Amid War’s Destruction, God Builds TWR Ukraine’s Ministry

TWR Ukraine Director Alexander Chmut hugs an evacuating loved one farewell at the beginning of the conflict. [image courtesy of TWR Ukraine]

As an anxious world reflects on the one-year anniversary of war in Ukraine, TWR’s partners in the war zone are living an extraordinary truth. Amid the danger and devastation, God has chosen to bless their work mightily.   

Before war broke out between Russia and Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, TWR already had a productive ministry in cooperation with its partners in Ukraine. An interactive program called Studying the Bible Together was going strong, prompting intellectual questions about faith.

The team traveled regularly with a portable studio to interview pastors and opinion leaders. They knew how to produce relevant, gospel-centered content while keeping the listeners’ interest. Local Roma people, often disparagingly called Gypsies, were engaging in biblical teaching on the internet, CDs, and radio.

But since the start of the war one year ago, TWR Ukraine has persevered under trials, adapted to their new reality, and overcome unforeseen dangers, determined to see lives changed by the gospel. The team is thriving like never before.

“Never before in the history of TWR Ukraine have we received as many responses to our programs as we are receiving today during the war,” TWR Ukraine Director Alexander Chmut said. “We don't know when this war will end, but we do know that today we are witnessing an incredible display of God's power in the lives of millions.”

This spiritual awakening is certainly not confined to Ukraine. National borders, land disputes and even warfare can’t hinder God’s work. Just a day after the start of the conflict, TWR’s ministry friends in Russia contacted the Ukraine team to say they were praying for them. Days later, TWR began broadcasting to Ukraine, Russia and Belarus from a second transmitter. Hope knows no barriers.

In April 2022, TWR announced a 24/7 livestream for Ukrainian refugees. The massive and sudden dispersion of Ukrainians from their homeland created a higher demand for encouraging biblical content, accessible from anywhere in the world. And the livestream provided nonstop Ukrainian worship music, Scripture readings and words of encouragement for anyone with internet access.

Jon Fugler, TWR’s chief content officer, said, “One of the things we’ve learned, and we’ve experienced ourselves, is that music has a great ministry to our hearts and souls.” As time goes on, more and more Ukrainians are tuning in to the livestream and more songs are being added. Amazingly, the project went from concept to completion in less than a month. What’s more, Ukrainian refugees themselves volunteered as translators.

Roughly 200,000 to 300,000 Roma people reportedly live in Ukraine. As one of the most persecuted minorities in Europe, the Roma face social deprivation and discrimination. Even as war raged around him, the author and host of Roma Camp Moves On recorded about 50 episodes for Ukrainian Roma listeners. In August, the team reported that several hundred Roma people living in Ukraine were baptized.

God has protected and blessed TWR’s team in Ukraine as they minister in a war-torn nation. When missile strikes intensified, they moved to a makeshift basement studio. During intermittent blackouts, they learned to produce programs by candlelight and uninterruptible power supplies. Conscripted early on to dig trenches, a shovel-carrying Chmut recorded an inspiring video update on his way to work and drew 7.4 million views and 16,000 comments on Facebook.

The team distributed radios and shared the salvation message on the front lines. And donations to Ukraine-Russia Crisis Fund enabled TWR to help provide for team members displaced by the fighting, for supplies to sustain ministry operations and for significant modifications involving multiple transmitters to keep broadcasts on the air throughout the region.

In the early days of the war, Chmut shared from his heart: “In the present world, life has changed. The world is not going to be the same, and we don’t know what to expect. But I know that God has already planned the end of the world and human history. He has promised us that everything will be for our good.”

In this life-and-death ordeal, many people living in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus are asking the ultimate questions of life and as result appear to be absorbing what they hear over gospel media and responding to God’s call. TWR ministry partners in these countries repeatedly ask for prayer from believers around the world – for protection, for provision and for peace.

We encourage you to view a special 1½-minute video message created by TWR Ukraine to mark the anniversary. And as you are led by the Lord, we also invite you to download our multipage guide Global Call to Prayer, which offers specific ways to pray for these brothers and sisters and their countries.