Small Beginnings with a Lasting Impact

In 1609, a small group of English refugees gathered quietly in a house in Amsterdam. They had fled persecution and had no clear plan for the future. They simply wanted to understand the Bible with greater faithfulness. During those conversations, one of the leaders, John Smith, came to the conviction that baptism should be a conscious, personal decision of faith.

What began as a discussion among refugees eventually helped shape a movement that today includes more than 110 million Baptists worldwide. The people in that house were not trying to start a movement. They were simply trying to be faithful. History often works that way. Great movements rarely begin with large strategies or public announcements. They begin with small groups of believers asking how to follow God more faithfully.

Today, something similar may be unfolding in Europe.

Ukrainian Pastors Gather in Warsaw

From March 5–7, 2026, about 150 Ukrainian pastors and missionaries from across Europe gathered in Warsaw for the annual conference of the Missionary Association of Ukrainian Churches in Europe (MAUCE).

These leaders now serve in many different countries, but they share a common calling: to minister among the millions of Ukrainians who have been displaced by war and scattered across Europe. The conference created space for pastors and ministry leaders to share their experiences, discuss challenges, and encourage one another in their mission. But perhaps most importantly, it reminded everyone present that they are not serving alone. Great movements rarely begin with grand strategies but with believers who simply strive to be faithful.

Churches Born Out of Displacement

In recent years, Ukrainian believers across Europe have helped establish more than 150 churches and small groups. Many of these leaders did not originally move to Europe as missionaries. They arrived as refugees after being forced to leave their homes because of the war. Yet in city after city, something unexpected happened. Instead of simply trying to survive, believers began gathering people for prayer, Bible studies, and worship. Small groups began meeting in apartments and rented spaces. Over time, some of those groups became churches.

The Missionary Association of Ukrainian Churches in Europe exists to strengthen these churches—encouraging cooperation, helping leaders stay connected, and supporting new church plants. For many pastors and ministry leaders, the Warsaw conference was both a time of encouragement and a reminder of the incredible opportunities God has placed before them.

Six Million Ukrainians Across Europe

Today, an estimated six million Ukrainians are living in Europe after fleeing the war. For many families, life now looks completely different than it did just a few years ago. New languages, new cultures, unfamiliar systems, and broken social networks have become everyday realities. In the midst of this uncertainty, many people are searching. Some are searching for stability. Others are searching for community.

Many are searching for hope. Increasingly, Ukrainian churches across Europe are becoming places where people find all three. These churches are not only providing practical help and community, but they are also sharing the message of the gospel with people who may be hearing it clearly for the first time.

Gospel Today: Helping Churches Share the Gospel

During the conference, members of the Gospel Today team—Yuri, Roman, and Caleb—led a seminar focused on a challenge many churches face: What keeps Christians from sharing the gospel?

For many believers, the barriers are familiar – fear of rejection, cultural distance, and uncertainty about how to explain the gospel clearly. The seminar helped pastors and ministry leaders think through these challenges and introduced practical tools that can help churches speak about Christ with confidence.

Among the resources presented were:

• Story of Hope — a clear overview of the Bible’s message from Genesis to Christ
• Teach Us to Pray — a simple guide that helps people begin a life of prayer
• additional evangelism and discipleship materials designed for churches and small groups

These tools are helping churches move beyond simply gathering people and toward actively sharing the message of Jesus Christ. Millions of Ukrainians across Europe are searching for stability, community, and hope. The church has a unique opportunity to take advantage of this and point them to Christ.

The Next Step: Expanding Gospel Training in Europe

As Gospel Today works with churches across Europe, one need is becoming increasingly clear. Many new church groups are led by passionate leaders who love Christ and want to serve others—but they often lack training, resources, and practical ministry tools. Because of this, the Gospel Today team is working toward establishing a European ministry hub that would focus on creating evangelism and discipleship resources for churches, training church planters and ministry leaders through seminars and workshops, and equipping churches to reach both Ukrainians and Europeans with the gospel. With millions of Ukrainians now living across Europe, the opportunities for ministry are enormous. But churches need encouragement, training, and practical tools to meet this moment.

Join the Mission

God rarely announces when He is beginning something new. Often, it starts quietly—through small gatherings of believers who simply want to follow Him faithfully. Across Europe today, hundreds of Ukrainian pastors and church leaders are doing exactly that. The opportunity before them is enormous: millions of displaced Ukrainians searching for hope and community. Together, we can equip churches to bring the message of Christ to those who need it most. Please pray for this growing ministry and consider partnering with Gospel Today to help equip churches across Europe.

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