CEE Story From The Mission Field
For Future Generations
April 30, 2004
Ron Holmes, IMB Missionary in Odessa, Ukraine, has found a kindred spirit. Maxim is 29 years old and has a tremendous heart for evangelizing the Ukrainian people. Together Ron and Maxim have begun a ministry that they are calling For Future Generations Ministry (FFGM). Now, when they go knocking on doors or passing out information flyers about new Bible studies, and people ask “so, who are you?” they can explain their vision and purpose in an effective way.
Maxim, as the FFGM’s Director of New Group Development stays busy recruiting volunteers to help facilitate new groups and investigating possible opportunities for beginning new groups in various locations and settings. He and Ron have a vision for beginning an adult Bible study as well as a youth sports ministry, a youth choir ministry, and a youth English club—and that’s just in one dormitory.
Ron is excited by his partnership with Maxim. “He is one of very few Ukrainians with a vision for this type of outreach,” says Ron. Now they have gathered around them a team of like-minded young people. Ron is enthusiastic, commenting, “I am very impressed with these guys and their willingness to give time from their busy schedule to serve God for a few hours each week."
One door that has been opened through FFGM is teaching in a local high school.
"Maxim and I were looking to use a room in the school for an after school Christian English club or maybe a Christian sports club, “ explained Ron, “and I explained up front to the director that we were a Christian ministry and in fact Baptist (not a popular group among the state-sanctioned Orthodox Church). The meeting went so well that by the end the director invited us to teach Christian English to the 10th and 11th grade classes once a week during school hours.” Ron was dumbfounded at such an invitation and again explained that he would only teach English using the Bible.
The director replied, “This could only be good for the student's language growth and spiritual growth, too!” What is truly astounding is that this man is not a believer—YET!
"It is really, really rare for a Baptist to have an opportunity to work inside the school like this,” Maxim said. The reason for this is because Baptists are considered a cult in both Ukraine and Russia and have had horrible rumors spread about their “foreign religion.” But now the door is open and aside from the obvious benefits, Ron is excited by the additional blessings this opportunity brings.
"It will provide a very visible relationship with an authority figure in the community. It will provide the opportunity to develop relationships with many teenagers and their parents, and there is potential for using the school facilities for future ministries and events,” he says.
After the first day of teaching, each student walked away with their own New Testament and a homework assignment to read Mark 1. They also left behind an enthusiastic director.
“He again thanked me for leading the class,” said Ron, “ and said he could already see a difference in the students as they came out of each class with excitement and joy on their face.”
Please pray for this director, the students, the FFGM team, and that God will continue to provide more laborers for this indigenous group from among the Ukrainian young people.