11/15/20 Scripture/Missions

Scripture Reading

1 Peter 2:1–10 CSB

1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow up into your salvation, 3 if you have tasted that the Lord is good. 4 As you come to him, a living stone—rejected by people but chosen and honored by God— 5 you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture: See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and honored cornerstone, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame. 7 So honor will come to you who believe; but for the unbelieving, The stone that the builders rejected— this one has become the cornerstone, 8 and A stone to stumble over, and a rock to trip over. They stumble because they disobey the word; they were destined for this. 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Missions Focus

Country: Ukraine

Sometimes called “the heart of Europe” because it is the geographical center of the continent

Population: 42 million

Largest Religion: Christianity (73%)

Evangelicals: 3.8% - The country has a rich Christian heritage that began in Kiev 1,000 years ago; For a long time Churches suffered under horrible persecution in Ukraine with millions of Christians dying until the country declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991; Amazingly, Evangelicals came out of 130 years of persecution with larger numbers and stronger faith so that today it impacts most of society

Challenges for Prayer:

Leadership training is greatly needed for churches in Ukraine; Churches have experienced sustained growth for twenty years which is fantastic, but with thousands of new congregations requiring faithful pastors who can preach the full council of God, it has been difficult to train enough of them for all of the new churches

The Orange Revolution, which was a series of non-violent mass demonstrations which forced new elections and greater freedoms, left many feeling like Ukraine was on track for transformation; Sadly, the nation still remains divided between East and West leaving many things protested in the Orange Revolution unchanged; Pray for Christians to show the true unity that can only be found in Christ so they can be a light to a divided nation