I was born and grew up in a small village in the west of Ukraine, in the Chernivtsi region in Streletsky Kut, in an Orthodox family. My parents Bursuk Ivan and Galina, at that time (the beginning of the 90s) tried to start some kind of business that could keep the little family afloat. I think that almost everyone knows how bad times were.
God always reminds me of the path with Him
Vasyl Bursuk
By the time I came to this world, my parents were already serious about faith and the search for God, because their first child died only a few days after birth, and the second, my older sister Galina, only a few years later, was hospitalized with diagnosed with acute leukemia. All these misfortunes have served for them as a kind of impetus to the reality in which life problems are not solved by money and not connections, but by God alone - the fast Assistant in our troubles. Having received an amazing answer to their simple prayers, my sister was completely healed of leukemia, and her parents began to gradually turn to the Bible.
At the end of the 90s, most of Ukraine was covered by the broadcast of the Gospel program of the world famous preacher, Pastor Mark Finley. My parents were invited to this program, they took my sister and me with them. The program was so interesting, and the topics were so important that we, as children, could not wait for the next meeting to begin.
In the second half of December 1999, the father, mother and grandmother received water baptism, as a sign of their personal covenant with God. Five years later, a few months before I turned 13 (April 22, 2004), I followed their example, and since then I have never regretted it. This experience led me through a difficult period of growing up, determined my future.
At the moment, our family consists of parents and four children: two sons (I, Vasily, and the youngest of us - Bogdan) and daughters (Galina and Anastasia).
My first higher education is in information technology (IT). He began his studies at the Chernivtsi Polytechnic College and graduated in 2011 with a bachelor's degree from the Chernivtsi National University. Y. Fedkovich. Even until recently, I was engaged in this incredibly exciting business. A few years of work related to programming and web layout gave me a sense of structure, order and elementary taste that I needed for life. Despite my strong love for the exact sciences, to my surprise, I found in myself a considerable attachment to art and the study of languages, which, I believe, are also from God. Classes in the children's art school, studying music in the church brass band and the basics of choral studies in the same church, pushed me to new musical achievements. So, being a teenager, he was completely absorbed in playing the guitar.
When I was 18, I became a student at the first school of evangelism, which was conducted by the Amazing Facts Ministry outside the United States. It was in Vinnitsa, in the winter of 2010. Since then, he worked as a missionary for several years together with the AFCOE team ("Amazing Facts - Center of Evangelism"), as well as in the local branch of the conference, joining Adventist communities, which includes Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk and Ternopil region.
Now, in 2017, with God's help, I received one more education - theological. Now I am returning to my conference in order to serve as a beginning pastor. In my free time I take part in the project on the radio "Voice of Nation" entitled "Reformation on the Territory of Ukraine".
With my sister
Already mentioned that he grew up in a family that was really looking for God, based on deep inner thirst. This thirst was revealed to me. I understand that it is difficult for you to believe now, because when my parents accepted water baptism, I was only 8 years old and my level of knowledge of God was rather theoretical. But my desire to know God, even in such early years, seemed to have no limits. The spiritual life developed in parallel with the spiritual life of the parents. I taught Bible verses in long passages, I scribbled books from the church in whole piles, and, strangely, for some reason, I was almost always in a state of reflection. Several times I even took with me to the school a huge “adult” (as I called it) Bible in a black cover, so that there in the classrooms and in private conversations at recess, to preach to the principal, my teacher and classmates. Fanaticism, do you think? No, just spiritual thirst.
In the period of my growing up and becoming as a person, I repeatedly began to overcome thoughts full of doubts about God and everything I was used to. Did anyone fool me? Is all this important or can I live my life in peace without anything that goes far beyond the material world? Critical thinking was fueled by incomprehensible feelings and a lack of personal experience with God. I was not interested to listen to what, as it seemed to me, in real life it was simply impossible to verify. I am grateful to God for this period in my life. Although I passed this difficult period of internal rebellion silently before my parents, I was already inclined to define myself for a subculture (my appearance gradually ceased to display Christian values) and leave it to live "as God intended."
My faith in God was resurrected by the experience of a bright meeting with a man who had strong spiritual problems that affected his health. The conclusions of the doctors were, of course, vague and devoid of spiritual background. They could only ascertain the excessive intensity of the attacks provoked by the inexplicable mental disorder of this unfortunate woman, and then, under the conditions incomprehensible to specialists. But the problem was obvious - the woman was obsessed (she herself was perfectly aware of it) and her torment stopped only due to the intervention of the Heavenly Physician, in response to the intercessory prayer of the believers. Such a vivid manifestation of spiritual realities, a physically tangible great struggle for the souls of people, prompted me to completely devote my life to the work of serving people and God. It once again refreshed in my memory the experience of the real healing of my sister, ungratefully forgotten by me for many years before. Thanks to this occasion, stayed with God.
My parents
Why stayed in this church? I have many friends belonging to other Christian denominations, there are also non-Christians. Therefore, it is not easy to consider me to be just narrow-minded and religiously biased. So why Adventism? Let me just say one thing - until now I have never met a more complete theological picture and the practical life that flows from it, which would completely coincide with the Holy Scripture, except in this church. Against the background of other evangelical movements, it unfortunately has hitherto underestimated the distinctive features that testify in favor of its truth, like the Bride of Christ, His Body and His beautiful dream of the holy Church: it is a deep affection and love for God and His Word, expressed in observance of the Ten Commandments, without exception, including the fourth, a special day of worship before God, the Sabbath, the presence of deep theology in matters of salvation and recent events, based on the special interest of Adventists in studying bib Ley prophecies. According to the Bible, Adventists believe that we should not reduce the meaning of any prophetic message or prophetic ministry of people that comes from the Holy Spirit (1 Thess. 5:20). Adventists incredibly appreciate the spiritual gift, called the gift of prophecy (1 Cor.14: 1). The people who make up this church are far from perfect. There are no perfect people. They are not sinless. The holiness of the Bible has the meaning of separation for sacred use, to the glory of God. They are holy because God has determined to be such. These are people who love Christ, which means those who appreciate what is dear to Him personally, who give their lives for the practical implementation of His teachings. These are those who, with joy and open heart, perceive not only the advantages and blessings of the Gospel, but also the responsibilities and responsibility towards the perishing world, which everyone who once experienced personal experience the joy of God's forgiveness.
Адвентизм известен, как движение приготовления людей к скорой встрече с Иисусом, Который придет в этот мир. Что еще может быть важнее, чем уподобление Иисусу во всем: мыслях, чаяниях, отношению к данном нам Богом телу и ресурсам, взаимоотношениях в семье, на работе и везде, где нам определил быть Бог? Я вижу такой подход только в этой Церкви, Церкви с большой буквы.
Belief in God gives me an indestructible inner world. This world is a state of calm, hope and satisfaction. I see how God guides my life, giving me fateful meetings with people who need help, keeping me in peril, giving me wisdom for planning work.
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When two years ago, at my own peril and risk, I had to undergo a complex operation to restore my sight, God reminded me of the path traveled and the miracles that I had already experienced with Him. This brings me back courage, clarity in pursuit of the goal. God also gave me a wonderful spiritual family, ready to support me at any time in my life. This is exactly what Jesus promised to all who will seriously follow Him. I receive extremely strong spiritual support at the right time in a secret prayer room or in a joint prayer with my beautiful wife Martha.
I know that I live in harmony with God and His desires. All this is due to the fact that He is beautiful, patient, loving. I am not good at all. God is working on my character, and He makes him all the more attractive and relevant to his vocation.
With wife Martha
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