Sacramento newspaper about Aleksandr Shevchenko’s church “House of Bread”

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This is an article from the Sacramento newspaper «Sacramento Bee» of December 26th, 2010 about widely known Ukrainian-Russian pastor Alexandr Shevchenko of a neopentecostal church «House of Bread» in Sacramento.

Spiritual bread for a new generation

On a dark, chilly Thursday night in Rio Linda, seven young women meet for tea and sympathy, blintzes and Bible study.

They talk about how men are like waffles (they compartmentalize things) and women like spaghetti (everything’s intertwined). They share the challenges of youths they know struggling with meth and raising children. Two are single moms.

Clockwise from left, Irina Minzer, Yelena Davydyuk, Kurti Tabalno, Liliya Vizitiu, Nelly Kebets, Vitaliya Kislyanka, and Jacqueline Morales-Villa and her baby attend a home study group of “House of Bread” in Rio Linda.

Hostess Yelena Davydyuk, a medical assistant and American River College student, spices the conversation with Bible verses. A few follow along on their cell phone Bible apps. «Dude, I have this verse on my Touch,» Vitaliya Kislyanka said.

They discuss the best ways to serve God.

«God made us to help and serve people,» said Kislyanka, 20, who works for a nonprofit that helps orphans in Ukraine.

Welcome to one of the 50 weekly home-study groups that form the backbone of House of Bread, one of Sacramento’s new wave Slavic congregations.

Calling itself a «church without walls,» House of Bread was formed five years ago by Alex Shevchenko and several other youth pastors who split off from Bethany Slavic Missionary Church, the nation’s largest Slavic Pentecostal congregation.

«We want to invest money not in bricks but in the souls of people – home groups are more personal,» Shevchenko said.

An estimated 120,000 refugees from the former Soviet Union and their American-born children live in the Sacramento region.

Many of the refugees find their beliefs at odds with a mainstream society where half of all marriages dissolve and a variety of sexual choices are both legal and tolerated. But many young Russian-speaking professionals find their parents’ churches too restrictive, controlling and unforgiving of divorce and premarital sex.

Young Ukrainian and Russian Americans have flocked to House of Bread because of its youth focus and 21st century spin.

Less fire and brimstone

House of Bread, built mostly on English-speaking youths 15-30, has moved away from fire-and-brimstone pastors and their parents’ tales of religious persecution under communism — many weren’t even born when the U.S.S.R. collapsed in 1989.

«The Internet, video games, pornography – the older people don’t even know what this stuff is, they don’t know the challenges of the times we’re living in,» said Shevchenko, 36. «We’re trying to be closer to the reality of college-age students and teenagers. We need a lot of spiritual bread for our generation.»

The church holds 2 p.m. Sunday services at Adventure Christian Church in Roseville for up to 1,000 people and a Sunday evening all-English youth program at their multimedia center on College Oak Drive in Sacramento.

Programs are broadcast to 160 countries, and the House of Bread gets more than 1 million views a year on its Russian website.

Two weeks ago, 200 youths from throughout the region showed up for the Sunday evening program. They rocked to a Christian band and watched a three-hour «anti-culture» presentation claiming that the «normalization» of gayness in American media is the result of a Satanic gay «conspiracy» that threatens their «traditional family values» and their children’s future.

Church sees ‘gay agenda’

Projected on two overhead screens, «Anti-culture of Hollywood Part 2″ was led by Eduard Kislyanka, House of Bread’s 23-year-old youth and teen coordinator.

«In the movies, the Internet and TV, God is being ridiculed, mocked, pushed out,» he said. «Which side are you on?»

The Bible teaches: «We have to accept and be open to homosexuals, we have to be loving – if a person repents, we’re here,» Kislyanka said. «But some people who push the (gay) agenda, they’re not victims. In Hollywood this is huge right now, it’s growing.»

Even the animated Warner Bros. film «Happy Feet» suggests that homosexuality is natural, Kislyanka said, when a young penguin remarks, «Don’t ask me to change, Pa, because I can’t.»

Peter Lysyy, 14, of Mira Loma High School, said the media’s alleged pro-gay message «is wrong, it creeps you out. I’ll try and talk them (homosexuals) out of it.»

Home groups leader Vladimir Kotyakov said the church provides psychological counseling to gays seeking help.

Though its views on homosexuality are in line with older Slavic churches, House of Bread is considered progressive for its work with recovering addicts, ex-felons and divorcees.

«We have everything you can find from drugs to depression,» said Kotyakov, 26, who came from Ukraine at 12 and said that by 15 he was stealing cars, drinking, doing drugs and living on the streets, «looking to establish my own identity.»

He said his dad, caught up in learning English and supporting his family, «had little time for me. I got the wrong love on the streets.»

«I don’t blame him because the former Soviet Union never taught us how to show or express love – my dad never showed love verbally to my mom in front of the kids, that’s what broke my heart.»

After his dad went to a spiritual counselor and learned how to show him love, Kotyakov said he was able to turn his own life around.

Rejecting the hard line

House of Bread tries to fill the love gap without dictating how to dress or how to live, Shevchenko said.

