Ukraine
Ukraine is home to the fastest growing church in Europe.
Brief History
Ukrainian USSR was one of the founding republics of the USSR as far back as 1918. Ukraine has a history of shifting borders and external control. The Orthodox Church has been one of the only withstanding entities of Ukraine. Much of Ukrainian identity is thus found in Orthodoxy. In 1991, the Soviet Union fell, freeing Ukraine as an independent country, but in 2004 the Orange Revolution showed Ukraine’s continued political instability. 70% of Ukrainians still claim to belong to Orthodox Christianity; however, due to the political pressure the church succumbed to under communism, many Ukrainians are skeptical toward it.
Spiritual Demographics
Ukraine is approximately the size of Texas and has a population of approximately 48 million. Only 1-3% of the population is protestant Christian (Baptist and Pentecostal denominations). Unfortunately, the rule-based legalism of the Orthodox Church has impacted the protestant denominations as well.
Ministry Outlook
Ukraine is home to the fastest growing church in Europe. The youth of Ukraine are very open. There is a sense of hope among them that does not exist in the older generation. Often the local church faces a challenge of clashing cultures as young and old struggle over forms of church. In 2006, a small Josiah Venture team moved into the city of Lviv. They began working with local churches to help build youth groups and train youth leaders. They began evangelistic outreaches through camps and English clubs. Josiah Venture has a strategic opportunity to help by modeling healthy discipleship of young people through the local church in a culture that is responding to God‘s call. Pray with us that we can help build sustaining youth ministries, disciple believers to have authentic faith, and train passionate leaders to lead new believers.
Meet the Missionaries
These passionate full-time missionaries have devoted their lives to equipping young leaders in Ukraine through the local church.
...
Ukraine
Ministry Projects
European-Led Camps in Ukraine
Even as the war enters its fourth difficult year, we remain incredibly grateful that the ministry of evangelistic summer camps in Ukraine continues to grow at an astounding pace.
Thanks to your support of our European-led summer camp initiative, churches across Ukraine are empowered to host life-changing events. Volunteers from all over the continent are coming alongside Ukrainian leaders, serving shoulder-to-shoulder in a powerful display of unity and hope. This partnership has become a vital force for evangelism and discipleship, bringing much-needed encouragement and spiritual renewal to the Ukrainian church during these challenging times.
Even as the war enters its fourth difficult year, we remain incredibly grateful that the ministry of evangelistic summer camps in Ukraine continues to grow at an astounding pace.
Thanks to your support of our European-led summer camp initiative, churches across Ukraine are empowered to host life-changing events. Volunteers from all over the continent are coming alongside Ukrainian leaders, serving shoulder-to-shoulder in a powerful display of unity and hope. This partnership has become a vital force for evangelism and discipleship, bringing much-needed encouragement and spiritual renewal to the Ukrainian church during...
Even as the war enters its fourth difficult year, we remain incredibly grateful that the ministry of evangelistic summer camps in Ukraine continues to grow at an astounding pace.
Thanks to your support of our European-led summer camp initiative, churches across Ukraine are empowered to host life-changing events. Volunteers from all over the continent are coming alongside Ukrainian leaders, serving shoulder-to-shoulder in a powerful display of unity and hope. This partnership has become a vital force for evangelism and discipleship, bringing much-needed encouragement and spiritual renewal to the Ukrainian church during these challenging times.
Fusiondary Travel Fund – Ukraine
Our goal: $7,000
Fusionday 2026 is taking place April 24th-26th 2026 in the town of Vsetin, Czech Republic! Our theme for the festival is “Dare,” and we want to prayerfully challenge the teenagers in attendance to take steps towards God in tandem with experiencing a lot of creativity, fun, international community, and inspiration during the festival. The program will include Fusion concerts, seminars, country time, a “Dare Fair” where each Fusion will create its own station to share, worship, a clear Gospel presentation, time to engage with counselors, and more.
We plan to have 10+ countries represented and 500+ people at the festival. Each country needs to travel to the festival, which is an additional expense. Would you be willing to help support the teenagers from Ukraine as they travel, primarily by bus, to the festival? We are praying that each and every teenager will have a personal encounter with God at Fusiondary, and first they need to get there!
Our goal: $7,000
Fusionday 2026 is taking place April 24th-26th 2026 in the town of Vsetin, Czech Republic! Our theme for the festival is “Dare,” and we want to prayerfully challenge the teenagers in attendance to take steps towards God in tandem with experiencing a lot of creativity, fun, international community, and inspiration during the festival. The program will include Fusion concerts, seminars, country time, a “Dare Fair” where each Fusion will create its own station to share, worship, a clear Gospel presentation, time to engage with counselors, and more.
We plan...
Our goal: $7,000
Fusionday 2026 is taking place April 24th-26th 2026 in the town of Vsetin, Czech Republic! Our theme for the festival is “Dare,” and we want to prayerfully challenge the teenagers in attendance to take steps towards God in tandem with experiencing a lot of creativity, fun, international community, and inspiration during the festival. The program will include Fusion concerts, seminars, country time, a “Dare Fair” where each Fusion will create its own station to share, worship, a clear Gospel presentation, time to engage with counselors, and more.
We plan to have 10+ countries represented and 500+ people at the festival. Each country needs to travel to the festival, which is an additional expense. Would you be willing to help support the teenagers from Ukraine as they travel, primarily by bus, to the festival? We are praying that each and every teenager will have a personal encounter with God at...
Help a Frontline Worker in Ukraine
Our team has identified 50 ministry leaders across eastern Ukraine who are bearing much fruit! These leader have made a significant impact on the expansion of God’s kingdom since the full-scale war began, primarily in the areas of youth ministry and forming new churches in difficult areas. Your gifts will help mobilize these leaders and ministries to serve their vulnerable communities and boldly proclaim the hope we have in Christ.
