A seminar for local pastors and Christian workers took place at Donetsk Christian University on November 21, 2009. More than 300 representatives of evangelical Christians from various denominations, in particular the Fellowship of Independent Churches and Missions of Ukraine, Light of the Gospel, Donetsk Regional Baptist Union, the Union of Donbass Fellowship Churches and Azov Baptist Independent Churches.

Two reports were made during the seminar. S. Tupchyk, the presbyter of the Narod Bozhyi church, presented Faith and Ministry - the Biblical View. His report edified and reminded us that crises happen and are even sent by God for us to reconsider our lives, review and accept the new reality, and to renew our relationship with God and people.

The contemporary society of demand generates new idols that are material values, but crises remind us of their instability and deception. It was a crisis that urged the prophet Isaiah to invoke God when he said: “When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness” (Isaiah 26:9). The Lord sends crises today as well, as a testimony of His will and power for unbelievers and as a reminder for believers to always be ready to meet Him. The principal ministry of every Christian during the crisis is to seek the Lord with all their heart and guide others to do the same.

A. Melnichuk, President of Donetsk Christian University, then devoted his report to the analysis of impactful development principles of the church in the contemporary culture. The terms globalization and post-modernism are widespread in today’s intellectual circles. Nowadays these terms designate phenomena that present the church and evangelism with new opportunities as well as new problems. New opportunities lie basically in technologies and communications that have improved significantly in previous decades, in this era of globalization and post-modernism.

At the same time, new problems arise in spiritual life, particularly in the lives of youth who are tired of the information that inundates them in today’s society. Today’s youth do not understand that they can be nourished with spiritual bread that satisfies and gives peace on its own. It is the church that must help people to overcome increasing emotional exhaustion and spiritual weakness. Though to fulfill the task mentioned above, the church needs to change and be filled with firm purpose directed by well-educated ministers, who are able to grip the current spiritual needs and meet challenges.

In this time of post-modernism, the authority of Christian churches and other important institutions have ceased to be self-evident. But all this should encourage churches to renew the vision of its position in the world according to the Gospel, not to concentrate on personal problems but “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5).

President Melnichuk stated eight principles of impactful development of the church:

• The development of delegating leadership;
• All members of the church ministering in accordance with spiritual gifts;
• Spiritual enthusiasm of the believers;
• Efficient functional structure of the church;
• Incentive divine service;
• All-embracing ministry of home groups;
• Evangelization, considering the needs of unbelievers; and
• Relationship of love.

The Fellowship seminar showed how urgent the issue of faith and ministry is during times of crisis. The seminar ended with ordained ministers praying a blessing for all the participants.