MOSCOW, RUSSIA (ANS) -- A seasoned American radio host went on a ministry tour with a difference this summer, as he joined Russian Ministries’ Dnieper River Cruise in Ukraine. Despite the political and economic turmoil facing this region, he saw that hope lies there with the Next Generation of Christian leaders.

Earlier this month Greg Wheatley, who has been a host for Moody Radio during the past 20 years, joined a group cruising along the Dnieper River, visiting several locations throughout Ukraine including Odessa, Sevastopol, Yalta, Zaporozhye and Kiev.

Visiting a church supported by Russian Ministries

“In each of those places we combined a bit of sight-seeing and tourism, which was educational in terms of learning about the rich culture and developmental trends in those post-Soviet societies that are still struggling for economic and spiritual restoration after 70 long years of destructive Communism. We saw the work that Russian Ministries is doing with churches, providing training and resources for the Next Generation of ministry leaders, who are taking the baton of faithfulness from the previous generation and are assuming responsibility for leading the church into new circumstances in the future. We saw very exciting things going on with relatively young churches in those areas—churches that Russian Ministries has been instrumental in helping to plant. We also visited some orphanages the ministry is helping to support there,” said Wheatley.

He added: “One of the exciting things we were able to witness is what Russian Ministries (known in Ukraine as the Association for Spiritual Renewal) calls School Without Walls. This is really a program that is designed for and geared towards the Next Generation of Christians.
 

Greg Wheatley front row center with other Russian Ministries tour delegates

“It’s really a creative way to train emerging, young Christian leaders, who are such a vital part of what is happening in Ukraine. Once we left Ukraine and came to Moscow we had a chance to meet with several people. Most of those leaders are quite young, so the leadership here is very young. That is why a program like School Without Walls is so important—because it’s training these young leaders theologically and also very practically.”

Former host of the Moody radio program Prime Time America, Wheatley first visited the region in the late 90s at a time when the church was still enjoying their newfound freedom. I asked him what his impressions were in coming back: “There was a real excitement among a lot of Western Christian organisations and ministries to seize the opportunity to do ministry back then. I think that’s continued. I get the feeling that it’s maturing and maybe the new freedoms from ten years ago have begun to be challenged here.

Russian Ministries' Anita Deyneka and Sergey Rakhuba with children after they received special gifts

“But now I see new, young Christian leadership emerging that is really seizing the opportunity to strategise about how best to minister here. We saw it in the orphanages that are being run by Christians. We were told in one place in Ukraine that even though this orphanage is not officially run by believers, there was such a great Christian influence there. The freedom to go ahead and teach these children about God is really an amazing thing, especially if you relate it to the lack of freedom back in the United States.”

Following Russian Ministries’ Dnieper River Cruise, Wheatley then travelled from Ukraine to Moscow, just days after the city had encountered an intense heatwave: “When we arrived in Moscow, I expected to see temperatures of 100 degrees F and maybe smoke so thick you couldn’t see. Actually it has begun to get better. Today we walked around a lot and it was very pleasant. I did talk with one of the leaders we interviewed earlier, who said many people here in Moscow do not have air conditioning. They try to escape indoors from all of the smoke and heat, but because they don’t have air conditioning, they’re forced to close their doors. They just have the feeling of nowhere to escape. So I think that was the situation until just a day or two ago.”

Wheatley, who’s preparing to launch a new show on Moody Radio called Inside Look, said he’s been extremely impressed with the work that Russian Ministries is able to do, particularly in mobilising national believers to carry on the work there: “One of the things they’re stressing is how important it is for nationals to pick up the ball and run with it. I know they’re anxious to do that while, at the same time, welcoming and inviting Western involvement and help. But the nationals here are really picking up the ball and I think that’s a really important thing as we go forward. I’ve been so impressed at how well Russian Ministries is implementing that plan.”

A series of Greg Wheatley’s interviews from this trip will be featured on Moody Radio’s brand new show Inside Look from October. For more details go to: www.insidelook.org

For more information on the work of Russian Ministries go to: www.russian-ministries.org

Peter Wooding is an award-winning TV, radio and print journalist and media consultant having spent 10 years as news editor with UCB Radio in the UK. He has traveled extensively reporting from countries including Russia, Serbia, Ukraine, Dubai, South Korea, Zambia, Gambia, Mozambique, Croatia, Israel and India. He reports regularly for CBN News, KCBI radio, ASSIST News and Sorted Magazine. Peter and wife Sharon live in North Wales, UK with their three children. Passionate to see God’s Justice and Mercy impact lives, Peter is director of a new UK ministry Mercy Project International (www.mercyproject.org.uk) to help at-risk young people in Ukraine, Russia, Armenia, Kosovo, the Middle East and beyond. Contact Peter for consultation at woodingpeter@hotmail.com or tel. +44 1244 549167/+44 7500 903067.