Peace be to you! With these words we greet all the churches of Christ.
The events of the last week on the territory of Ukraine are an indication of the imminent coming of Jesus Christ, confirming the words of the Holy Bible: "And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end." (Matthew 24:6.)
Both in times of peace and in times of war it is our duty to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, to offer intercessory prayer for peace, to condemn sin, and to oppose evil. Also we, as Christians, must openly express our assessment of events and actions based on the teachings of the Bible.
Given the current situation, we condemn Russia's open aggression against Ukraine, the shelling of Ukraine's cities by the Russian Military, and the killing of peaceful Ukrainian civilians, such as children, women, and the elderly, by the Russian Military. There is now ample evidence of indiscriminate shelling of residential neighborhoods. God's Word condemns that as sin and it qualifies as a crime against humanity.
We condemn the war, in which thousands of Russian soldiers, Ukrainian warriors, and peaceful residents and children have died. The Russian Military has bombed Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mariupol, and other cities and towns in Ukraine; people are cowering in bomb shelters, hospitals and schools are destroyed. We urge first and foremost that the churches of our association, as well as all Christians, pray to the Lord for an end to aggression and for establishing peace in Ukraine.
We urge you to demonstrate your civil rights and appeal to U.S. authorities, so as to help Ukraine in confronting aggression and increase pressure on the Russian Government to terminate combat actions and bring out troops from Ukraine.
We call on Christians to show compassion and to help the victims in Ukraine. Also, as Christians we have to protect peace in our families and churches, and avoid disputes that do not edify.
We urge you to raise your voice in defense of Ukraine, to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ without fear, show compassion, forgiveness, kindness, love for one another, keep unity in the body of Christ - the Church!
Yours in Christ,
Roman Kapran - the Ukrainian Evangelical Baptist Convention in the United States
Paul Demyanik - the Western Ukrainian Evangelical Baptist Convention
Ivan Mileyev - the Pacific Coast Slavic Baptist Association
George Harlov - the Russian-Ukrainian Evangelical Baptist Union
March, 2022
