Chairman of the All-Ukrainian Union of Evangelical Christian Baptist Churches Valery Antonyuk openly addressed the ministers of Slavic Evangelical Churches in Russia, Belarus, Central Asia, the Caucasus and those who have moved to the American continent over the past 30 years. He reproached for silence regarding the terrible events in Ukraine and urged to become salt for peace and light on the top of the mountain and not to disgrace the honor of the ministers of Jesus Christ.
Antonyuk noted that "peacekeepers" from Russia came to save Ukraine from the Nazis, but instead of peace and order, they destroy cities, wipe out villages, they rob and rape.
He recalled the times of the USSR when the church had the power to resist and win, distinguishing God's truth from the devil's lies. But when freedom came, something tragic happened: people began to watch TV, the Internet, and many ministers lost the ability to distinguish between Satan's unholy plans. Christians previously did not believe in Stalin and Khrushchev, but now they believe in the "new defender" – Putin.
Christians received a different "Bible" - from Russian TV channels. Already a new generation of freedom repeats the stories of propagandists of the "Holy Russian World". The Bible became more of a ritual book during the meeting. Meanwhile, the "defender of Christianity" decided to return the day before yesterday – to revive the evil empire, the Soviet Union.
Addressing the ministers of Slavic evangelical churches, the pastor drew attention to their silence – a strategy that many people have chosen when sirens are wailing in Kyiv and Rivne today, missiles are launched at Izyum, Mykolaiv or Zhytomyr. Religious leaders are silent when it is necessary to raise their voices and say what is happening in Ukraine, to assess the lawless actions of the servants of hell.
Many people talk about the war: intellectuals in Russia, students with placards "No to War!", presidents and parliaments, millions of Christians around the world. But many of the ministers from abroad are silent. Sometimes they whisper something timidly about world peace, avoiding acute issues and silence again.
Those who, it would seem, so convincingly preached, reproached, and envied purity and piety in the Church of Christ sign their spiritual impotence. It takes courage to tell the truth at times like this. Not everyone can even pray for Ukraine today.
The head of the ECB Churches of Ukraine also asked: Where are today's Niemollers and Bonhoeffers in churches? Where Are God's pastors, who will clearly identify aggression as aggression, annexation as a theft, and presidents who unleash bloody wars as criminals?
The head of the ECB Union of Ukraine said that many believed in diabolical propaganda when they divided Moldova and seized Transnistria when bombed Georgia and occupied Abkhazia, when Russian troops annexed Crimea, when the Russian army entered the Donbas, that the nationalist authorities in Ukraine were bombing their people. They still believe that this is not a war, but a "military operation" to demilitarize and denazify Ukraine. Many Christians and their pastors, unfortunately, today believe more in the "new Bible" – Russian television, than in the testimony of brothers and sisters in the faith.
However, in his speech, the minister stressed that insight will still come. Ukraine is suffering today and is paying the price. But this is not so much "for something", but "for the purpose": to maintain further freedom, to preach the Gospel not only in our country, but also in Russia, Belarus, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and other countries where this freedom does not exist. God will give freedom to preach and spread His Kingdom to many countries through the bloodshed in this war.
Valery Antonyuk also noted that Christians pray for their servants during these times of their long silent pause. He urged to become salt for the world and light on the top of the mountain, as well as not to disgrace the honor of the Christian uniform, the honor of the servants of Jesus Christ.
Christians are grateful to the Lord that today there are many more people who have understood everything long ago, and they are grateful to all those who stand in the same row against the devil's Army.
Believers of Ukraine feel the support of the Christian community from abroad and accept help from them.
The church in Ukraine prays and acts. Christians are primarily waging a spiritual war against the machinations of the army of demons, and believers firmly believe that the Lord will win, the head of the Union stressed.