Meet the Pastor
Mikhail Vasyukhnevich – Senior Pastor
Because this page is called “Meet the Pastor,” I have decided to personally share the story of my life, the plain truth of a sinner, who has been saved by the grace of God. Of the billions of people on earth, the Almighty God had a specific plan for my life. He has lifted me up and placed me into His ministry.
Born in November 1967 in the southern part of Russia, I was raised in a family of farm workers, the youngest of five children. In 1985, I graduated from high school, was admitted to a university, and later drafted into the army. Two years spent in the USSR army can be considered as a waste of time, however, this time span played an important role in my life and the development of my character. By the end of December 1987, I came back home. Because I missed the university semester exams, I had a nine month break before repeating classes. Thus, I went to Minsk, Belarus to work with my cousin. This is where I found God. I repented of my sins, accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior, and was baptized on the same day. God changed my life completely. In 1990, I married a young lady with beautiful eyes and a beautiful voice from our church choir. By 1999, we had two sons when we came to America. As of now, my wife Nadia and I have three sons and a daughter.
From the time I began to remember and ponder upon the memories of my life, I understood that life is not easy or fair. Around the age of five, I remember making a promise to myself that I will never drink alcohol because I saw its negative effect on my beloved father. My parents’ childhood was disarranged by World War II. My mother was left uneducated her entire life because she never attended school. My father lost his dad at an early age. Together, my father and mother began their family when they were 18 and 16 years old. When I heard of these stories from my mom, many questions arose. I asked “why,” but nobody could answer why there is so much suffering in life. As a family, we lived similarly to many others in communist USSR. However, our family had one difference- our mother believed in God. She was a Christian and prayed for her children: my three brothers, sister, and me.
When I went to Belarus for work, God revealed His love and grace to me through His Son, Jesus Christ. This was a critical turning point in my life; it went a completely different direction. By that time, I had already seen the “dark” side of life. Rejection, hate, and betrayal have always been and still are common among people. I was disappointed by the corruption of people who, I assumed, were honest. Because of this, I thought it was pointless to start a family. I did not see any faithfulness around me. People that surrounded me, including my friends, did not prove themselves as trustworthy. Cheating was a norm of life for them. They cheated on their wives, work, school, tests- everything. As I looked around, I concluded that there was no purpose or meaning in life. Only by the mercy of God was I saved. It was God who saw me struggling in my life. He opened my eyes and showed me a different life that is filled with meaning and purpose, joy and peace, happiness and love. Since that time, I have served God for almost 22 years, and this is why I enjoy my life.
In attempt for you to understand that we all need Jesus in our lives, I have shared my personal story so openly. There is no one on earth whom you may place your trust in. Place your trust and hope in our Savior sent by God, Jesus Christ, and you will never be disappointed in Him.
As to me, I am greatly privileged to be God’s servant. All that I want is to be aware and responsive to God’s desires, while sharing His love with the people of this struggling world. May all glory be to God!
