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Christ is risen and He is at work

Through faithful missionary pastors, the risen Christ is at work—planting churches, strengthening believers, and proclaiming the Gospel in places where hope is hard-won. For these pastors, Easter is not simply a tradition or a date on the calendar, but living hope that sustains ministry when faith is costly and the future feels uncertain.

The pastors featured here are among those you help sustain through your prayers and generosity. Through your support, you stand with them as they shepherd believers, reach the lost, and proclaim the hope of Christ’s Resurrection in communities where the Gospel is often misunderstood, opposed, or unknown.

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Resurrection hope lived out by faithful servants

Scroll through the stories below to meet 19 SGA-supported missionary pastors serving across multiple regions.

Each one ministers in a unique context, yet all are united by the same calling: to faithfully proclaim the risen Christ and shepherd His church.

“Death is not the final word.”

Pastor Wilhelm—Israel

“Easter sounds not like a hymn of victory, but like a quiet affirmation that death is not the final word. Not because the pain has disappeared, not because evil has already been defeated, but because God has gone through the very depths of all human horror and remained alive. ‘The power of His resurrection’ is the power that gives the ability to live when everything inside is numb.”

“To continue serving when it hurts.”

Pastor Vladislav—Ukraine

“Easter today is not about tradition or a religious calendar, but about life and death in the literal sense. When people are dying around us, the message of the Resurrection of Christ sounds not as a symbol, but as the only hope. Today, the ‘power of [His] resurrection’ is the ability to get up after blows, not to harden, not to lose faith, to continue serving when it hurts and is difficult.”

“Our lives are guided not by chance.”

Pastor Alexander—Belarus

“Our lives are guided not by chance, but by the living Christ. Just as ‘the power of [His] resurrection’ worked in the dead body of Christ, so it works in us when we feel powerless and exhausted. The Lord works in us and through us in a special way when we are weak and suffering adversity. Easter is a wonderful opportunity to remind Christians of the Lord’s Great Commission.”

“Christ is risen not as a metaphor.”

Pastor Vitaliy—Ukraine

“Christ’s Resurrection gives real and living hope. In the context of war, death is no longer an abstract idea—it is present, loud, and personal. Christ is risen not as a metaphor, but as the One who conquered real death. ‘The power of [His] Resurrection’ is no longer just a theological concept—it is our daily hope. Christ is alive, and therefore, hope is alive.”

“Strength, boldness, and joy to live in hope.”

Pastor Yuriy—Israel

“The hope of the Gospel gives us hope for life in this terrible world where sin and death dwell; when we look at the cross and the Resurrection, we have the strength, boldness, and joy to live in hope in the Lord Christ Jesus. Especially for my family and church, after my wife Lyudmila’s long illness and her passing into the hands of our loving Father, this event strengthened our hope in the Resurrection.”

“This power helps us not to give up.”

Pastor Amir*—Central Asia

“We increasingly see ‘the power of [His] resurrection’ not as an abstract truth, but as God’s power for faithful daily living. This power helps us not to give up, to keep peace in our hearts, to forgive, and to continue serving even when answers to prayer do not come immediately. Often it works quietly, but it is precisely this power that sustains us and helps us move forward.”

“Easter amid scaffolding.”

Pastor Yuri—Belarus

“We are undergoing forced renovations to bring the building into compliance with new fire and building codes. . . . Easter 2026 is Easter amid scaffolding. It reminds us that Christ rose not in a royal palace, but in a simple garden, emerging from a crude stone tomb. His victory came in the most insignificant and seemingly hopeless moment. . . . This is the Easter of hope that breaks through the concrete of circumstances.”

“Easter in darkness, but with light.”

Pastor Ruslan—Ukraine

“Easter 2026 is an Easter in darkness, but with light. It is not an escape from reality, but a testimony that God is at work even in the most difficult times. Christ is risen—and that means that hope is alive and the future is possible. Resurrection power is the ability to live, serve, love, and not break down where there is no logic for hope.”

“The Easter celebration is the major feast.”

Pastor Grigory—Russia

“The Easter celebration is the major feast of the believers, and born from above Christians should understand this and grow stronger in the power of Christ’s Resurrection. The power of [the] resurrection of Christ has gained stronger meaning for me lately . . . only [the] risen Christ could give us hope and joy for our lives. And only strong Christians are able to evangelize and serve in the church.”

“There is only Christ.”

Pastor Oleg—Israel

“There is only Christ—and only in Him is there hope for peace amid the devastation of war. For believers, it affirms that despite terror attacks, death, and fear, they can experience true peace in the risen Christ. For unbelievers, the Easter message declares a sobering truth: lasting peace and rest cannot be found anywhere else, no matter how earnestly they are sought.”

