History Of Zhitomir Church

The Church was organized in the beginning of 1950. The church started with only 7 people but began to grow. The Church was persecuted and was fined by the Communist government and labeled illegal. The believers held secret services in private homes and the Lord protected them.

When I arrived in Zhitomir in 1975 there were 70 members. In the beginning of 1980 I began my work as a minister, and in the end of 1980 I became pastor of the Zhitomir Church. In 1990 the number of Christians had increased to 150 people. In 1993 there were 52 more people baptized and added to the church making a total of over 200 believers. We began to have services in the "tent" as it was called. This was a temporary building designed as a tent which we built on the property of one of the brothers. It was not possible for us to gather such a large group in private houses.

In 1993 the trials and tests began to take place in the Church. The test came after the door was open to our country, and many different religions and beliefs came. We had a standard of Holiness and were living a sanctified life before the Lord. A group from Norway came to visit our church and offered to help us. They promised us humanitarian help and to build us a large church. When these people came they did not have a standard of Holiness, they were just like the world. As pastor, I rejected the offers of these people. But I had an assistant pastor who began to work with the Norwegians and to draw the people of the church to follow those people who had no standard of holy living. This assistant pastor convinced the owner of the property to follow him, and we were put off the property. Myself and 100 of the members that believed in Godly living were not allowed to return to the tent church and were out in the street with no place to worship. Sixty of the members stayed with the assistant pastor and the rest left the church completely. The Lord did not leave us without hope. In 1994 he sent us help through Faith Mission. With the efforts of Faith Mission and help from the Christians in America, God has supplied our needs. In that same year property was bought and we removed walls in the house that was on the property and began to worship there. In a short while construction on a new church building was begun. Today we have a beautiful church, and God is blessing the church with many new souls coming to the Lord.

With the help of Faith Mission the church is now reaching out and has new works started in 10 different villages. In 6 of these villages we have buildings that we have purchased or have built. We are planning to spread the work to other villages as the Lord provides for us.

We are very thankful to God for Faith Mission and to our Brothers and Sisters in America who have participated in this work with their prayers and material support.

May God bless All of You!!!

Pastor Valeriy Shevchuk

Oct 25, 2002

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