On 2 February people were moved and inspired at Langham Partnership UKI’s first Vision Day, held at All Souls.
Taras Dyatlik, Project Manager for the Slavic Bible Commentary, gave a fascinating insight into the difficulties of coordinating a commentary involving countries at war.
The Commentary looked set to fail in 2014, when revolution and war came to Russia and Ukraine. It was a ‘very big challenge’ because the writers and editors were mainly from these two opposing countries.
Taras’ own nephew was killed in the war. But he described the Slavic Bible Commentary as a ‘monument of God’s grace’ because the team united around God’s word. ‘It helped to bring church leaders together when it looked like everything else was collapsing,’ he said.
The armour of God
Current Langham Scholar Sofanit Abebe spoke of the huge needs in her home country Ethiopia. She explained her vision: ‘To equip my students – the future leaders of what is to become the fifth most-Christian nation in the world – to comfort and confront this aching and misguided world as Scripture-reading, Spirit-moulded messengers who are uniquely placed to step out into the darkness equipped in the armour of God’.
Slavko Hadzic, from Bosnia & Herzegovina, shared how he is training preachers in the Balkans. The church there is growing, but desperately needs well-equipped, biblically-faithful leaders.
International Ministries Director Chris Wright warned from Psalm 119 that, if pastors do not teach the Bible faithfully, congregations are left without life, without hope and unable to live God’s way.
