Gordon and Nancy Snider

ZAPOROZHYE BIBLE COLLEGE
Zaporozhye, Ukraine

History
Programs
Students
Graduates
Our Roles

Zaporozhye Bible College opened in September, 1994, under the cooperative efforts of Greater Europe Mission and the Baptist Union of Evangelical Christian Churches, Ukraine.

The idea for the college began in 1993, when the Baptist Union of Zaporozhye learned of the work of Greater Europe Mission, an evangelical organization that has been working in western Europe since 1949. The region (state) of Zaporozhye has a population of 3,000,000 residents. At the time of the original contact there were 51 evangelical churches in this region, but only 31 of those churches had pastors. Only three of those pastors had had formal theological or Biblical training. New pastors were needed for the growing number of churches. Existing pastors needed training.

In the fall of 1993, Dr. Don Brugmann, special assistant to the president and former executive director of Greater Europe Mission was invited to meet with the district superintendent for the Baptist Union of the Zaporozhye region, Paul Petrovich Metlenko. Based upon the interest expressed by the local leadership at this meeting Don returned to the US to make more specific plans about opening a college. A part of these plans were contacting Mark and Joanne Mackey to ask them to consider accepting this ministry and moving to Zaporozhye to start the college. In February, 1994, Don returned to Zaporozhye with Mark and Joanne and met with a group of local pastors to discuss the purposes, rational and need for a Bible college in Zaporozhye.

By the end of their three-day meeting it was determined that the local Ukrainian leadership would take responsibility for finding students and an adequate building for the fall. Greater Europe Mission was to design a curriculum and place teachers. Mark would be the director of the new school to be named Zaporozhye Bible College. Students would study in one of four divisions: Pastors, Preachers, Christian Education, or Choir Directors.

The one complicating factor which almost aborted the establishment of the college was the issue of eternal security, which the Ukrainian Baptist Union does not accept. Their understanding of the American evangelical movement led them to believe that it would not be possible for Americans to be involved in this training program without teaching eternal security. Don and Mark assured the local leadership that they would make a commitment to them that this doctrine would not be taught at ZBC. After having received this commitment, the local leadership was prepared to endorse the college.

A three story dormitory building was located on a major public transportation line in the most healthy section of the city (opposite the end where the steel mills are located), and the first floor was rented. Major renovations took place during the summer of 1994, to convert the facilities into classrooms and offices. Classes started on September 12, 1994, with 85 students, all from the Zaporozhye Oblast (state). Many of the students were married with families; many were in their late 20's or 30's; the majority were involved in ministry in their local church. All were eager to study God's Word in their own country under the nation's new provision for freedom of religion. Enrollment increased to 115 students for the second school year, 1995-06. In June, 1996, the first students completed their two-year programs and were awarded diplomas.

Programs

Zaporozhye Bible College was founded for the purpose of training leaders for the churches in Ukraine. To accomplish this purpose the college was divided into four departments: Pastors, Preachers, Christian Education and Choir Directors.

The Pastors and Preachers programs began as three year programs and the Christian Education and Choir Directors were two year programs. The Pastors Program was for men who were already actively pastoring a local church. For these men, coming to the college every day for nine months would cut into the time they needed to devote to their churches, so it was decided that they would come for a two week modular class and have the next two weeks "off" to properly care for their congregations. The first and only "Pastor's" group graduated in 1997, but the other three programs have continued.

The Preachers program is designed to train young men for the pastoral ministry. This program which started out as a three year program is undergoing some changes at the present time. For the current academic year we have accepted brothers into our program for 2 years. Upon completion of this program they will receive a diploma and be considered for entrance into the 4 year Bachelors degree program. Those who are admitted into the Bachelor of Arts program will study Greek and Hebrew languages as well as the normal third and fourth year subjects. We will graduate our last 3 year group of men in June, 2005.

The Christian Education program was developed to train leaders who would then go out to the churches and train Sunday school teachers. While this program is primarily for sisters, occasionally we do have a brother enrolled in this department. In addition to Bible book studies these students have courses on how to teach the different age groups, from preschoolers to teens and adults. They also have practical lesson planning and presentation of those lessons to their fellow classmates. By the end of their studies they should be able to prepare Sunday school lessons completely on their own, as well as prepare all the visual aids, teaching tools and activities that are needed to present the lesson well.