“War has made the Easter sermon more relevant.”

Pastor Alexander—Ukraine

“The war has made the Easter sermon even more relevant than ever. Since society is faced with the danger of death and the destruction of earthly values almost daily, the hope of resurrection and a new perfect society in eternity becomes a comfort for people in this unjust and cruel world. The ‘power of [His] resurrection’ from Philippians 3:10 strengthens men and women who knowingly go to a combat zone.”

“We should use this time to share the Gospel.”

Pastor Egor—Far East Russia

“For many years we understand this power as the one that resurrected Jesus’s body from the dead— and it is the same power that gave us, Christians, a new life with Christ. We have also been resurrected by this power from the state of spiritual death. Easter is a special time in Russia. We should use this time to share the Gospel with non-believers. Stressing the fact of Resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.”

“We celebrate Easter every day!”

Pastor Mikhai—Ukraine

“Knowing the power of His Resurrection gives us today the promise that God still works in us and among us with this power. In our weaknesses and infirmities, He is strong and unchanging. The danger to life and the possibility of death focus the attention of our believers on eternal life. Resurrection is God’s promise to every believer. We celebrate Easter every day! We preach the risen Savior!”

“He will resurrect us by His power.”

Pastor Alexander—Ukraine

“After the sadness of Christ’s death, the morning of joy has come. Every year I rejoice more and more within myself and share this joy with those around me. I increasingly feel the need to convey to people the Easter message by personal example: Christ is risen! And He will resurrect us by His power. Easter Sunday is a wonderful opportunity for us, believers, to strengthen ourselves in the truth of the Resurrection in Jesus Christ.”

“To continue serving without losing faith.”

Pastor Mustafo*—Central Asia

“In conditions of pressure, restrictions, and instability, ‘the power of [His] resurrection’ for me is the ability to continue serving without losing faith and love. It is the power that lifts you up when there is fatigue, disappointment, or fear, and gives inner confidence that God is leading us even when circumstances look difficult. Easter 2026 for me is a testimony that Christ is alive and that His Resurrection gives hope.”

“Not an empty phrase.”

Pastor Alexander—Far East Russia

“‘The power of [His]resurrection’ is not an empty phrase, but the present and has the effective power to transform a believer. And as a minister not only in the Bokhan Church, but also as a minister for the Buryats, I strive to show the power of the risen Christ. That is why our main goal is to teach them the basics of faith so that they can know the risen Christ and understand that life only begins after death.”

“Life is stronger than death.”

Pastor Oleg—Ukraine

“Easter 2026 for me is a testimony that life is stronger than death, light is stronger than darkness, and Christ’s Resurrection remains an unchanging hope even in a changed world. The Resurrection is no longer seen as a future event or a symbol of faith—it is revealed as God’s power that sustains, restores, and shapes people in the midst of loss, pain, and trials.”

“We have inherited this victory.”

Pastor Viktor—Ukraine

“Easter is Christ risen from the dead. Christ not only personally defeated death, but also promised everyone, who trusts in Him, victory over death and the gift of eternal life. Today, during this time of war, this is very relevant for every Ukrainian both believer and non-believer, because each of us sees death every day. . . . It is a great joy because [Christ] has overcome, and we have inherited this victory.”

“The Word of God is a reliable source.”

Pastor Umar*—Central Asia

“I continue to remind myself and also the people around me that our Lord is alive. He once died for the sins of all people, but on the third day He rose from the dead. Many reject it, but there are people who ask for it to be explained to them. To such people I give a Bible so that they themselves may read it.. . . The Word of God is a reliable source that helps us grow in Him and not fade away.”

*Names changed to protect identity of pastor serving in an at-risk area.

Strengthening the Church Where the Gospel Is Needed Most

SGA-supported missionary pastors play a vital role in advancing the Gospel. They are often the first—and sometimes the only—evangelical presence in their communities. Through their ministry, churches are planted, believers are discipled, and entire families are reached with the truth of Scripture.

Support for missionary pastors helps provide:

Training and biblical education
Ongoing discipleship and pastoral care
Evangelistic outreach and church planting
Faithful Gospel presence in spiritually resistant or underserved regions

By supporting missionary pastors, you are helping ensure that the hope of Christ’s Resurrection is not only proclaimed—but lived out—where it is most needed.

Join God’s Work Through Faithful Servants

As you reflect on these stories, we invite you to consider how God may be leading you to partner in this work. Through prayer and giving, you help equip missionary pastors to continue planting churches, sharing the Gospel, and serving faithfully in the power of the risen Christ.

Your support helps strengthen pastors and churches across many regions—so the hope of the Resurrection continues to reach lives and communities around the world.