We’re kicking off the Beyond Bucha impact campaign today with national ads, theatrical screenings in Boston next weekend, and the film’s Ukraine premiere the following weekend in Odesa.

National TV Ads – The campaign launches nationally today with an ad airing on Boomer Esiason’s Gametime, thanks to the tireless energy and support of the film’s executive producer, Alex Gamota, and his non-profit, Bear Witness. A huge thank-you as well to Jim Moskovitz, the creator of the 20-second ad and a Gametime producer, for his generous contribution to the cause. Take a look!

​Boston Premiere Weekend Screenings – On June 7th and 8th, we’ll be hosting screenings at independent theaters across Boston. I’ll be attending each one to participate in Q&A sessions and am excited to see the new hour-long version of the film on the big screen in some amazing venues. If you’re in the Boston area, please stop by to enjoy the film and connect with others who care about the experiences of Christians facing such grave risks in Ukraine.

For more info—and to register for any of the screenings—visit TheoEco.org/BeyondBuchaBostonWeekend. Use promo code Beyond for free admission.

Odesa Screenings – The day after our Boston events, I’ll be heading back to Ukraine for the Beyond Bucha Ukraine premiere, with two screenings in Odesa on June 14th and 15th. For security reasons (Putin is not a fan), we’re keeping the venues and times private for now, but we’ll share details after the events. Stops in Bucha, Irpin, and Kyiv are also on the itinerary. I can’t wait!

Thanks again to all of you who continue to support this work and Ukrainian independence. In the end, that’s what this project is truly all about.

​My final church visit in Ukraine felt like stepping into a Texas mega-church—an energetic service with a vibrant worship band, professional media setup, and a congregation full of families.

After the service, I interviewed Pastor Anton Kalyuzhny of New Life Church, a non-denominational congregation. He offered moving reflections on how war reshapes faith, urging believers to embrace lament and recognize God's shared sorrow: “When you are in a war, you cannot run away from pain and evil... He’s crying with us.”

Pastor Anton also issued a heartfelt plea to conservatives and evangelicals in the West. Though most Ukrainians are deeply conservative, they’re often mischaracterized as liberals by American media. He expressed deep frustration over how conservative outlets have distorted Ukraine’s reality, leading many U.S. evangelicals to dismiss the voices of their Ukrainian brothers and sisters.

He warned that trusting pundits like Tucker Carlson over firsthand testimony from Ukrainian believers is a painful betrayal—“a knife in our hearts.” His call was clear: listen to Ukrainian evangelicals themselves, not just the media narratives.

For more go to: We’ve Learned How to Lament and to See that He's Crying With Us.

​​On July 23, 2023, a Russian missile strike severely damaged the Transfiguration Cathedral in Odesa, shocking people around the world, including Christians across America.

Despite the attacks, Odesans remain fiercely devoted to their city—a resilience I’ve seen throughout Ukraine. My translator, Sasha Pinchuk, embodies that spirit.

Born in Sevastopol, Crimea, Sasha’s family left in 2014. In 2017, he spent a year in Newport while his father studied at the Naval War College. After Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Sasha’s mother and siblings fled to the U.S., staying with a family friend in Rhode Island for 18 months. His father remained in Ukraine, serving on the front lines.

When I visited Odesa on October 11, I found the damaged cathedral open. The Sunrise Ensemble performed a moving flute recital in front of it, which we filmed for a short video. Inside, debris remained, but reconstruction had begun. We were even allowed to film inside the nave.

That visit also led me to Fr. Theodore Orobets at the smaller Cathedral of the Nativity. Just a month later, it too was hit by a missile. Fr. Orobets explained the distinction between Ukrainian Orthodox churches and those aligned with Moscow, which supports Russian aggression. He firmly denied any persecution of Christians by Ukraine and emphasized the freedom of religious life—unless clergy support the enemy. When sirens sound, his family prays. “Our true defender,” he told me, “is not just Ukraine’s army—but God.”

After visiting Kharkiv, I traveled south through Dnipro to Zaporizhzhia City to meet with Bishop Sergey Gashchenko, leader of the Union of Churches, a Pentecostal/Charismatic denomination.

I attended a service at his Source of Life Church, where he preached. The city lies about 25 miles from the front lines. While Zaporizhzhia City remains under Ukrainian control, the majority of Zaporizhzhia Oblast is held by Russian forces. 

The video makes it clear that the city is far from destroyed. What’s undeniable, however, is the immense danger evangelicals face under Russian occupation—and the church’s heroic efforts to help displaced believers escape. Bishop Gashchenko oversees dozens of Pentecostal and Charismatic churches that provide food, aid, and spiritual care, often risking their lives to defend their religious freedom. For more go to: https://www.theoeco.org/blog/kharkiv-to-zaporizhzhia-pentecostalcharismatic-churches 

I also met Pastor Karina Medvied of Yahum Church, a young, vibrant Charismatic leader. Karina supports actions against Moscow-aligned Orthodox clergy, citing their political loyalties and interference in Ukraine’s independence. She emphasized that Ukrainians wishing to stay within Orthodoxy should join the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, which respects both traditional practices and Ukrainian sovereignty. For more go to: https://www.theoeco.org/blog/a-lady-evangelical-pastor-near-ukraines-front-lines-in-zaporizhzhia 

Through leaders like Bishop Gashchenko and Pastor Karina, Zaporizhzhia’s churches embody extraordinary courage, compassion, and conviction in a time of great trial.