TCI and its partners are seeking help to find a new home for its students and staff, who lost their campus as a result of the Russia-Ukraine war.
For over 25 years, TCI has been dedicated to training and equipping indigenous Christian leaders in Ukraine and other countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
TCI provides high-quality formal and informal training for local bi-vocational pastors and young church leaders, recognizing the vital role these trainings play in developing holistic ministry in these regions.
TCI supports these ministers with practical tools, technical assistance, infrastructure, sustainability businesses, and aid in establishing churches and various projects. As a result, TCI’s alumni now serve in more than a dozen countries, spreading the Good News worldwide.
In the realm of Christian education development and leadership cultivation in Ukraine, TCI has often taken pioneering steps. Notably, TCI obtained a state license, making it the first Evangelical school in the country licensed to educate church leaders in theology, and it is currently in the process of obtaining state accreditation.
TCI distinguishes itself by fostering open interaction with churches, schools, and organizations from various denominations. Moreover, TCI collaborates with Overseas Council-United World Mission, Scholar Leaders, Tyndale House, Overseas Outreach, Frontier, Pioneer Bible Translators, Training Christian Ministers International Institute (TCMI), Johnson University, International Conference on Missions (ICOM), and other organizations.
Leveraging its extensive experience, TCI has coordinated several educational and humanitarian initiatives in Ukraine and Central Asia.
In the context of the ongoing war crisis, the need to nurture Christian leaders in Ukraine has become even more pressing. Millions have become refugees, and dozens of thousands of Christians were displaced, leaving a significant void in church leadership. On the other hand, many people have sought refuge in church communities, resulting in numerous conversions to Christ. With over 500 new ministers urgently needed in TCI’s church family, lay Christians have stepped up to fill leadership roles within churches.
These individuals require specialized training in Christian leadership, preaching, and conflict transformation to meet this demand. Additionally, soldiers need chaplains, and the wounded need Christian counselors.
TCI is committed to addressing this need and aims to raise as many new church leaders for Ukraine as possible.
TCI’s training programs have a direct impact on local churches, as its primary goal is to catalyze transformation in evangelism, church planting, and church leadership among the unreached people of Ukraine.
On March 10, 2022, the TCI campus in Kherson was taken over by the Russian Army, resulting in extensive looting and the removal of all valuable items. The buildings on the campus were repurposed as a military base, barracks, and hospital.
During the war actions TCI’s five buildings were completely destroyed. These included the newest buildings, such as the office, library (which also housed a chapel), and one of the dormitories. After the Ukrainian army liberated Kherson, the campus was returned to TCI on November 11, 2022. However, the campus continues to face constant destruction due to ongoing shelling, as the front line is located dangerously close.
The destruction of the TCI campus was a major loss for the Institute and the Christian community in Ukraine because, located at the Dnipro River, it was used to train pastors, church ministers, missionaries, and church planters from Ukraine, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. The campus property, consisting of five buildings, was also crucial in obtaining TCI’s license. It also served as a Christian camp and community center for the believers of the Kherson, Mykolaiv, and other regions of Ukraine.
The Institute has been forced to relocate temporarily to Ivano-Frankivsk, but it is still providing its programs and services to the best of its ability. The destruction of the TCI campus is also a reminder of the suffering that is being caused by the Russia-Ukraine war. However, the TCI is determined to continue its work and to help rebuild Ukraine.
