Alpha Ukraine’s ministry grew substantially in 2024, the third year of war, with more and more churches across the country starting to run Alpha, reaching nearly 5,000 people – 85% higher than in 2023.
The difficult circumstances
of war are bringing people
closer to God, and Alpha is
playing a key role.
“The difficult circumstances of war are bringing people closer to God, and Alpha is playing a key role,” says Marine Brigade Chaplain Gennadiy Lyebedev.
He and his wife were pastors of a church in Mykolaiv in southern Ukraine when the war escalated, and artillery and rockets started falling on the city.
Evacuated
“Most people from our church were evacuated and we stopped our services,” he recalls. “I felt called to become a chaplain and started working towards that goal. But we saw how many people around us needed help, even for basic things like food, clothing and shelter, so we started collecting this kind of help.”
Knowing that people also needed hope and strength in this difficult situation, Gennadiy and his wife decided to run Alpha, inviting people to attend and then receive the food and other practical help they needed at the end of each session.
“People were so interested in the course, literally from the very first meeting – we were very excited!” shares Gennadiy. “We have run 14 Alphas in this way, with 8-12 people attending each of them.”
Becoming Christians through Alpha
With so many people in the area becoming Christians through Alpha, not only did the church re-open and resume services but it also planted another church on the outskirts of the city.
“During Alpha people get to know each other, becoming close friends and staying in the church – they realise that they are the church,” notes Gennadiy. “And even those who don’t become church members tell us that Alpha is the best experience of church they’d ever had.”
Gennadiy’s wife continues to lead the church while he now works as a military chaplain. Alpha, he says, is “exactly what is needed” to engage soldiers.
“Even before the war I used to run Alpha among the military in their free time, using the video, especially among young soldiers,” he says. “It helps change their perception of Christianity, answering all their questions and presenting in in a very accessible, non-denominational, non-religious way.”
People of faith, not religion
The military command, he notes, is supportive of the work he is doing and the role that Alpha is playing because they see it helping soldiers to “become people of faith, not religion.”
“We usually minister to soldiers when they are stationed in civilian homes during their holidays, and their hosts often also want to be included, too. We use Alpha during these visits.”
One solider was so moved by what he experienced and learned he is now studying to become a chaplain.
Gennadiy continues to build a network of pastors in Mykolaiv from different denominations and intends to harness the full potential of Alpha to serve soldiers and their families.
“Together we are planning to organise camps for military personnel and their families, where we will run Alpha, Alpha Youth and The Marriage Course,” he says.
