Russia invasion of Ukraine: What at stake for the Adventists

The Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church will worldwide, on this Sabbath, pray for the ending of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which is under the Euro-Asian Division.

Seventh-day Adventist Church in Vinnitsa, Ukraine/ Creative Commons

According to the urgent call for prayer that Pastor Ted Wilson the president at the Adventist church posted on his Twitter account, the church will support the Ukrainian church in any available way.

“We will assist with moral support, advice, prayers, and financial assistance. ADRA is currently looking at ways to provide humanitarian relief in the country, as well as for those facing refugee status” he said in a tweet on Friday.

The SDA Church has establishments in Ukraine including a medical centre, publishing house, media centre, administrative structures, university, schools and most importantly church members, students and ministers whose lives are in danger now.

The Angelia Adventist Medical Centre in Kyiv

The medical centre in Kyiv has been very instrumental in providing health services and seminars to health workers in Ukraine on pressing health issues including mental health issues.

Source of Life Publishing House

The Adventist publishing house located on Luk'yanivska Street in Kyiv has been supporting the Adventist ministry with publishing literature for the church in both Russia and Ukraine in local languages.

It publishes the quarterly Sabbath School Bible Study Guide for both adult and young, Adventist Herald, Eternal Treasure, Morning Devotional, My Healthy Family, Signs of the Times, Skarbnychka for Children, The Land of Friendship, The Treasury Box (for Children), Week of Prayer readings, among others.

The publishing house has about 10 administrators and editors for each book which means it employs scores of locals.

Voice of Hope Media Group

The media centre is composed of two sub-entities: radio and Television channels with Hope TV reaching a daily audience of about 700,000 viewers, according to Pastor Vyacheslav Demyan in Ukraine.

Ukrainian Adventist Centre of Higher Education

The centre is home to the Ukrainian Institute of Arts and Sciences, Ukrainian Adventist Theological Institute where the former offers undergraduate degrees, emphases are in English, Philosophy, Business Management, Finances and Marketing.

There are about 50 other schools in Ukraine built in the last five years as the church’s robust initiative to uplift education services in the country where only 45000 are Adventists in the population of over 44 million people.

The schools were built with great dedication to the extent that one businessman donated his factory to the church and turned it into a school while other church administrative facilities were also turned into schools.

According to Pastor Vyacheslav Demyan during an online prayer on Friday evening at the beginning of the Sabbath, university students near Kyiv have been evacuated.

He also mentioned that the Hope media group in Ukraine is planning to relocate to neighbouring countries with much probability being given to Germany.

Pastor Ted Wilson told the hundreds who met online for a prayer to trust the power of prayer and pray for all people who are facing challenges.

“This is the mightiest power that we have especially in this particular situation and we just need everyone to know that the world church is praying for a peaceful resolution to the situation [in Ukraine]” he said.

Earlier in a call for prayer Pastor, Wilson called for believers to heed other challenges to the spread of the gospel and warned the signs show Jesus’ return.

“Our people in China face increased restrictions, in Myanmar face repression, in South Sudan face a famine, in Ethiopia a conflict, and many other places around the world experiencing difficulties. Certainly, these are signs of Christ’s soon return” he said.

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