Graduation Date - September 2021
Personal Testimony
Originally, I am from Ukraine, but after my graduation from high school in 1992 I went to my relatives in Uzbekistan, Central Asia, where I planned to get a job and education. As it turned out, my relatives were evangelical Christians. It was them who helped me come to know God and attend a church. So, I repented and my life started changing.
In 1993 I embarked on my first missionary trips as a musician, worship leader and preacher. In 1995 I completed a one-year program at a Bible school in Moscow. In 1997 together with my friends I planted a church in the town of Termez, Uzbekistan. However, when the church started growing, we suffered from prosecutions by local authorities and were forced to leave in 1999.
In 2004 I became a resident student of Theology and Christian Ministry at Ukrainian Evangelical Theological Seminary in Kyiv. Upon my graduation, I helped other pastors in church-planting. From 2013 to 2015 I was involved into ministry to the Gypsy people. In 2015 I became a volunteer military chaplain in the warzone in Eastern Ukraine. In 2019 I decided to resume my studies and enrolled in Transformative Leadership master’s program at UETS to be more effective in my ministry.
When military chaplaincy was officially introduced and I was invited to occupy a position of chaplain in a military unit, my state-accredited degree of higher religious education turned out to be one of the documents I was asked to produce. Praise the Lord, I had already had it at that time.
The contribution of the seminary is really great. Among other things I am grateful for the theological education, the training for chaplains I attended in 2015 and information about government degree recognition. I believe that my connection to UETS will develop further as the seminary always offers something to meet the needs of the Church and society.