Christians celebrate the birth of Christ during Christmas to commemorate the reason for His coming. When God promised a Savior, He kept His word. The “Christ” means the Anointed One of God and is linked to the Old Testament concept of Messiah. Jesus was the promised Messiah! The Christ child was “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). It was the purpose of His coming to reveal the only way to come to God the Father.
Jesus was born to give the world love. The love that Jesus exemplified was sacrificial, not self-serving. The Son of God “loved me, and delivered Himself up for me” (Galatians 2:20). The love that Jesus epitomized...
In many of the small towns and villages in the Slavic world, life is simple but strenuous. Many families still live off the land cultivating different crops and raising different animals. Preparing for winter occupies a great deal of time with canning vegetables and stewing fruits for homemade juice. Consistent work often is difficult to find; therefore, “living off the land” is extremely necessary for survival.
Children assist their parents in daily chores, and routines of rural life keep the family unit extremely close-knitted. When older, the young people travel to larger cities to study and usually stay after education, since very few jobs can be found in their small hometowns...
Jesus Christ wants His followers to share their faith to others. “Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity” (Colossians 4:5). Only through contact with real Christians can the world see that Jesus Christ is “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Only through Him is salvation from sin guaranteed. “And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased” (Hebrews 13:16). Therefore, Christians must show their communities what it means to live and love as a child of God.
One such way to reach communities for Christ is seen in Western Ukraine. During the summer, the churches in...
