Report 8 | May 9, 2010
The Lord’s Day dawned beautifully in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine. The clouds and rain are gone and the temps have warmed up nicely.
Yesterday on the mountains I saw snow and the wind was very “crisp.” Saturday was a day that provided an opportunity to talk with the members here and understand their ideas and dreams for the church in Ivano-Frankivsk. Sveta (Ivan’s wife) was telling me that there was a natural gas repair man in their building doing some work and he noticed the stacks of literature outside their door. A conversation ensued with Sveta offering to give the man copies of the literature IF he agreed to read them. She also gave him a Bible and he was shocked that she was giving it to him. He told her that he attended the Greek-Catholic Church and they never give away anything and especially they charge great prices for Bibles. Ivan added that such great costs were charged for the Bibles because the Greek-Catholic Church does not want its members reading the Bibles. So they put a high cost on it to discourage their members from getting a Bible and then add that the members really do not need to spend that much on a Bible because they cannot understand it and they have the priests who will tell them what to do in religion.
You will recall the pictures of the old women carrying the icons at the pro-Russia/Russian Orthodox Church demonstration in Kyiv. I asked Tanya how they decided what icons to carry because some looked very heavy. Tanya replied, “They carry the ones they are told to carry.” For most, religion is a practice of doing what is commanded without thinking and reasoning why the action must be done! God has never expected such “unthinking” behavior but has always called for man to look and reason and understand why a certain behavior should be performed (Jeremiah 6:16; Isaiah 1:18; Acts 17:11).
NOTE: Before some think this is a situation isolated in the authoritarian hierarchies of religious groups rooted in Europe, let it be admitted that many fall into this same trap regardless of their geographical location—they perform religious actions without ever thinking! They do not think how those actions conform or distort Scripture. They do not think how those actions reflect a desire to pacify self instead of glorify God as God has commanded. They do not think that their actions are a flagrant act of blasphemous disregard and disrespect for the Almighty God. One does not have to go across the Atlantic to find those religious worshippers who DO NOT THINK! As my momma would say, “God gave you a head to use for something other than a hat rack!” Tragically, the error of the religiously unthinking will be realized too late and for the brief moments of “enjoyable” religion here they will face a horrifying eternity hereafter. If they refuse to repent and return to the reasoned faith revealed in the Scriptures here, then after death nothing will alter their hereafter!
Sveta’s comments about the gas man’s interest sparked further discussion about the interest that is found here by those seeking a religion of spirit and truth. Ivan says that many doors have opened and there are constantly many that show interest. Ivan says that his main concern is that there is not such a great influx that teaching and practice becomes unscriptural because some bring in error. He is concerned that there be a strong biblically focused core that will become an anchor so the congregation will remain faithful.
I think such is wise. I have seen the case where so many were concerned with “numbers” and urged a great increase only to find that some who came in had their own erroneous agendas and the true church soon vanished. The god of “numbers” has often received the sacrifice of congregations and much time, energy, and money went into error. I am thankful that Ivan has observed this and is cautious about it here. They continue to invite anyone that is interested and study the Bible with those interested but right now the main focus is rooting and grounding the congregation in the doctrine of the Bible. This is the purpose of the intense Bible study that is being conducted each night of the week and that John Durham and I will participate in during our visit (I am teaching Ephesians and John D is teaching 1 Peter).
Ivan had planned for today’s assembly to be overflowing, but the holiday (Victory Day) hindered several from attending (Ivan counted at least 10 of the regular adults NOT in attendance and one is a family with 3 children). He sadly remarked to me, “Why do these not see the importance of being at assemblies but choose other things and allow God’s priorities to be last?” We did have 20 in spite of the holidays. Absent from the assembly today was Hannah and Dmitry. They were coming but called saying their daughter awoke this morning with both arms paralyzed.
