Ukrainian refugees choose to be ‘happy missionaries’ among diaspora

By Lindsey Carraway
Writing Specialist

One moment, the Skopyches were tourists, vacationing in Europe to visit friends. The next, they were among an overwhelming swell of millions of Ukrainian evacuees, losing homes, careers, and stability during the Russian invasion of 2022. 

Nickolas Skopych and his family could have leaned into the misery of their new reality as refugees, as so many had done. Instead, they leaned into Christ and chose to be “happy missionaries.”

On Mar. 31, the Missions Mobilization department of the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board (MBCB) hosted a Connection Meeting with Nickolas Skopych and his son, Martin, Ukrainian Baptist missionaries to the diaspora in Germany. The meeting emphasized how Mississippi Baptists can partner with the Ukrainian Missional Movement (UMM), a network of Ukrainian Baptist churches working to multiply and plant churches across Europe.

Seeking meaning in life

Ironically, Nickolas was raised in a Soviet family in Kyiv. Like other Soviets, he was told that Baptists were a bloodthirsty, infant-sacrificing cult. Around the dissolution of the Soviet Union, however, he began to seek meaning in his life. By God’s sovereignty, an American Baptist missionary handed Nickolas a Gospel tract on the streets of Kyiv. 

Nickolas gave his life to Christ, grew in ministry with other believers, and attended the seminary started by American Baptists. He joined a Bible study group of new believers, out of which was formed Almaz Church, where he would pastor from 2000 to 2022. 

Having decided to be missionaries in their unexpected circumstance, the Skopyches planted Almaz Germany Church. Nickolas wears many hats as pastor, missionary, coordinator of UMM, and director of the Ukrainian education program at the Bible Seminary in Bonn, Germany. 

Today, 88 Ukrainian Baptist churches have been planted in Germany, and more than 150 are scattered across Europe. Germany is open to refugees, making 20% of the population immigrants from around the world.

“We use our unique opportunity to share the Gospel,” said Nickolas. “Ukrainians are very open to talk about God now. Today, you can meet on the streets and begin to talk with them. In Ukraine, they would react negatively to a stranger speaking to them. But outside of Ukraine, where we are refugees and have that commonality, they want to talk just because we are the same, and they are very open to talk about hard issues, about worries in life, and about God. We understand now that it’s a great opportunity to preach and plant new churches in our language.

The Skopyches’ goal in ministry is to strengthen the Ukrainian Missional Movement. They want to encourage Ukrainians to be missionaries where they are by supporting new leaders, new churches, and new initiatives to continue to fulfill the Great Commission. 

“We do this by leading by example,” said Nickolas. “That is why I am a pastor in a Ukrainian church in Germany. We develop our church with the Gospel because example is very important to encourage people and share with them instruments for ministry.”

Reaching beyond Ukraine

Among the many post-Christian European countries, Germany is now approximately 1% evangelical Christian. An absence of missional passion plagues the German church. When Ukrainian Christians entered the picture, compelled by Christ’s calling amid their hardship, they recognized an incredible opportunity to encourage their German brothers and sisters in Christ.

“When we left Ukraine, we lost our cars, our houses, our careers, our ‘adultness,’” Nickolas explained. “When you come to a new country, a new culture, a new language, you no longer feel like an adult. You are like a child; you must learn how to do simple things. When Germans saw how we would cry but we did not lose joy in Christ, they said to us that Ukrainians give them a good example in evangelism. 

“We decided to be happy missionaries, instead of pitiful refugees. We decided to preach Christ. We decided we are still followers of Christ, we still have a mission, and we still have a great goal in our life.”

Partnering in ministry

Most Ukrainian ministers and missionaries are young and/or new believers. They need encouragement through training, equipment, and support. They need reminders that they are not alone in the work of the Lord and that they are cared about and loved. 

As Ukrainian refugees, the churches do not have the means to easily finance annual retreats. Nickolas emphasized just a few ways Southern Baptists can partner together with the UMM:

• Developing encouraging relationships through weekly or monthly Zoom/video call meetings to pray with ministers.
• Taking short-term trips with small or large teams to evangelize and serve alongside UMM.
• Teaching in seminary programs. 
• Sharing materials for UMM to translate, and aiding in their distribution.
• Serving in retreats for men’s ministry, women’s ministry, student ministry, and children’s ministry. 
• “Adopting” an evacuating Ukrainian family for temporary housing, until a permanent residence can be secured. Almaz Germany Church is working toward building their own “apartments” for temporary housing. Until then, they help in renting small apartments for evacuating families. 

Nickolas’ son, Martin, leads in student ministry. During their trip to the United States, Martin searched for American Baptist leaders who would mentor and encourage Ukrainian student ministers. 

“I know of at least 15 student leaders in western Germany who are between 19 to 23 years old, very young, and never have had experience in ministry,” said Martin. “They came to this ministry not because it was their dream, but because it is a huge need.” 

Martin explained that many Ukrainian students come from unchurched homes with parents struggling with poor mental health. This has led to a huge generational gap and a rise in suicide among teenagers. 

“Student ministry is a really big burden, but our pastors do not usually support this ministry,” said Martin. “They don’t yet see the value of it. I’m worried that we might lose student ministries if we don’t build these relationships with them.”

“We have so many areas we want to work in, but we don’t have structure,” said Nickolas. “We really need partners (from the Southern Baptist Convention) because you have that long-term organization and that experience.”

A passion for missions

Speaking to the room of American Baptists, Nickolas acknowledged, “I don’t know if you feel this, but you have this uniqueness in your Christianity, in that you have this passion for missions and to preach the Gospel.

“When I was young, we didn’t have Bibles, Christian books, seminary — nothing like that. I want to say thank you to American missionaries, because you came and gave brochures and began ministry in Ukraine, and it really personally influenced my story in becoming a Christian.”

For more information on how you and your church can partner with the UMM, contact the Missions Mobilization department at 601-292-3394 or cmccord@mbcb.org.