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Gospel Today

Gospel Today

著者： Caleb Suko
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What does the Gospel of Jesus Christ look like in our lives today and how can we effectively share it with others?Copyright 2026 Gospel Today キリスト教 スピリチュアリティ 聖職・福音主義
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  • Influence of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine

    Influence of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine
    2026/05/25
    Orthodoxy, the Gospel, and Wartime UkraineAs war forces millions of Ukrainians to confront questions about death and eternity, one spiritual question stands at the center of this conversation:Can someone truly know they are forgiven by God?From Odesa, Ukraine, Caleb introduces the topic of Eastern Orthodoxy and its deep influence on Ukrainian faith, culture, and religious life before sitting down with Pastor Andrii Murzin in Kyiv, for a conversation on theology, war, and the gospel. The interview explores some of the major differences between Orthodox and evangelical Christianity, particularly regarding assurance of salvation, justification by faith, ritualism, and the authority of Scripture. Andrii and Caleb also examines how religion shapes culture, why many Ukrainians are searching for hope beyond religious tradition, and how the gospel continues speaking into fear and uncertainty during wartime.The Uncertainty”Pastor Andriin has spent years studying Orthodoxy and engaging with Orthodox believers throughout Ukraine. While he emphasized the importance of treating Orthodox Christians with kindness and respect, he also explained that there are significant theological differences Protestants cannot ignore.One of the clearest differences, he argued, is assurance of salvation.They will never dare say that I know that I am forgiven... They always have this uncertainty.According to Andrii, this uncertainty comes from a different understanding of salvation itself. Orthodox theology often emphasizes salvation as an ongoing process rather than beginning with justification by faith in Christ. By contrast, Protestant theology historically distinguishes between justification, sanctification, and glorification. Christians are justified through faith, sanctified throughout life as they grow spiritually, and ultimately glorified in eternity. Murzin argued that without justification as a foundation, believers can become trapped in fear and uncertainty over whether they have done enough to receive God’s mercy.You cannot grow in sanctification unless you first receive the joy of knowing that God has forgiven you.At the same time, Andrii warned that Protestants can also drift into shallow understandings of salvation by reducing Christianity to merely praying a prayer or treating salvation like a “ticket to heaven.”War Makes Eternity Feel CloserThese questions carry enormous weight in a country at war. For millions of Ukrainians, death is no longer distant or theoretical. Air raid sirens, military funerals, missile strikes, and constant uncertainty have forced many people to think seriously about eternity. Caleb reflected on attending Orthodox funerals where priests repeatedly pray, “Lord have mercy,” while grieving families stand unsure of what awaits their loved ones beyond death. In contrast, evangelical Christians often speak confidently about Christ’s promises of forgiveness and eternal life. For Andrii, this contrast reveals one of the central differences between Orthodox and Protestant theology.Rituals, Candles, and External ReligionThe Orthodox Church also contains a heavy presence of ritualism. Murzin explained that many people approach religion primarily through external actions and sacred traditions: lighting candles, repeating prayers, making signs, or participating in liturgies. When Ukrainians from Orthodox backgrounds speak with him, their questions often sound like this:What candles do I light? How many candles? When do I light them?According to Andrii, the danger is that the focus can become centered on performing the correct rituals rather than understanding biblical truth or having genuine faith in Christ. Referencing passages such as John 4 and 1 Corinthians 10, he explained that biblical worship is not confined to church rituals or sacred buildings. Worship flows from truth, faith, love for God, and obedience in everyday life. Riitualism is a passive form of religion where outward performance replaces inward transformation.So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. - 1 Corinthians 10:31Cultural Christianity in UkraineTheology has shaped entire societies. Andrii argued that religion profoundly influences a nation’s mentality, values, and culture over generations. In Ukraine, many people identify strongly with Orthodoxy culturally while remaining disconnected from personal faith or biblical understanding. It doesn’t actually really matter that much what you believe.Caleb noted that many Ukrainians attend church on holidays, participate in religious traditions, and identify as Orthodox while living lives largely untouched by Scripture or discipleship. For him, this revealed a major spiritual challenge facing Ukraine today: the difference between inherited religion and genuine faith.The Church in a Time of WarAs the conversation turned toward the war itself, Andrii asked believers around the world to continue praying for Ukraine. He spoke about ...
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  • A Ukrainian Pastor Responds to Russia, War, and the Gospel

