Dear brothers and sisters,
I'd like to share with you the news about summer months’ work of Bear Valley Bible Institute - Ukraine.
This school year we have 5 new students who want to join our program. Currently we are actively looking for any opportunities to make it happen. Undoubtedly, we need our joined efforts, prayers and faithful brethren who believe in success of our work for God. It's hard to find financial support for this ministry locally. Majority of congregations in Ukraine do not have enough funds to help someone outside of their own congregation. Currently, of all Ukrainian congregations only Kramatorsk Church of Christ financially supports our ministry. I trust God's provision and your help in this matter. If you want to help our Institute and be useful for the Lord's work in Ukraine please contact Terry Harmon, Bear Valley Bible Institute - Ukraine coordinator.
In August our graduates, preachers and teachers had VBS in many locations, in Dnipro, Brovary, Chernovtsy, Kiyv and the Carpathian Mountains. They had baptisms, they had personal studies. A lot of fruitful work was done thanks to their joined efforts. Our Institute has helped so many future preachers to gain knowledge, confidence and some experience during their two years of studies.
At present we are getting ready for our VBS in Bela Tserkva in the end of August. And the new school year will start after it. As usual we start our school year in the beginning of September. This is the traditional time for all educational establishments in Ukraine. The end of the school year is in May. I sent the courses schedule to our Instructions and they are ready to start teaching.
Our second year class will have 6 students. I had to expel two students because of their unchristian actions and attitudes. It seems that they are not sorry about their actions but on the contrary feel angry towards God and the church. I strongly believe that we have to administer disciplinary actions in some cases when sin is evident.
We have reached the final stages in the project of publishing Jim Mettenbrink's book "Commentaries to the book of Isaiah". We are thankful to God that brother Mettenbrink has willingness and funds to help the spiritual growth of Ukrainian Christians.
My family as well as our students send you their greetings. We deeply appreciate our faithful brethren's help with the growth of Churches of Christ in Ukraine.
Your brother and co-worker,
Dennis Sopelnik.