Revival in the Rubble: Ukrainian Evangelicals Lead a Gospel Awakening Amid War
by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – As Ukraine continues to reel under the pressure of war, a spiritual revival is taking root that is capturing the attention of believers across Europe. Speaking at the European Congress on Evangelism in Berlin, Ukrainian evangelist David Karcha declared that “in a time of war, the Gospel is unstoppable,” sharing powerful testimonies of hope, healing, and salvation emerging from the chaos.
Karcha’s remarks come at a significant moment, just one day after Franklin Graham met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin to pray for peace, underscoring the Congress’ central message: God is at work, even amid destruction.
Karcha described how Ukrainian churches—many without buildings, electricity, or heat—have become spiritual hospitals for a broken people. “The Church is not a structure that can be bombed or bound,” he told delegates. “It is a body that moves forward, even through smoke and fire.”
A New Chapter in an Old Story
The revival Karcha spoke of is part of a deeper spiritual arc that stretches back more than three decades. Since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Ukrainian church has seen a steady and often miraculous growth. During the Soviet era, evangelical activity was heavily restricted, churches were forced underground, and believers were frequently imprisoned for their faith. But as the Iron Curtain fell, a spiritual hunger emerged across former Soviet states.
In Ukraine, that hunger turned into a movement.
Thousands of evangelical missionaries flooded the country in the 1990s, distributing Bibles, planting churches, and preaching openly for the first time in decades. In that fertile soil, the evangelical church flourished. Entire denominations were reborn, and seminaries and Bible schools sprang up across the nation.
By the early 2000s, Ukraine had become known as the “Bible Belt” of Eastern Europe, exporting pastors, church planters, and worship leaders to neighboring countries. Despite lingering political instability, believers remained steadfast, often praying in public and leading large evangelistic events.
But the 2022 Russian invasion changed everything—again.
Instead of breaking the church, however, the war has deepened its resolve. “We had a choice,” Karcha said. “To fracture and flee, or to remain and be faithful. We chose faith.”
The Gospel Advances in Crisis
Karcha reported that in 2023 alone, Ukrainian Baptist churches witnessed thousands of baptisms, many from individuals who had never previously attended a church. “Hundreds of thousands have walked through our doors seeking more than shelter—they’re seeking God,” he said.
The stories shared were raw and deeply human: widows mourning at the ruins of their homes, soldiers weeping during prayer in battlefield trenches, and refugees discovering the love of Christ in churches across Europe.
In one poignant account, Karcha described Viktor, a man in his 50s who came to faith after a lifetime of running from God. “He cried. He wept. And he was born again, right in front of our eyes,” Karcha said. “God is still at work. Still redeeming. Still bringing His children home.”
The Church Without Borders
Karcha also praised the European churches that have stood alongside Ukraine in prayer and in deed. “The Body of Christ is not confined to a border. It’s alive wherever His people are,” he said, thanking believers across the continent for being “His hands and His heart to those in real need.”
Evangelical leaders at the Congress responded with tears and applause as Karcha recounted story after story of divine encounters amid destruction. “This is not just relief work. This is revival,” he said.
A Prophetic Call
The address ended with a powerful challenge to the global Church: “Let history bow down to the cross,” Karcha said. “Even as rockets explode beside us, the foundation of Christ stands firm. The world sees Ukraine as a war zone, but heaven sees a harvest field.”
With the spirit of revival now touching both refugee camps and front-line trenches, Ukraine’s church is echoing the story of Acts: scattered by persecution, but emboldened to preach. From the ashes of conflict, a Gospel fire is rising—and the world is watching.
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