It Is Our Theology That Keeps Us Afloat

Vitalii Terekhiv was born in Pavlohrad into a Christian family. His mother attended church even before his birth, while his father embraced faith later. Although his childhood was closely connected with church life, Vitalii made his own conscious step toward God at the age of 16. The example of his parents was important, but not decisive — his calling was a personal decision.

His youth involved several relocations: Pavlohrad, Ternivka, back to Pavlohrad, and then Donetsk, where he lived for four years during his studies. It was there that his dreams and plans formed: music, creativity, independence, and a desire to escape the role of a “pastor’s son,” which felt burdensome at the time.

In 2014, the war changed everything. Together with his wife, he left Donetsk “for a month,” taking only summer clothes, but what was meant to be temporary turned into more than a decade. Returning to Pavlohrad wasn’t in his plans, so he prayed a lot, asking God for guidance on what path to take next. One day he remembered a phrase heard at a conference: “Unpack your suitcases.” It became the answer: to be present where he was and trust that God would bless that place. Vitalii decided to stay in Pavlohrad and begin ministry there with his wife.

After returning, Vitalii joined the worship ministry — music had always been close to him. Later, his experience with youth and openness to service led him to a new stage. When the previous youth pastor completed his ministry, Vitalii felt God leading him to take responsibility for the young people. In small towns, people often take on multiple roles, and Vitalii combines responsibilities as well. For almost ten years, he has served as a youth pastor while assisting the senior pastor, and now he is preparing to hand over the youth ministry to a successor. His perspective is simple:

Before the full-scale invasion, the congregation counted about 300 members. Today, around 170–180 remain, as some moved abroad or to safer regions. Youth ministry also changed — now about fifty young people, including many teenagers, growing up amidst the realities of war. Pavlohrad is a frontline city, less than 60 km from the front line. Frequent power and water outages, constant danger, and people’s exhaustion are daily realities. In such conditions, Vitalii observes that it is not activities or the number of ministries that hold the community together, but an inner foundation:

Consequently, ministry focus gradually shifted from projects and programs to working with the traumatized, supporting the military, and helping families experiencing loss, fear, and uncertainty.

Vitalii is most encouraged not by numbers but by changes in people’s hearts. Especially when young people choose Christ independently, not under family or leaders’ influence, but through personal encounter. For him, this is the greatest reward: knowing that even if circumstances take them far away, they carry the most important thing — a relationship with God. As he says:

Training helped Vitalii see leadership differently. Previously, he unconsciously repeated models where the leader carries everything. Now he sees his role as a mediator between Christ and youth. Together with his team, he reached an important conclusion: no reforms or changes work if the leader does not live what he preaches. This is how Christ-centered leadership is formed through integrity, example, and personal devotion.