Since our last visit two of the members have fallen back into the world. These were two that were immersed last year. Both are struggling with alcoholism. One of these is Vitalick. Those receiving our monthly newsletters will remember that Vitalick’s father was a diabetic who broke his leg and was kept in the hospital’s hall unattended for three days until Ivan contacted the hospital and asked them to get him into a room and surgery. Because of the humanitarian aid shipments that Ivan had sent to the hospital, they immediately got Vitalick’s dad into surgery and then a room but the damage was already done and the neglect coupled with the diabetes forced an amputation and eventually death in about three months.
It was not until after his father’s death that Vitalick began drinking. According to Ivan there is a great anger in Vitalick because of his father’s death and that is why he began drinking. Adding to this is the tragic fact that Vitalick’s wife has never been supportive of him becoming a New Testament Christian and has done everything she could to hinder his involvement—I wonder if she is more satisfied with him being an alcoholic than a New Testament Christian? In any event, she got her desires and her husband is no longer involved with the Lord’s Church! How sad when one will allow selfishness to become so dominant that they forfeit all possible joy. All are asked to pray for Vitalick and the situation in which he finds himself.
There are more and more small children attending the services now and this is good. However, I had to deal with the issue of children taking the Lord’s Supper. I noticed that when the Lord’s Supper was being passed around the children would run up and get some and the parents permitted this. This is not a new problem as I have had to deal with it in every location. What is troubling is that I have discussed this with the preachers in Ukraine and they tell me that they have brought this up in some of their preacher school training classes and the instructors say there is no problem with allowing such (and it is quickly pointed out that these are American instructors!). In talking with Ivan about this matter, he told me that he had previously not permitted children to take the Lord’s Supper but some from America said it was wrong to prevent the children. So he said he did not want to be wrong and did want to show respect to the older teachers so he assumed a neutral position until I discussed it with him. After our discussion he said he felt relieved and felt that a heavy burden has been lifted. He said no one had ever explained why children should not take the Lord’s Supper and he was thankful for the study.
The discussion was no profound study, just simple common sense reasoning. Here are some of the main points discussed:
1. Those partaking of the Lord’s Supper are in a "saved” condition because their sins have been washed away and they are in “communion” with Christ—only those in communion with Christ can properly partake of the Supper.
2. Those who partake of the Supper without knowledge or for the wrong reason are guilty of treating a holy action of worship in an unholy (common) manner.
3. Those who do not properly discern (understand) the Lord’s Body (the Church) and partake of the Supper eat and drink damnation to their souls. Hence, it is EXPECTED that those partaking understand the seriousness of this and avoid any casual or light-hearted manner of partaking.
4. Parents ought to use the Supper as a teaching moment so the children will know it is something special and only those immersed can partake of it.
5. Children are in a “safe” condition—they have no sin. Thus, they do not need to have their sins washed away and do not qualify as those participating in Communion.
6. If it is said a child “understands” what the Lord’s Supper is all about, THEN that child knows enough to be immersed and is lost until full obedience is given to the Lord.
7. If it is said that children are innocent and it does not matter what they do , then one should consider that a failure to honor and respect the holy nature of the worship act of the Lord’s Supper makes the congregation guilty of compromising the holiness of the worship and making what God has deemed as “holy” something that is “common.”
8. Reference the “NOTE” above—another point as to the fact that such involved in “religious acts” do not think through to the consequences of what they are doing when they allow children to take the Lord’s Supper!
After services today Ivan took me to see the plot of land that the city has given to the congregation. Even though the church has already been given it, the legal possession of it will not occur until the paperwork has been finished. It is a nice plot of land and is near the center of the city. It will be large enough to build 1-3 buildings. Bordering it is an orphanage and school and Ivan says the church has been asked to participate in each of these by teaching classes. This land will be given free!
Late this afternoon I received a telephone call saying that a shooting match has been set for me on Tuesday at the militia firing range in Ivano-Frankivsk. I am challenged to compete with the marksmen of the militia. We will be using Kalashnikovs and 9mm pistols. After the call, Ivan looked over at me and said, “John, these men like to boast and are arrogant about their shooting skills so they do not like to lose. You need to know this.” It ought to be a most interesting outing.
John L. Kachelman, Jr.
Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine
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