A number of congresses for Baptist youth leaders have been held in Ukraine. In particular, a Congress of Youth Leaders from Rivne and Volyn regions was held in January. Hundreds of young people gathered to analyze their ministry, Religion in Ukraine reports, with reference to the website of Ukrainian Baptists.
In Rivne the congress’s program was very eventful. The participants analyzed their ministry and planned future work in the region. The program also included preaching, testimonies, and coffee breaks. The leaders had an opportunity to attend to a seminar by Andriy Kostyshyn on “Three Stories,” based on material from the Youth for Christ organization. The manual is designed to teach the younger generation how to preach, building their relationships with people, as Jesus Christ did. The leader of the seminar believes that evangelism can be effective if it is private; private evangelism can be a way of life, only if it becomes a process of building a relationship with God and the people close to the preachers.
At a three-day camp for Baptist youth leaders of the Volyn region, participants analyzed the year 2013 and planned their ministry for 2014. In particular, the pastor of the “Golgotha” church Anatoliy Levtsenyuk led seminars on “Biblical Home Groups.”
Ukrainian Baptist youth leader Andriy Korniichuk urged the leaders to minister more zealously and efficiently to the youth through small groups for nonbelievers.
Participants shared experiences and encouraged each other to engage in evangelism in 2014.