Back Online and Broadcasting Around The World

Beginning our 26th year with dreams for the future.

Alexander Maliuga, along with just a few of our students, are in Kyiv and are joining everyone live from the classroom.

Despite the heartbreak over the war in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Bible Institute is in an exciting place. Even though we can't stop dreaming about the day we return home, we are also dreaming about the different ways UBI can adapt to this new situation and provide Biblical education and practical ministry training to new people in new places, and in new ways.

Online Studies

Last week, we returned to the (virtual) classroom for the first time since the day the war began more than six months ago. This marked the beginning of UBI's 26th year and was our first step into a new future as we begin to experiment with an online format that can reach our students wherever they are while also doing it in a way that takes into account different time zones and different pesonal schedules. The Covid pandemic certainly taught us a lot about temporary online education for our full-time residential students, but there is still much more we need to develop as we face the reality that this might be our new normal for the foreseeable future.

But that future is exciting. Last Monday we were joined by our staff and students from around the globe: Kyiv, Dnipro, Irpin, Kamianske, Uzhgorod, Chernivtsi, Warsaw, Sopot, Pescara, Belfast, Reno, and Dallas. We welcomed 16 students, and we were even joined by a few UBI alumni who wanted to take some refresher courses.

For the time being, UBI is providing only two classes each afternoon—one for our first-year students and one for our second-year students. And because our classes are 100% online, we are able to accept new students at the beginning of each course instead of only at the beginning of each semester. As we begin our first three-week course today, we are adding even more new students.

We will continue making adjustments to the schedule and to our program as we gain experience and valuable student and teacher feedback, but it feels good to be together again and teaching eager students God's word from wherever they are.

Teaching to the Times

In addition to our regular Bible courses, we are beginning to offer practical training that speaks to the situation in Ukraine right now.

At the end of September, we will host a special online seminar on the topic of grief and trauma care. This will be specifically for our current students and active alumni. We want to equip today's ministers with important principles and understanding about grief and trauma—not only as they reach out to help others, but also as they struggle themselves. As we face the reality that this war isn't going anywhere anytime soon, we understand that mental health care for our ministering brothers and sisters is going to be vital to their long-term success.

Last week, we were excited to welcome Thereasa Winnett here to Sopot to host several seminars in person. Thereasa has taught many women's courses at UBI over the years, and she has come to Poland for two weeks to teach about care for children during a time of war. She is making several presentations to different refugee centers in the area and will be hosting a seminar at the Sopot Church of Christ where she'll be speaking to the refugees among the church as well as to others we've invited from the community.

Thereasa and Natasha presenting at one of the refugee centers in Sopot.

Hosting the first seminar at the Sopot Church of Christ this last Saturday

Thereasa has written a book on caring for children during a time of war that UBI is publishing in Ukrainian soon. We pray this will be a blessing which reaches far and wide to families affected by this tragedy.

Conclusion

And so the beginning of UBI's 26th year is off to a strong and exciting start. We thank you, as always, for your continued partnership with us. Through your help, the Ukrainian Bible Institute has been able to organize and provide aid for countless Ukrainians both inside and outside Ukraine, take care of its own students and staff, and is now back in the classroom teaching God's Word to eager disciples around the world.

Praise God for you, and praise God for the light He is shining during such a dark time.

Leaning on Him in new ways every day,

Brandon Price