Our team has identified 50 ministry leaders across eastern Ukraine who are bearing much fruit! These leader have made a significant impact on the expansion of God’s kingdom since the full-scale war began, primarily in the areas of youth ministry and forming new churches in difficult areas. Your gifts will help mobilize these leaders and ministries to serve their vulnerable communities and boldly proclaim the hope we have in Christ.
Our team has identified 50 ministry leaders across eastern Ukraine who are bearing much fruit! These leader have made a significant impact on the expansion of God’s kingdom since the full-scale war began, primarily in the areas of youth ministry and forming new churches in difficult areas. Your gifts will help mobilize these leaders and ministries to serve their vulnerable communities and boldly proclaim the hope we have in Christ.
Help Ukraine – General Fund
The Josiah Venture team continues to serve Ukrainians by responding to their various needs in the midst of war. Currently, the team is focused on three major areas of aid:
Youth Ministry Development: Our geographical focus is on 14 of the hardest-hit regions of Ukraine, primarily east of the Dnipro River. In these areas, we have been more closely partnering with 50 churches/key leaders who are courageously and intentionally ministering to youth in challenging times.
Ongoing Aid to Key Partners: Due to the atrocities of war, we remain open to helping our eastern partners with humanitarian care. This aid is in the form of internally displaced persons (IDP) assistance, food packages, spiritual and emotional care, and ministering to family members of deceased countrymen and countrywomen.
Propelling JV Ukraine Ministries Forward: The Lord has opened up many doors to strengthen existing initiatives in Ukraine and to launch new ones forward. We are grateful for assistance so that the hope of Christ can go forth boldly in hard times.
The Josiah Venture team continues to serve Ukrainians by responding to their various needs in the midst of war. Currently, the team is focused on three major areas of aid:
Youth Ministry Development: Our geographical focus is on 14 of the hardest-hit regions of Ukraine, primarily east of the Dnipro River. In these areas, we have been more closely partnering with 50 churches/key leaders who are courageously and intentionally ministering to youth in challenging times.
Ongoing Aid to Key Partners: Due to the atrocities of war, we remain open to helping our...
The Josiah Venture team continues to serve Ukrainians by responding to their various needs in the midst of war. Currently, the team is focused on three major areas of aid:
Youth Ministry Development: Our geographical focus is on 14 of the hardest-hit regions of Ukraine, primarily east of the Dnipro River. In these areas, we have been more closely partnering with 50 churches/key leaders who are courageously and intentionally ministering to youth in challenging times.
Ongoing Aid to Key Partners: Due to the atrocities of war, we remain open to helping our eastern partners with humanitarian care. This aid is in the form of internally displaced persons (IDP) assistance, food packages, spiritual and emotional care, and ministering to family members of deceased countrymen and countrywomen.
Propelling JV Ukraine Ministries Forward: The Lord has opened up many doors to strengthen existing initiatives in Ukraine and to launch new ones forward. We are grateful for...
Send a Ukrainian to Summer Camp
Financial times are hard in Ukraine, yet summer camps continue to be a fruitful tool to encourage young people to follow Christ. Since the war started, JV Ukraine has been hosting a record amount of camps each summer (30+). Financial assistance for camp scholarships will help families in financial hardship.
Financial times are hard in Ukraine, yet summer camps continue to be a fruitful tool to encourage young people to follow Christ. Since the war started, JV Ukraine has been hosting a record amount of camps each summer (30+). Financial assistance for camp scholarships will help families in financial hardship.
Financial times are hard in Ukraine, yet summer camps continue to be a fruitful tool to encourage young people to follow Christ. Since the war started, JV Ukraine has been hosting a record amount of camps each summer (30+). Financial assistance for camp scholarships will help families in financial hardship.
Related Posts
Learn More
Help Ukraine
4 Years of War
February 24, 2022, radically and forever changed every Ukrainian. Each of us missionaries on the Josiah Venture Ukraine team have seen significant differences in our daily realities, both in life and in ministry. Russia’s aggression has brought immense tragedy, pain, tears, death, destruction, uncertainty, and despair. It’s hard to believe that we have been living in this reality for four years now. Many friends from different countries ask what is happening in Ukraine today, since our war has almost completely disappeared from their news feeds. We are especially grateful to those who ask rather than assume or forget. No matter how propaganda tries to shape…
Learn More
Discipleship
A New Generation of Missionaries
Dear Friends, “I am sending you.” —Jesus At the end of January, I spent a week with 52 new Josiah Venture missionaries at our winter Academy. Talking with them at meals and in training sessions, I was overwhelmed with the quality and passion of this next generation of missionaries. Let me briefly tell you a few of their stories. Klemen (Slovenia) trusted Christ at 16 years of age when his best friend—the son of JV missionaries—shared the gospel with him on a napkin and challenged him to put his faith in Jesus. With so few evangelical believers in Slovenia, Klemen experienced rejection from his friends…
Learn More
Help Ukraine
“Yes” to God’s Calling
This summer, 40 of us—including myself—became summer missionaries in Central and Eastern Europe. Pretty amazing, right? Each of us said “yes” to God’s call to serve. I am from Ukraine, and for the past three years, I’ve been living, working, and serving in the Czech Republic, in the city of Ústí nad Labem. This year, I’m serving as a Josiah Venture intern. Before the internship began, I was really nervous. I kept wondering how I would communicate with Americans and people from other European countries—it’s a whole mix of different cultures. About a week before departure, I kept telling myself, “Nika, why are you doing…