    A Ukrainian Pastor Responds to Russia, War, and the Gospel
    2026/05/20
    Faith Under FireIn the early hours of another sleepless night in Kyiv, air raid sirens echoed through the city as missiles and drones struck residential neighborhoods. One apartment building collapsed into a mountain of concrete and smoke. Rescue workers clawed through the rubble searching for survivors. For many Ukrainians, this has become a grim rhythm of life. Yet even amid war, the gospel continues to shine.Recently, Caleb interviewed Ukrainian pastor, professor, and volunteer chaplain Andrii Murzin in Kyiv to discuss how the war has affected the church, the preaching of the gospel, and the spiritual challenges facing Christians in Ukraine today.A Ministry Shaped by WarAndrii Murzin serves at Kyiv Theological Seminary as the director of the Master’s program in biblical counseling. His ministry focuses on discipleship, counseling, and helping Christians understand how to minister effectively within Eastern Orthodox culture. But since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, his ministry has expanded beyond classrooms and lecture halls. Andrii also serves as a volunteer chaplain to soldiers affected by the war.Andrii on the far left When the war became much closer and much more intense and much more obvious that it is our war not somebody else's war. I realized that as a Christian I have to be active. I cannot ignore that it's the area of one of the biggest needs. For Andrii, chaplain ministry is not political theater. It is obedience to Christ. He pointed to Matthew 25 and reflected that if Jesus were physically walking through Ukraine today, He might say:He could have said I was in prison, I was in the hospital, l and I was in the trenches and you did not visit me.When War Comes to Your DoorstepThe interview itself took place only hours after one of the largest attacks on Kyiv in recent months. Andrii and his wife had chosen to sleep at the seminary that night rather than remain in their high-rise apartment on the 15th floor. Throughout the night they heard explosions nearby as drones and missiles struck the city. By morning, an entire section of a residential building had collapsed. Caleb described watching rescue workers pull bodies from the rubble only a short distance away from where they were filming.For Ukrainian believers, war is no longer distant news. It is outside their windows, above their rooftops, and sometimes directly over their heads.“We Are Fighting for Survival”One of the strongest themes Andrii emphasized was that Ukrainians do not see this war primarily as a battle over territory. I think it's important for the western audience to understand that Ukrainians are fighting for our survival.He explained that many Western narratives oversimplify the conflict as a political dispute over borders. But Ukrainians view it differently. They believe Russia seeks to erase Ukraine as a nation and suppress its identity, language, and freedom. This fear is not rooted merely in speculation, but in history. Andrii referenced the long history of Soviet oppression, mass killings, and persecution that Ukrainians endured under the Russian Empire and later the Soviet Union. Because of this history, many Ukrainians believe surrender would not end suffering, but instead deepen it.Religious FreedomMurzin challenged a common misconception heard in some Western Christian circles; that Ukraine and Russia are spiritually or morally equivalent. According to him, the difference in religious freedom is enormous. In Ukraine, evangelical churches have enjoyed broad freedom to preach the gospel since the fall of the Soviet Union. Churches openly evangelize, serve in schools, minister to soldiers, and conduct outreach across society.By contrast, he described Russia as increasingly authoritarian, where churches are expected to support state ideology and where religious groups with Western ties are often treated with suspicion or hostility. Many reports have also surged from occupied Ukrainian territories where priests and pastors from multiple denominations have been killed or persecutedThe Church in a Time of TestingWar has created both opportunities and pressures for the Ukrainian church. On one hand, churches are serving refugees, supporting soldiers, and ministering to grieving families. Thousands of Ukrainians who previously showed little spiritual interest are now suddenly confronting questions about death, eternity, and hope.[War] makes all people think about eternity, about your soul, about God, and spiritual issues.Chaplain ministry, especially among men in the military, has opened doors many churches struggled to reach before the invasion.Yet the war has also exposed fear within the church itself. Ukraine’s military mobilization affects nearly every congregation. Some men avoid traveling across cities out of fear of being drafted. Others wrestle with anxiety about serving near the front lines. Andrii spoke carefully and compassionately about this reality, acknowledging the fear many experience. ...
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  • How to Share the Gospel with LGBTQ pt. 2

    How to Share the Gospel with LGBTQ pt. 2
    2026/05/11
    Conversations surrounding the gospel, identity, and sexuality can often feel difficult, emotional, and complicated. Yet as Christians, the way we approach people matters deeply. Truth should never be separated from grace, and grace should never ignore truth. In these moments, our attitude, focus, and love for others can make a lasting difference.
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