual concern or areas in which they disagree. On this neutral territory, they are able to debate openly and positively, gradually coming to conclusions about how they can work together and how they can help and be helped by the Bible Society.

“It’s important for us to be able to demonstrate that we are actively listening to Church leaders and taking their advice,” says Regional Director Alexander Babiychuk. “For example, we often show them our new products and seek their opinion on things like fonts and paper quality. We also collaborate with them on matters of social responsibility, such as lobbying government organisations. Sometimes we might invite representatives of the local administration to our meetings, too, or journalists” (see story).

Nods of approval

Around the long table in the Bible Society offices, around 20 Church leaders, representing a wide range of denominations, chat over refreshments and give nods of approval to the Bible Society’s new large-print editions of the Psalms and Luke’s Gospel. One is so pleased to see these Scriptures that his face breaks into a broad smile and he gives the ‘thumbs-up’ sign. The discussion then turns to topics including the difficulties surrounding Church involvement in the teaching of Christian ethics in schools. Some participants report that they have had good results from work in schools, while others tell of suspicious or even hostile reactions from the authorities and from head teachers.

“We don’t really have enough resources to undertake work in schools at the moment,” one pastor comments. “Perhaps that’s actually a good thing. Before we go ahead, we need to train people to carry out this work and to establish good relations with those in authority.”

“Things are better than they were 20 years ago,” another pastor says, “but they are still difficult. We held some Easter events for children this year, but one head teacher was very angry that we prayed with the children.”

“We held a concert for schoolchildren,” a Mennonite leader responds. “The head teacher approved and praying with the children did not create any problems at all.”

While they do not always agree about the best approach to such problems, the Church leaders are certainly united in their approval of the Society’s work.

“I feel very positive about what the Bible Society does,” says a Lutheran pastor. “Let me give you an example. There was a blind man at my church who wanted the Scriptures. The Bible Society donated the Bible on audio cassette. We are delighted that he heard God’s Word in this way before he died.”

“We must remember to be positive about our work and our country,” another participant reminds the group. “We are often too negative here in Ukraine! We certainly face many problems, but we must seek out and use as many opportunities as possible. Our God is unique! We are living in a very blessed time and we are very grateful for the support we receive from other countries through the Bible Society. Together we will do God’s work.”

‘If the Bible Society were not here,
it would be hard for us’

Nikolay Balonenko is pastor of the Church of the Transfiguration in Kherson. He is also President of the Board of a theological institute that trains students in several countries. Bible Society materials assist him in both these roles.

“The theological institute has scholarly editions from the Bible Society in its library,” he explains. “The students also take Bible Society large-print publications with them when they go to visit elderly people as part of their training.

“The library at my own church contains Bible Society materials, and we have also distributed the Society’s Children’s Bibles at boarding schools for handicapped children and orphans.

“If the Bible Society were not here, it would be hard for us. We would have to travel a long way to find a Christian bookshop, and we would not benefit from the low prices, or sometimes even free publications, that the Bible Society offers.”

Photo: Nikolay Balonenko, pastor of the Church of the Transfiguration in Kherson [photo: UBS/Dag Smemo WR404/3 UKR06DJ-125]

‘Our church strongly supports
the Bible Society’

Sergey Siniy comes from a long line of Baptist pastors. He was also one of the first Church leaders to support the Bible Society in its plans to hold regular interconfessional meetings.

“Our church strongly supports the Bible Society with both prayers and money,” he says. “We particularly like the idea of a new Children’s Bible. We believe that it will speak to people who grew up under Communist rule and are still afraid to believe in Christ. With this Bible, we will be able to reach not only children, but also their parents and their grandparents.

“The Bible Society helps us a lot, but if I could be granted one wish, it would be for the Bible Society to set up a television broadcasting studio on its premises. I’m involved with Christian broadcasting and would like to develop this work further, but it’s very hard to find broadcasting facilities that are neutral enough to satisfy all the Churches.”

Photo: Sergey Siniy [photo: UBS/Dag Smemo WR404/3 UKR06DJ-128]