Ukraine is enduring daily missile strikes, power outages, and a prolonged war that has reshaped every part of life. Mark Serguyev says faith and community remain essential sources of strength, and he sees the church as a place where healing, unity, and hope take root even under fire.
Serguyev grew up in Melitopol and served as a pastor and military chaplain before relocating to Kyiv after Russian forces seized his church and home. He later lost another home in Kyiv to a missile strike. Despite those losses, he helped launch a new evangelical church in the suburbs of the capital in 2024.
According to Serguyev, the church began with “just three families,” and growth followed quickly. “Last Sunday there were 530 people and 60 plus kids,” he says. Space limitations already require two services, and plans are underway to purchase a larger building near the city center. “We’re dreaming and preaching the gospel,” he says. “We still believe God is not ending with this country, with this nation. God is preparing some big revival for this nation.”
Military service shapes much of his ministry, and Serguyev says that Ukraine faces an enormous pastoral challenge. “You have to understand that this is a big challenge for us because we have a little bit more than 1.5 million soldiers right now close to the front line,” he says. Veterans returning home often face severe injuries and trauma. “We have 79,000 veterans already who have kids or lost hands or parts of the body,” he says, adding that church members work daily in hospitals alongside wounded soldiers.
Frontline chaplaincy, he says, brings constant exposure to fear and chaos. “As a chaplain at the front line, we are preaching the gospel every day. We baptize soldiers in the midst of the stress, in the midst of the chaos, thousands of people giving their lives to Jesus.” Growth among chaplains mirrors that demand. “At the beginning of the war, we had only 600 chaplains. Right now, we have more than 6,000 chaplains who personally work at the frontline.”
Unity across denominations stands out as one of the war’s unexpected outcomes. “Right now it’s a big unity,” Serguyev says. “We work with Orthodox, Baptist, and different denominations. We pray together.”
Christmas outreach reflects that mission. Serguyev says the church prepares gifts and events for soldiers’ families. “Their fathers are fighting against Russia, but we’re going to prepare something and start a work with them,” he says. Cultural shifts accompany that effort. “We are changing the culture,” he says, noting Ukraine’s move to celebrate Christmas alongside the West.
Loss defines Serguyev’s personal story as well. He recalls a missile strike that destroyed his Kyiv home while his family prepared for Sunday service. “Just one wall saved my kids,” he says. Worship followed within hours. “We came back, took a guitar and started to lead worship.” The response surprised him. “Hundreds of people, nonbelievers, saw this from their windows,” he says. “We’re crazy about Jesus.”
Winter brings additional hardship. “Sometimes we don’t have electricity for 12 hours,” Serguyev says. Prayer meetings often move to basements during air raid sirens.
Serguyev urges prayer for Ukraine’s leaders and pastors who remain in the country. “When we unite in prayer, God is doing some great things,” he says.
