Published on Operation World (http://www.operationworld.org)
Dec 02: Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukrayina
Europe
See Prayer Information
Geography
Area: 603,700 sq kmA flat, fertile, forested plain with few natural boundaries.
Population: 45,433,415 Annual Growth: -0.65%
Capital: Kyiv (Kiev)
Urbanites: 68%
HDI Rank: 85 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)
Peoples
Peoples: 66 (33% unreached) All peoplesUnreached Peoples Prayer Card
Official language: Ukrainian, but Russian widely spoken Languages: 42 All languages
Religion
Largest Religion: Christian| Religion | Pop % | Ann Gr | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christians | 35,896,941 | 79.01 | -0.7 |
| Evangelicals | 1,737,245 | 3.8 | 3.1 |
Challenges for Prayer
Outreach challenges:a) Students. CCX(IFES), CCCI, the Navigators and others have active campus ministries and student groups are multiplying. CCX groups meet in 16 different cities, and most student missions have a mix of expatriate and national workers. Youth work (YFC and many others) and summer camps (often held in former Communist Youth facilities) have proved fruitful. Pray for continued responsiveness from students; there are allegedly 300,000 students in Kyiv alone.
b) Children at risk. There are tens of thousands of street children, over 100,000 living in orphanages and many others in precarious living situations. Many of these suffer health complications from Chernobyl. The majority of orphans will become involved in drugs, crime or prostitution unless they can be lovingly reached by Christians. The CoMission for Children at Risk brings together dozens of ministries dedicated to doing just that.
c) Crimea – a region in contrast to the rest of Ukraine. Communist beliefs and a strong Russian connection persist here, and churches have not grown as much as in other parts of the country. More than 250,000 previously exiled Crimean Tatars have been welcomed as well. The vast majority are Muslim (although often nominally) and are being sought by Muslim missionaries from Turkey and the Arab world. Significant numbers of Christians are specifically reaching out to them with substantial fruit (Russian Ministries/River of Joy, Crimean Tatar Partnership, YWAM). The increasing number of Tatar believers are noted for their fiery faith.
d) Ukrainian Jews. Many have emigrated to Israel and the West, and the population continues to plummet by 7% annually. Chosen People Ministries has planted several Messianic synagogues, and a Messianic Bible school has been formed. Ukraine’s Jews are among the most responsive in the world to the gospel.
e) Foreign immigrants, often students - most are from the Middle East and Asia. Many are lonely and subject to hostile or racist attitudes from xenophobic elements in Ukraine. A large number are very open to the gospel, and Ukraine’s evangelistically-minded churches are reaping a harvest.
f) Cults remain a serious issue. From Jehovah’s Witnesses to Hare Krishna to indigenous pagan groups such as RUNVira and the Perunists, churches must realize there are other groups at work in Ukraine. In 2010, the Mormons dedicated their first full temple in the former Soviet Union. Pray for the apologetics and research centres whose goal is to promote greater discernment among Christians and encourage outreach to cult followers.
Christian media ministries:
a) Bible ministries. The Ukrainian Bible Society (UBS) restarted in 1991. A need for biblical truth and the restoration of moral values in society have drawn together partners from across the confessional spectrum – Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant. The ministry has grown greatly in the past decade and now distributes hundreds of thousands of copies of Scripture every year. More could be done with the provision of further finances; pray for their release.
b) Literature, a great need since most Christian literature was destroyed during the Communist occupation. Russian literature is plentiful, but it is a struggle to get good materials published in Ukrainian. EHC has distributed over six million pieces of literature through Ukrainian churches. UBS/FCBH, Bible League, Mission Without Borders and others all work to get the printed Word of God into the hands of Ukrainians, especially children and students.
c) Radio and television are open for Christian programmes. FEBC and TWR broadcast several hours a week in Ukrainian and Russian with good response. HCJB has partnered with CMAssociates to set up recording and radio studios, and has been instrumental in founding Radio Emmanuel, a local Christian station. CBN has a major television network based in Kyiv, and some of the newer, larger churches are developing their own television programmes.
d) The JESUS film is shown in seven major languages in Ukraine – pray for more workers to show the film at Family Festivals throughout the country.
For an additional 7 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
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