By Sammie Jo Barstow
Correspondent, The Alabama Baptist
Y’all” and “Roll Tide” were not familiar words to the 10 Ukrainian youth pastors and leaders who came to Tuscaloosa in August — but they learned quickly.
During their two-week visit, they quickly came to appreciate Southern food, especially barbecued ribs and chicken casserole. They appreciated their host families and the local youth pastors who made their visit so beneficial.
Lasting impressions
But most importantly, they carried home some lasting impressions that will enable them to improve their outreach and ministry to young people in their churches and communities.
It’s part of a partnership that’s been going on for nearly 20 years.
In 1999, Rosalind and Jim Holloman and several other members of First Baptist Church, Tuscaloosa, traveled to Ukraine’s Odessa Oblast on a short-term missions trip. While there they met faithful Christians, including 12-year-old Slavik Rimskyi.
In the years that followed, the Hollomans made numerous trips back to minister to Rimskyi’s church, and in turn he visited Tuscaloosa several times. He used those visits to enhance his leadership and teaching skills.
While visiting Tuscaloosa with his wife, Sasha, two years ago Rimskyi revealed an idea that God had given him about bringing other youth ministers to the U.S. for training. He and the Hollomans began to envision how far-reaching the results could be for the young people of Ukraine.
But, as Rimskyi said, “there were many giants in the way.” Obtaining visas was a challenge but Alabama Congressman Robert Aderholt wrote letters to the U.S. embassy in Ukraine, as did Sam Day, then director of missions for Tuscaloosa Baptist Association. When the Ukrainian group went to the embassy for interviews, “We were treated like VIPs,” Rimskyi said. The visas were granted.
With that taken care of, perhaps the biggest challenge was language. It would not be possible to find or hire enough Russian translators in Tuscaloosa, so it was imperative that the Ukrainians have adequate language skills. A few of the young people knew some basic English but others knew none. They spent significant time being tutored in English then working as a group to improve.
Two years later, the group arrived with great enthusiasm and an overwhelming desire to learn all they could during their visit.
Recruiting youth pastors
Travis Seagle, minister of students/education for Coaling Baptist Church and student ministry consultant for Tuscaloosa Association, recruited youth pastors from several churches to work with the visitors. Seagle developed a schedule for the Ukrainians to rotate in teams of two among the churches, shadowing various local youth pastors.
They attended worship services in sanctuaries and in youth groups, discussed outreach methods with the pastors, participated in panel discussions and observed and participated in Bible studies.
Developing relationships
Lily Tsveklova was impressed by learning about the many ways the local youth pastors use activities such as sports to involve young people and draw them into church. “I liked seeing how they do ministry in so many different ways,” Tsveklova said. “And I realize how important it is to develop relationships and let others know that you care about them as you are inviting them to church.”
Vitalii Krohkmal echoed that observation, saying he learned an important lesson from Jerry Tyson, youth pastor at Bellview Baptist Church, McCalla — “love ’em like crazy and build strong relationships.”
One thing that impressed Krohkmal was the extent of the preparation he observed among the local pastors. He also was in awe of the number of books and the extent of print resources available to the pastors. He was ecstatic that he was given 15 new books to take home to help him prepare studies for the youth of his church. “I was honored that they presented some of their books to me,” he said.
One principle they all agreed on is that they must take the church “beyond the walls of the church,” Rimskyi said. Only 4 percent of Ukrainians are Protestant, so the challenge is great. Learning about outreach in the community through sports and other relationship-building activities will be the key to reaching young people, Rimskyi said.
Welcoming spirit
Once nonbelievers come to church, it’s important that they feel loved and accepted, he said. “When Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union, people exhibited a strict Russian mentality of keeping things to themselves, not socializing, being close, not open, not transparent. Even people in church did this,” he said. “So we must work on having a welcoming, kind, loving spirit. This is changing in all Ukraine but first it is changing in our churches.”
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