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Hillsong Ukraine
Hillsong Ukraine, also known as Hillsong Church Kyiv (formerly Kyiv Christian Life Centre) is an offshoot of Hillsong Church from Sydney, Australia, based in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Hills Christian Life Centre was founded by Brian Houston in 1983 in Baulkham Hills (an outer suburb of Sydney), New South Wales, Australia, later (2001) renamed as Hillsong Church.
In September 1992, an outreach began in the October Palace, Kyiv.[citation needed] Australian worship leader David Evans, US pastor Mike Berry and former Hillsong youth pastor Darko Culjak officially began the church in a 700-seat movie theatre in downtown Kyiv. The establishment of the church was aided by Pat Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network operating in the former Soviet Union. Culjak became the first senior minister and established the Kyiv Christian Life Centre officially on 4 October 1992. Hillsong Kyiv was thus established a year after Ukraine obtained its independence from the Soviet Union. Hillsong sent some financial support, and the church was named Hillsong, although it was always independent of the Sydney organisation.
On 1 June 1997,[citation needed] Ievgenii (Zhenya) and Vera Kasevich became the new pastors of the church, and led the church and its offshoot in Moscow for about 20 years, successfully building up the congregation by 2008. As of 2007, the church held six to seven services each weekend with a combined attendance of around 3000. The Kasevichs were invited to speak at various churches and Christian conferences around the globe. The church budget was around $1 million a year, all from donations, but Hillsong made the Kasevichs pay up to $13,000 for first-class air tickets to fly speakers to a conference in Kyiv.
Hillsong Kyiv did not initially own a worship centre, renting an exhibition marquee in industrial outskirts of Kyiv for its services, but purchased two offices in 2002 and 2007 on credit.
In February 2014, the Kasevichs wanted the Kyiv church to retain its independence, but Brian Houston said that if they broke away, he would open a rival Hillsong church in the city. They felt they had no choice but to hand over the churches and assets and resign, as they did not want to break up the congregation. Hillsong records later showed that Hillsong Church requested a "voluntary donation" of the proceeds of the sale of a property, as well as over $US230,000 in cash. The Kasevichs wanted to emigrate to the United States, and there is evidence that Hillsong said that they could make things difficult for the couple with the American authorities, although Houston later denied this.
After their departure, the Kasevichs were banned from church events and therefore from the congregation (their "family"), and their emails and online connection to the Hillsong database were cut. They were asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement which excluded them from attending services at Hillsong Kyiv or Moscow, and from contacting any of Hillsong's staff or volunteers.
Yuri and Tanya Ravnushkin became lead pastors of the church, which is or was located on the outskirts of the city.
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Hillsong Ukraine
Hillsong Ukraine, also known as Hillsong Church Kyiv (formerly Kyiv Christian Life Centre) is an offshoot of Hillsong Church from Sydney, Australia, based in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Hills Christian Life Centre was founded by Brian Houston in 1983 in Baulkham Hills (an outer suburb of Sydney), New South Wales, Australia, later (2001) renamed as Hillsong Church.
In September 1992, an outreach began in the October Palace, Kyiv.[citation needed] Australian worship leader David Evans, US pastor Mike Berry and former Hillsong youth pastor Darko Culjak officially began the church in a 700-seat movie theatre in downtown Kyiv. The establishment of the church was aided by Pat Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network operating in the former Soviet Union. Culjak became the first senior minister and established the Kyiv Christian Life Centre officially on 4 October 1992. Hillsong Kyiv was thus established a year after Ukraine obtained its independence from the Soviet Union. Hillsong sent some financial support, and the church was named Hillsong, although it was always independent of the Sydney organisation.
On 1 June 1997,[citation needed] Ievgenii (Zhenya) and Vera Kasevich became the new pastors of the church, and led the church and its offshoot in Moscow for about 20 years, successfully building up the congregation by 2008. As of 2007, the church held six to seven services each weekend with a combined attendance of around 3000. The Kasevichs were invited to speak at various churches and Christian conferences around the globe. The church budget was around $1 million a year, all from donations, but Hillsong made the Kasevichs pay up to $13,000 for first-class air tickets to fly speakers to a conference in Kyiv.
Hillsong Kyiv did not initially own a worship centre, renting an exhibition marquee in industrial outskirts of Kyiv for its services, but purchased two offices in 2002 and 2007 on credit.
In February 2014, the Kasevichs wanted the Kyiv church to retain its independence, but Brian Houston said that if they broke away, he would open a rival Hillsong church in the city. They felt they had no choice but to hand over the churches and assets and resign, as they did not want to break up the congregation. Hillsong records later showed that Hillsong Church requested a "voluntary donation" of the proceeds of the sale of a property, as well as over $US230,000 in cash. The Kasevichs wanted to emigrate to the United States, and there is evidence that Hillsong said that they could make things difficult for the couple with the American authorities, although Houston later denied this.
After their departure, the Kasevichs were banned from church events and therefore from the congregation (their "family"), and their emails and online connection to the Hillsong database were cut. They were asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement which excluded them from attending services at Hillsong Kyiv or Moscow, and from contacting any of Hillsong's staff or volunteers.
Yuri and Tanya Ravnushkin became lead pastors of the church, which is or was located on the outskirts of the city.