Editor’s note: John Bodine is executive pastor of Cypress Baptist Church in Shreveport, La.
“Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” I have read that verse of Philippians 1:6 countless times over the years. I’ve preached on it in Louisiana, prayed it over people in joy and sorrow, and leaned on its truth in difficult seasons of ministry. But never have I felt its power more tangibly than I did standing in the war-scarred cities of Ukraine.
Recently, I made my 15th trip to Ukraine – a country that God put on my heart two decades ago. I’ve walked alongside our Ukrainian brothers and sisters in times of peace and crisis, but this trip felt different. I saw the aftermath of unspeakable violence. But more than that, I saw resilience, God’s abiding presence, and hope rising from the ashes of war.
In Kyiv, I was privileged to preach to believers who worshipped freely in a country that has refused to surrender its God-given right to exist. At the National Prayer Breakfast, I returned to Philippians 1:6, reminding all present that the Lord who began a good work in Ukraine – a sovereign, righteous and free Ukraine – will not abandon it. It was an honor to speak those words before political leaders, military chaplains, pastors and civilians, many of whom have lost more than I can imagine.
And yet, in the face of suffering, I saw trust – in God, in freedom, and in the future. That’s the kind of faith I witnessed – not fragile faith, but tested, battle-hardened faith that believes God is still good, even when the bombs fall. I saw churches overflowing. I saw young people learning the Gospel at trauma-healing camps. I saw communities that refuse to be broken. I met with chaplains who bury up to eight soldiers every day. They still believe in the goodness of God, and I do too.
Some friends told me not to go. They said it was too dangerous. We did spend two nights in bomb shelters, and we felt the tension of a country still very much under attack. But we also witnessed something eternal: the unmistakable evidence of God’s work in Ukraine.
We met with wounded soldiers and the nurses and doctors who care for them – unsung heroes in this story.
We visited Irpin and Bucha – names now etched into history as sites of brutal Russian atrocities. There, we saw burned-out cars pierced by bullets. Those vehicles once carried innocent families – mothers, fathers and children – who were killed by Russians while trying to escape. Nearly every vehicle had “children” spraypainted on it. And yet, those cities have been rebuilt and are now full of life. At Irpin Bible Church, I was overjoyed to meet Executive Pastor Vasyl Ostryi who just broke ground on a veterans rehabilitation center with a $40,000 donation. Irpin Bible Church doesn’t know how it will pay for the rest of the large building, outfitted with sports rehabilitation equipment, Christian therapists and job counselors, but they trust that God will provide the resources. The city of Irpin didn’t have the resources to meet these needs, so the church stepped in.
We traveled to Chornomorsk on the Black Sea, where beaches once closed by war have now reopened to swimmers.
We visited the campus of Save Ukraine, an organization that rescues abducted Ukrainian children and helps them rebuild their lives. Russia has kidnapped more than 19,000 kids, separating them from their families, placing them in military camps and often conscripting the children into the Russian military. But through God’s grace and incredible courage, Save Ukraine has rescued nearly 900 of those children, bringing them home. We met some. Heard their stories. Saw the healing begin. And most recently, Save Ukraine visited our church in Shreveport, where we prayed for the return of Ukrainian children to their families. These are modern-day miracles, happening now.
God is doing something profound in Ukraine, and He’s inviting His Church to be part of it. How can we, as Christians, see this and not respond?
To my fellow believers in America: we have a moral obligation to stand with Ukraine. With prayer, with support, with unwavering solidarity. As we await Christmas, remembering that Christ entered a broken world to rescue the oppressed and bring light into the darkness, our response cannot be indifference. We cannot be neutral when evil is on the march. As Christians, we are called to defend the suffering, to comfort the brokenhearted, and to shine the light of Christ into the places where it’s most needed. Right now, Ukraine is one of those places.
I’ve been going to Ukraine since 2006. Back then, no one imagined that in 2025 they’d be fighting for their existence. When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, many predicted Kyiv wouldn’t withstand the Russian onslaught for more than a week – but here they are, three and a half years later, standing strong, united, full of faith.
Ukrainians believe that with God’s help they will prevail. He began a good work in Ukraine. And He will carry it to completion. Of that, I am confident.
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Chasing the Darkness