Because music is a very important part of the worship service, we had the Choir Directors department. This group of young people, both brothers and sisters, are accepted into the college only every other year. In addition to their Bible courses, they complete a very strenuous course in music, from theory to the practical. We want them to have the knowledge of how to guide the worship service with music that lifts the congregation and points them to the Savior who gave so much for us, whether that is through the congregational singing, the choir, orchestra or special groups. They will be trained in working with children's groups as well as adult groups.

This fall the college will be launching a new department for training church librarians. These students will come to the college for a week at a time, five times per year, over the two years of the program. As an added benefit the students will receive 30 books each time they come to take back to their home church library. This program is funded by a North American para-church agency that chose ZBC to be the southeastern Ukraine home for this program. We are excited about its debut.

Students
Coming soon.

MEET OUR ZBC Graduates

Each month this section will highlight a different graduate from ZBC. Each graduate will be responding to the following questions:

1. What did you receive at ZBC that best prepared you for ministry?
2. How did you come to Christ?
3. Describe your present ministry.
4. What situations have brought you the greatest joy in your ministry?
5. Describe your family.
6. What would you like to accomplish in your ministry in the next year?

The graduate of the month is Sergei Tarasov, who graduated in 2004, and was married to Lena in August at a beautiful ceremony in their home church at Melitopol. Sergei came to Christ at the age of 9, and was raised in a Christian home. His years at ZBC were a time of finding God’s will for his life, and learning that God can take care of us in every situation.

With his new bride Sergei is now furthering his education at St Petersburg Christian University. He is actively involved in a new church that has just opened there, and has been nominated to be a deacon of that church. He is not sure whether the Lord wants him in the teaching ministry or in the pastoral ministry. But whichever, Sergei testifies that he wants to "praise God during my whole life."

Our Roles

Over the past 8 1/2 years our roles at ZBC have changed quite significantly. In the early months we thought, how can we ever find enough to do. Now, at the end of the day we wonder what caused all that activity.

Gordon started out his ZBC experience as Director of the English department and teacher of Old Testament Bible subjects. He has passed the English department on to another colleague and is now Academic Dean, or a more literal translation from Russian to English is Assistant Director in charge of Academic Affairs.

As Academic Dean, Gordon is responsible for developing the curriculum for each department and then developing a schedule of classes that will meet that curriculum each year. He is also supervisor for our eleven Ukrainian teachers. In addition to these responsibilities, when the director is away from the college, Gordon is in charge of all that takes place. Fortunately, there is another Assistant Director in charge of maintenance, etc, but any questions that arise are brought to Gordon for discussion. Gordon also teaches in the Homiletics Department. Usually he is involved in two practical homiletics classes per year, but this year he also taught one of the theory classes. When we see from grade reports that students are having difficulty in their studies, Gordon becomes academic counselor and works with the students to determine the problem and try to find solutions for the problems. And he still teaches an English class three hours per week.

Nancy is currently Registrar for the college. This involves keeping all the students files and transcripts up to date; preparing grade cards for each student at the end of each semester; and compiling the attendance records for all students every two weeks. At the beginning of each school year we make student lists for each department. These lists must be kept up to date with additions or drops. Each teacher receives a list with the names of their students as well as a grade report to be competed at the conclusion of the course. Nancy also compiles the information from the student evaluations of each course that we teach.

When visiting teachers are coming Nancy is involved in preparing the information for their Visa requests before they come and getting orientation material ready for them after they arrive. She also prepares the schedule of who is in what classroom for each course.

Several times during their studies here, we try to inform the students of how they are doing on completing the requirements for graduation. Nancy is responsible for keeping this information up to date and passing it on to the students.

We also have student insurance and emergency funds which are voluntary donations by the students. Nancy is responsible for maintaining these funds as they are received and paying them out at the appropriate time.

So you see, our roles are many and varied. There is very seldom a dull moment and we are thankful for the privilege of working in this area of God's vineyard.