In the Classroom and Around Europe
New students, a new online platform, and news from our graduates
In the Classroom
The spring semester at UBI has been richly blessed in many ways. We welcomed five new students in January, joining the 19 who were continuing from the fall.
The new semester also brought a big change. After months of planning and preparation, we launched UBI’s new online learning platform in January. This is a set of online tools to facilitate and organize the educational process for students, teachers, and UBI administration. It’s taken some time to get to know the system, but the platform has brought about a number of welcome improvements. Students can access course material and submit assignments and tests more easily, and teachers and administrators have more organized ways to assess students’ work and record grades.
Since the beginning of the year, the students have studied Galatians, Life and Teachings of Christ 2 (Matthew), Isaiah, New Testament Church, James, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Ephesians+Colossians, Philippians+Thessalonians, and Daniel. These classes have been led by instructors in Ukraine as well as from the USA.
In addition, we have slowly reintegrated preaching classes and practice labs into our students’ education. This was a staple of the UBI experience before the war, when we were in the classroom, and it’s a type of class that is especially hard to adapt to the online-only training we are currently providing. We are glad to be at a point now that we can re-introduce these classes and help the students cultivate this important skill.
This week, our students are enjoying a class on Conflict Resolution, led by Randy Lowry, former president of Lipscomb University. The class is going well and the students are enjoying it. Beginning next week, we will begin our final five-week term, with classes scheduled to finish on May 31st.
In The Field
More than ever, the work and ministry of UBI does not end when class is over each day. Our students, staff and graduates are hard at work all around Ukraine. They participate in the growing distribution of humanitarian aid (we are currently helping provide around 7,000 meals per day), and they lead congregations and encourage Christians and displaced families throughout Ukraine and in other countries.
We are happy to report that one of our graduates has recently begun a new congregation in The Hague, Netherlands. Oleksandr Nikolaenko has been reaching the Ukrainian refugee community around him for the last two years, mostly ministering to local Ukrainian youth. Two months ago he, along with other Ukrainian brothers and sisters, planted a brand new Ukrainian congregation. UBI has partnered with him in his ministry since he, his wife Nastia, as well as their daughters evacuated to the Hague soon after the war began. You can follow their ongoing ministry by subscribing to their family newsletter here.
What the Lord is doing through the Nikolaenkos in the Netherlands is just one recent example of the ongoing expansion of the kingdom by Ukrainian workers in multiple countries. In Poland, we continue to partner with graduates in Warsaw and Elblang to help them continue their good work with the new congregations they have helped establish in those cities.
Looking Forward
Plans are underway for our upcoming graduation in early June. This year we should have six students graduating. These six will be the last of our current students whose studies began before the full-scale invasion started. This is also a three-fold increase from the two students who graduated last spring, which reflects our gradual return to full-time studies and the increasing number of our students since the war began.
This year’s graduation will be held in combination with another gathering of UBI’s humanitarian ministry partners. Like we did in November, we plan to host as many of these servant leaders as possible to have a time of sharing, blessing, and encouragement for them. Lord willing, we are looking at having this combined graduation and partner event at a retreat center right outside of Kyiv. Over a period of three days we want to provide a special time of fellowship, rest, and renewal for everyone as we honor our graduates.
Unfortunately the predictions for a potential spring Russian offensive (or at least more consistent and aggressive air attacks) are a reality we are preparing for. Not only might that change our graduation plans, it also means we want to be ready to help Ukrainians who may soon be evacuating eastern Ukraine.
As always, we thank you for your consistent partnership. Through your prayers and donations, God is using UBI to reach many different people and places in many different ways. All glory belongs to Him, and we praise Him for every one of you!
—Brandon Price and Rob Hindman