This is a Rant

That's your warning quit reading if you don't want to hear it.

Here's my two cents after reading blogs and seeing pictures posts around the web about Passion Kyiv.

Passion Kyiv is not and was not the beginning of a God movement in Ukraine. It is part of the greater thing God has been doing for the past 10 years. Kyiv, Ukraine is not a dark city. In fact, it has been said to be a beacon of light for the surrounding nations. And there are many, many who believe that they can use Ukraine (nationals btw) as a launching pad to go into countries of the former soviet union and beyond.

If you include all of Europe and the former Soviet Union, there are only 4 countries that have shown SIGNIFICANT growth in the churches. Those countries are: Ukraine, Moldova, Romania and Kazakhstan, with Ukraine in the lead by great numbers.

You want to talk about dark cities who need light, lets discuss western Europe. Lets discuss the almost dead church in England. Lets discuss the lack of faith by the French. Lets discuss the idol worship done by many of these western European countries to the gods of materialism and secularism.

Do not come to Kyiv and tell me that this beautiful, old, resilient and strong city is a place of darkness. I have seen more people of faith in this city and country than I have in America. And by that I mean people who love God and live it in their personal lives.

I am angry by the attitudes of some of the workers that came with the Passion team. Who said that this place is such a dark and bad place. Obviously they have not been here or talked to people who hold Kyiv, or Ukraine for that matter, in high regards. But God is doing something here and has been doing something in this nation long before Passion ever even considered coming or the Orange Revolution happened, back before many of these big Christian organizations got started here.

God's hand is on this nation, is on this people. Yes, Passion did very good things and there were people who were saved. And I was blessed that I got to see one of my favorite speakers live.

But it breaks my heart that so many went away and left the country and are going back and speaking things that they don't know. If you only spend time with rich Ukrainians or American missionaries how could you possibly get the full picture of the people of this nation? How could you possibly see how great the faith of the women who have alcoholic husbands or the perseverance of young people are still committed to Christ despite being kicked out of their homes for their faith?

I won't mention the blogs I read this on, but I am upset. I am upset that so many Americans, in their American mindset, see this city and see a place dirty and filthy and "so poor" and don't see God's light shining upon it.

Here are numbers: (as reported by Saturation Church Planting International)
10 years ago there were 100,000 evangelical believers in Ukraine and about 1,000 churches. TOTAL!
Today there are over 1 million evangelical believers (registered with denominations) in some 12,000 registered churches. This does not include the home and cell groups. The independent people who got their hands on the Bible and just started a church out in a park or an apartment.

I understand that Ukraine has problems with the HIV/AIDS epidemic, alcohol and drug abuse, but I also know that there are many nationals that have seen the problems and said, "Hey, I can do something about this."

God will move regardless of if the Americans are here or not. God is still God. God's Word still speaks to those who will listen. And I believe the Ukrainians are listening and they are doing! Regardless of if they went to Passion or not.

That's it. Thank you for reading.