Seminary Has Provided a Strong Theological Foundation for My Ministry

Serhii Sarkisov was born in Vinnytsia into a family with deep religious roots. His great-grandfathers were deacons of the Assyrian Church of the East who survived the genocide in the Ottoman Empire and resettled in Russia. His grandmother shared Bible stories with him from childhood, and although Serhii knew about God early on, his life initially followed a secular path.

Only when he felt he was heading toward spiritual ruin did something begin to stir within him: the need for God became not just an idea but a vital necessity. He called a relative who was already living by faith and attended his first church service. A large congregation, the choir, the sermons — everything seemed addressed directly to him. At the end of the service, Serhii came forward and received Christ:

This was not just the beginning of a spiritual journey but the start of a story that transformed his life.

When the war began, Serhii’s ministry changed radically. If previously his focus was on preaching and discipleship, now the central emphasis became pastoral care. Internally displaced people, those who lost their homes, soldiers — all came to the church seeking support, human warmth, and hope.

Serhii shares how even simple words of encouragement and prayer help people survive moments of crisis. Over three years of war, many new people joined the church — including 12 displaced persons — and each one represents a story of transformation through faith and the community’s compassion.

The war taught Serhii not only to respond to external needs but also to recognize internal wounds — pain, sorrow, fear. Pastoral care has become the heart of his ministry.

Studying at the Ukrainian Evangelical Theological Seminary transformed Serhii more deeply than he expected. He used to be a “one-man orchestra” — carrying everything on his own shoulders, controlling and doing everything himself. The seminary taught him to delegate, build a team, and form a leadership community:

Theological training, a new way of thinking, the ability to research and analyze — all of this now shapes his preaching and relationships with people. The seminary opened a new world where ready-made answers do not exist — where one must search, make mistakes, understand, and grow.

Serhii’s church is more than a place of ministry — it is a small world where every person matters. There is children’s ministry, discipleship, social outreach, support for displaced families and soldiers. But the cornerstone is cultivating a relationship with God.

Serhii dreams of a community of thoughtful, mature believers — people who do not simply follow the crowd but can stand firm even when life shakes every foundation. He sees his team growing, new leaders emerging, and the fruits of discipleship appearing.

This story matters because it is about a sincere journey of faith, about rebirth in hardship, and about how one man can influence many lives — building not just a church but a living community where every soul finds support and strength.