February 2018
Introducing Vladimir Akimov
After preaching in Belaya Tserkov, Ukraine, a man asked about our ministry.
I explained that we equip churches to share Christ with Jewish people. He said
wistfully, “Since my first days in the ministry, I have desired to minister to
Jewish people.”
Vladimir Akimov received Christ as his Savior at the Baptist church in his
hometown in eastern Ukraine. He began to preach when he was 23 years old.
He received a year of Bible college training, served for 4 years as a missionary in
Russia, then began to pastor a Baptist church in Donetsk, the capital city of the
region. In 2014 Russian-backed separatists armed with AK-47s confiscated the
church building, which also served as the Akimov’s home. They were given 24
hours to get out. They fled from Donetsk. Vladimir was able to find work in
Belaya Tserkov, where we met.
Since that first meeting, I have spent a lot of time with Vladimir and his wife, Irina. We have
gotten to know one another. The Lord called him to minister to the Jewish people. I’ve trained
him, and we’ve served the Lord together, preaching and teaching in churches. Recently,
Vladimir was officially accepted as a missionary with International Board of Jewish Missions.
I travel to Ukraine three times a year to preach,
lead seminars, and teach in Bible institutes, calling
Christians to love and evangelize Jewish people. I
am amazed by the Ukrainians’ open hearts!
Opportunities for ministry are great, yet I am there
for just a few weeks each year.
Vladimir will be able to carry out this ministry
all year round. He hasn’t yet begun to raise support
and is working a construction job to provide for his
family, yet he is already serving very effectively as
a missionary! He is seeking out Jewish people in Belaya Tserkov and lovingly sharing the
Messiah with them. He is challenging churches across Ukraine to reach the Jewish people. I am
convinced that God will use Vladimir’s ministry to bring many Jewish souls to the Messiah. I
praise the Lord for a friend and servant of God like Vladimir Akimov. I look forward to many
fruitful years of serving the Lord together with him.
I want to
THANK YOU for your support of our ministry. Without your prayers and
support, none of this would have been possible. Please pray that God will raise up the needed
support for the Akimov family’s ministry.
For more information, contact me:
To send support, contact IBJM:
For Jewish souls,
Sam & Rhonda Wilson
PLEASE PRAY FOR:
The peace of Jerusalem; the Lord to lead you to a Jewish person to love and to share Christ
Vladimir & Irina Akimov; Ukrainian churches to reach out to Jewish people
Michael and Ben- young men who recently surrendered to serve as missionaries to the Jews
Our Family: Rhonda’s health; Joshua & Aly; Daniel & Kendall and baby November