Boychuk Oleksandr: a minister of the “Shlyah” church in Vinnytsia

I was born and still live in the city of Vinnytsia. I serve in the local evangelical church “Shlyakh” (“The Way”), where I’ve been fulfilling the role of senior pastor for the past two years. My encounter with the Gospel happened behind bars when I was 18 years old and found myself in prison. In that moment of crisis, I opened the Bible and started reading. God’s Word made me take a hard look at myself. Without a single sermon—just through Scripture—I turned to God. I prayed: “Lord, if You give me a second chance, I will dedicate my life to You.” And the Lord heard me. Instead of serving eleven years, I was granted a suspended sentence. Upon release, I immediately went to church. Since then, I’ve been serving Him for over 20 years.

Our church is actively involved in supporting the military and humanitarian work. We founded the charitable foundation Noah’s Ark, through which we prepare and deliver targeted aid to soldiers—medications, clothing, and personalized packages based on their needs. We also work with internally displaced persons. In the past, we were involved in family ministry, premarital counseling, and family camps.

Our church focuses on young families. We organize themed dinners highlighting various regions of Ukraine, during which we pray for those areas. We also hold men’s meetings, children’s events, and Bible study groups at different levels—from beginner to advanced, including Alpha Course formats.

As the senior pastor, I bear full responsibility for the spiritual leadership of the church. I am currently the only pastor, though we have a vision to expand our pastoral team. I receive active support from a team of deacons. Additionally, I serve as a chaplain—visiting mobilized soldiers in training centers, providing spiritual care, serving communion, and assisting full-time military chaplains.

The main challenges are apathy and people’s focus on comfort and daily routine. Many are not ready to step out of their comfort zones. Another challenge is understanding my own limitations—not trying to be God, but faithfully doing my part.

Before the war, my wife and I were involved in family counseling and taught about the responsibility of families to society. But the war shifted our focus toward helping displaced persons, supporting the military, and providing humanitarian aid. Family ministry has temporarily been put on hold, but we plan to relaunch it once we find a suitable leader.

I dream of seeing a church that truly impacts society—fighting corruption, upholding truth, supporting marriage, and shaping a healthy community. I long for a church that genuinely knows God, walks in unity and love, and transforms the nation through the Gospel.

I enrolled at UETS after being officially appointed as a pastor. I was deeply inspired by the course The Life of Jesus Christ taught by Fyodor Raichynets, which opened up new depths of Scripture for me. Despite my 20 years of experience, I realized my theological foundation was incomplete. UETS helped me move away from pacifist thinking and form a biblical understanding of peace, war, justice, sacrifice, and love for one’s enemies.

Church members testify that my sermons have become more holistic. I no longer avoid difficult topics—instead, I now joyfully preach on the Sermon on the Mount, the prophets, and deep passages of Scripture. My understanding of the Word has become more systematic. I’ve learned to better grasp context and the mission of God’s people—even in times of war and suffering. The prophets became an example for me: they stood with their people even in times of occupation—and the church must do the same.

One of the most valuable aspects of my studies has been connecting with other students. I’m inspired that many of them are chaplains and soldiers. This confirms that the church must be strong—and only then can society, the people, and the state be strong. It’s from the church that change must flow into Ukraine.

Since starting my studies, we’ve moved away from fragmentary Scripture reading. We now emphasize consistent, book-by-book reading that gives a comprehensive understanding of God’s story. This approach has spread to our deacons and ministry leaders as well. I see spiritual growth in our team, a desire to take responsibility and dive deeper into the Word. This gives me hope and points to healthy transformation.