Bear Valley Bible Institute of Ukraine
Gorlovka, Ukraine

Purpose and Plan
The purpose of the extension program is to fulfill 2 Timothy 2:2 in the context of training men to preach the gospel in Ukraine. Not only is our goal to train preachers, but to provide those who excel with the capability to train their own countrymen.

History:
When the "Iron Curtain" fell, thus opening the opportunity for the gospel to be taken freely into the former Soviet Union, numerous gospel preachers and workers for the Lord poured into the Ukraine. Many of them were going into cities in which the gospel had never been preached. Among those areas where the church of Christ did not exist was Kramatorsk, a city with a population of some 300,000 people. Gene Clemmons was among the first to visit the city and discover the remarkable opportunities that awaited those who followed.

Gene Clemmons met Mr. Lee Zagao (President of the Economic and Cultural Institute) in the fall of 1991 in the neighboring city of Slavyansk. He was Mr. Padubny at the school in Slavyansk. In the spring of 1992 brother Clemmons and Gene Landis started going to Kramatorsk to teach in the schools in the old part of town near the train station. In the summer of 1992 they were invited to teach in Mr. Padubny's school for five year. Brother Chuck Damron, an Elder at the Main St. church of Christ in Pikeville, KY, was a participant at that meeting. The concept was of interest to Mr. Lee so he inquired about a similar program in his school in Kramatorsk. A program was designed in which two brethren would go in twice a year and teach. The first teachers were Robert and George Laux from Camden, TN. Jeff Abrams, preacher for the Azalea City church of Christ in the Mobile, AL area, was among the first teachers as well. They secured the library in Kramatorsk for a place of worship. Jeff Abrams started taking care of the program and inviting teachers to come.

Soon, Mr. Lee offered the church of Christ an opportunity to establish a Bible Department in his school. As the search began for an American Institute to accept the offer, J.J. Turner (then President of the Bear Valley Bible Institute of Denver) readily accepted the challenge. Buck Hall was acquired to serve as the Academic Dean of the Department. The elders of the Rocky Creek church of Christ in Lucedale, MS agreed to handle the funds for tuition for students. In the fall of 1997 the first overseas extension of the Bear Valley Bible Institute of Denver was established. Each student graduating from the program earns a Bachelor's degree from the BVBID.

In 2002, Terry Harmon, a graduate of the BVBID, moved to Kramatorsk to assume the position of Academic Dean. He continues in that position at this time and is heavily involved with working with various congregations in the area as well as helping to plant new congregations

Area of Influence:
Students are drawn from through the Donetsk region, some traveling great distances and staying in housing in Kramatorsk during the time classes meet.

Programs Offered:
Bachelor of Biblical Studies

Curriculum:

• Fundamentals I
• Fundamentals II
• Kingdom History
• How we Got the Bible
• Christian Evidences
• Hermeneutics
• Denominational Doctrines
• Greek
• Church History
• Personal Evangelism
• Intertestament History
• Homiletics
• Pentateuch I, II
• Joshua, Judges, Ruth
• O.T. History and Prophecy I, II, III, IV
• Isaiah, Jeremiah
• Ezekiel, Daniel
• Wisdom Literature
• Minor Prophets
• Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther
• Synoptic Gospel
• John, 1, 2, 3 John
• Acts/Missions
• Romans/ Galatians
• 1, 2 Corinthians
• Prison Epistles
• 1, 2 Thessalonians/Premillennialism
• 1, 2 Timothy, Titus
• Hebrews
• 1, 2 Peter, Jude, James
• Revelation

Goals and Plans:
Our plans eventually involve a Ukrainian staff in the Bible Department.

People:
Angela Anaveya serves as the secretary of the Bible Department. Vlad and Oksanna Paziiy are working with the church in Kramatorsk, as is Vitally Rodichev. Albert and Irene Bagdasarian are working with the church in Slavyansk.

Kramatorsk Graduate School of Biblical Studies

Meets on the campus of the Kramatorsk Economic and Cultural Institute

Email contacts:
Pat McIntosh, Academic Dean: pmcintosh@bvbid.org
Irene Bagdasarian, Secretary of Graduate School: albert@slav.dn.ua
Terry Harmon, Dean of Bible Department: harmon99@juno.com

History:
In October 2002 the Graduate School was started as Phase II in our overall goals. As the BVBID Extension in Kramatorsk is a degree program, instructors are required to have earned a Master's degree in Biblical studies. Our overall plan is to have Ukrainians in positions of dean and instructors, therefore necessitating a Graduate Program to accomplish this phase of the work.

Pat McIntosh was selected to serve as the Academic Dean of the Kramatorsk Graduate School of Biblical Studies to educate and prepare the graduates to ultimately become the instructors. Only the Lord can know of the wonderful blessings that await our efforts to spread the saving message to the multitudes who hunger for it.

Curriculum:

• Introduction to Graduate Studies
• Hebrews
• Advanced Homiletics
• Christian Ethics/Humanism
• Leadership
• Church Growth
• Advanced Hermeneutics
• Cults/New Ageism
• Biblical Counseling
• Advanced Apologetics
• Gospel of John
• Church Planting Strategies and Principles
• Practicum (Implement and describe in written form a new program begun in the congregation where these men work and/or preach. Also required is three signatures from members of that congregation verifying that the program was implemented.)