SBCV Churches Help Grace Baptist Church, Odessa, Ukraine

by Sam Taylor., Pastor of Jerusalem Baptist Church, Fairfax Station                             Vol. XI, No. 3, March 1998

Vasily Logvinenko is the former pastor of the famed Central Baptist Church in Moscow and retired president of the Union of Evangelical Christians — Baptists throughout the entire former Soviet Union. Todav, the white-haired hero of the faith suffers declining health but continues serving God as pastor of the Grace Baptist Church in Odessa, Ukraine. Four years ago, the city government gave property to his infant congregation. Although the land was strategically located in the middle of a densely populated residential district surrounded by high-rise apartments and thousands of people, the church initially considered refusing the property. The unsteady economy in the years following communism’s collapse had reduced almost everyone to near poverty. The infant congregation simply had no way to repair the dilapidated buildings and develop the property.

In desperation Pastor Logvinenko appealed for help to Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia. In September 1996, the Missions Committee of Jerusalem Baptist Church in Fairfax Station flew Logvinenko to Washington to preach in several Virginia churches and meet with officials of the International Mission Board of the SBC. During his visit, Logvinenko also met with Virginia evangelist Howard Baldwin and addressed the first annual meeting of the SBCV held at Grove Avenue Baptist Church in Richmond.

When he arrived in Virginia, Logvinenko's infant and impoverished congregation possessed property, blue prints, and little else but faith. As a result of his visit, the IMB agreed to serve as a conduit for designated gifts, evangelist Howard Baldwin enlisted a team of 45 volunteers for an evangelistic trip to Odessa, and more than $100,000 has been given from Virginia Churches for building construction.

Today, Grace Baptist Church has a completely remodeled fellowship hall serving as a temporary sanctuary and a spacious two-story educational building. Their impressive 500 seat sanctuary is already under roof with approximately half completed. But that tells only part of the story. While church members stayed very busy doing much of the construction themselves, they have also been busy doing evangelism and discipleship. Today, their thriving Sunday School has more than 130 children. Associate Pastor, Igor Bandura, leads a newly established Bible School to train preachers, Sunday School teachers, and other church workers. They baptized 39 converts in 1997 and now have more than 300 people in attendance.

In order to enlist more help, Logvinenko and Bandura are returning to Virginia, from April 17 through May 3. They will preach in several SBCV churches including the Kempsville Baptist Church, led by Pastor Kelly Burris. Through the SBCV, God is making a way when there seemed to be no way for the Grace Baptist Church of Odessa.

[Editors note: If you are interested in helping Grace Baptist Church, designated gifts can be sent through the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Please designate your contributions for Grace Baptist Church in Odessa, Ukraine, in care of Missionary Dale Ledbetter.]