Yaroslav Pyzh, president of the Ukrainian Baptist Theological Seminary, recently discussed how his seminary was holding up during Russia’s war with Ukraine — and how the local church was a key part of its future.
Pyzh appeared May 20 on American Christian apologist and author Alex McFarland’s show on NRBTV. During the broadcast, the two spoke about several topics, ranging from the persistence of Christians during the war in Ukraine as they continued to plant churches to Pyzh’s gratitude for American aid throughout the war. They also discussed how crucial it was for the Church to adhere to its own doctrines.
When talking about the war, Pyzh expressed that peace talks — though they would be ideal — are impossible because Russian leadership does not believe Ukraine has a right to exist. He said Russian President Vladimir Putin seemingly wants to reestablish the Russian Empire, and that requires a takeover of Ukraine.
‘Fighting for our existence’
“It’s an existential fight,” Pyzh said when McFarland asked if Ukraine had a morally sufficient reason to fight. “We are fighting for our existence.”
Pyzh also made it clear that if Ukrainians fought, they could die — but if they did not fight, even more would die. Meanwhile, he noted the faith of many Ukrainians has given the seminary hope during this war.
“I truly believe the transformation of our nation will not happen without the local church,” Pyzh said. “All the emphasis (the seminary) can put is put into church planting. For this reason, all these research centers that we’ve started serve as a platform for church planting. In the last two years, just within our network, we’ve started about 80 church plants.”
‘Real purpose’
While much of the world around them appears to be crumbling as Russian militants bombard their homeland, Pyzh and his team are seeking to build something lasting that their fellow Ukrainians can call home and cling to in difficult times.
“What we’ve tried to do in Ukraine is revive the idea that the real purpose of church is to give birth to the other churches,” Pyzh said.
The Church was made to go out into the world to fulfill its true purpose, he noted.
“The most biblical ecclesiology, in my understanding, is when the church does not separate itself from the world,” Pyzh said. “We are sent into the world, and we have to be light and salt there.
“Sadly, what I’ve seen in Ukraine and, frankly, what I’ve seen a lot of in the United States too, instead of building bridges, we’re building walls,” he noted. “Instead of being in the world, we’re removing ourselves from the world and into the confines of our church buildings.”
Churches were meant to do their ecclesiology, theology and mission work out in the world, he said.
Reaching outside the church walls
“I don’t think Christ called us to do these things in the building. He called us to do it in our lives, in our families, in our friends, in our workplaces,” Pyzh said. “I think true ecclesiology is when you think of your city as your church, when you think of your ministry as your workplace.”
McFarland asked Pyzh how churches could work to build up followers who would continue in the good work of the Church, and Pyzh likened the Church’s approach to that of raising a child, emphasizing the importance of actions and character over hollow words or occasional good deeds.
“In order to raise your children, it’s not about what you do; it’s about who you are,” Pyzh said. “I think it’s the same thing with (2 Timothy 2:2): you can teach a lot of things, but you have to become these things.”
As the Church and those who make it up practice the teachings of Jesus and make it central to who they are, those outside the Church or those who haven’t fully bought in are more likely to be moved closer to Jesus.
Pyzh again pointed to Jesus as an example, noting that Jesus did not preach nearly as much as He acted. The divine was simply part of His existence and dictated His every move, and this is what drew people to Him.
“[Jesus’] life was demonstrated in front of His disciples,” Pyzh said. “They observed, and they started living like Him.”
Warning
Pyzh warned against hypocrisy in the Church, even going so far as to say that it is more pressing than adversity. The biggest issues facing the Church come from within, he noted, and these issues can only be resolved once the Church works to become more like Christ in how it conducts itself.
“If you really want to know what people believe, you look at their life,” Pyzh said. “It was the same thing with Pharisees. All of them were saying good stuff, but Jesus said look at their lives. The problem is we always look for problems somewhere else, and we have a difficult time looking at ourselves and seeing a problem there.”
McFarland asked Pyzh how people could best pray for Ukraine and the Ukrainian Baptist Theological Seminary.
“Please pray for peace, pray for victory, but more than that, pray for the transformation of our people,” Pyzh said. “If our people will not change their hearts, will not follow God, will not love God, all of that is in vain.”