«In the U.S.S.R., you couldn’t be different, you had to follow their rules.» That hard-line attitude permeated churches that feared reprisals from the atheist government, he said.

«Here, everything’s different — instead of protecting tradition and losing kids, we protect kids even if you lose traditions.»

One of those traditions is preserving marriage at all costs. Juliet Romanishin, a 29-year-old Russian immigrant, said that after she divorced her husband a decade ago, she was banned by the community and considered an outcast.

«I was thinking because he was abusive, I could get a divorce, but the church said no, he has to be dead. I said, ‘Enough with the church rules, it’s going to be him or me,’ » she said.

Romanishin, who now attends Bayside Church in Granite Bay, said she’s heard that House of Bread’s pastor «is very fair.»

Women don’t have to obey their husbands – both are supposed to obey Christ, Shevchenko said.

House of Bread provides professional counselors to try and solve marital strife, including alcoholism and domestic abuse. But if it doesn’t stop, Shevchenko said, «We’re not afraid to say it’s OK to get divorced.»

Open to other cultures

The church has embraced other cultures – the Rio Linda Home Study group includes a Latina, a Filipina who is part Cherokee and Irish, and women from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and Moldova.

After dining on nalistniki – Ukrainian blintzes – and tomato bruschetta, the women discussed the ways in which God is manifested.

«Talents can be an indication of what God wants you to do,» said Yelena Davydyuk, 28. «God gave me a talent to draw to fulfill me as a human being, to give me character. When I was younger, I was told ‘Don’t draw. It’s a waste of time. Go read the Bible.’ It’s not sinful to paint, to write song.»

Nelli Kebets, whose mother is recovering from a car accident, said the younger generation is so self-centered «it’s almost like we never grew out of being teenagers. It’s harder to help others if you live just for your comfort.»

Still, Kebets, 28, said there’s an upside to growing up American. «We weren’t persecuted like our parents, so we’re not afraid of authority, and we’re able to have a more free, fearless love and acceptance of people and their sins.»

http://www.sacbee.com/2010/12/26/3278814/spiritual-bread-for-a-new-generation.html
Published Sunday, Dec. 26, 2010

————————————————————

Pastor Alexander Shevchenko during a sermon

Response of Pastor Alexander Shevchenko to the article in the American newspaper Sacramento Bee, “Spiritual bread for a new generation,” in the December 26, 2010 issue (“Spiritual bread for a new generation” By Stephen Magagnini. Published: Sunday, Dec. 26, 2010).

Christ was amazed at the duplicity of nature in these people. A layering, double-mindedness spilling over into duplicity. It is impossible to speak of any order in the family, church, or state when the individual is disordered, incapable of being whole. “…every city or house divided against itself will not stand” (Matt. 12:25). Yet we, raised on European humaneness and Carnegie principles, see the world differently. We can harbor ill will toward someone while speaking flattering words.

The recent appearance of the Sacramento Bee editor in our office was met with caution. However, we were easily assured that a number of acquaintances and colleagues in his circle often speak about the “House of Bread” church, which piqued the journalist’s interest in getting to know us better. The first meeting lasted more than two and a half hours. There were five of us, drinking tea, talking, taking turns expressing our thoughts, supplementing and correcting one another. The conversation came down to the fact that the church, as one of the few institutions upholding moral standards in society, must remain faithful to biblical truths in raising our generation. In this lies its loyalty to its duty to its homeland. The editor openly spoke about his teenage son, who himself wished to some extent to distance himself from the ordinary public school and went to study at an all-boys school attached to a Catholic church. We rejoiced, seeing that the conversation was a success.

After that, the journalist visited one of the church’s home groups and a youth service, continuing to gather material for the article. What came of it you can read for yourselves in the Sacramento Bee, in the article “Spiritual bread for a new generation,” in the December 26, 2010 issue (“Spiritual bread for a new generation” By Stephen Magagnini. Published: Sunday, Dec. 26, 2010).

I do not wish to comment on the article in detail, but I am certain that despite all the kind words addressed to the church, the journalist presented Christians in a negative light (if it can be called light). After reading the article, I have absolutely no desire to visit such a church, or even to rejoice deep down that there are such people in our city. As it turned out, the editor did nothing but scrupulously seek out individual statements, skillfully weaving them into the overall picture. Not just Christians, but Slavic Christians were once again portrayed as narrow‑minded people in a land of unlimited opportunities.

At first glance, the article seems bland, without salt, without emphasis… But as it turns out, it is merely a skillful presentation of material: to say nothing overtly bad, yet leave a bad impression. Bravo! Everyone got the message. We have learned to read between the lines, as is unequivocally proven by readers’ comments in response to the article.
Moreover, we became such good “friends” with the editor that he repeatedly assured us that, as a sign of trust, he would definitely let us read his work before sending it to print. Obviously, that did not happen.

After everything that happened, I stopped trusting the Sacramento Bee. This newspaper is, to put it mildly, not objective, and to put it bluntly, it is no different from the Soviet method of brainwashing its readers, shamelessly pushing its own agenda. Such things have no place in history.

Alexander Shevchenko
Pastor of the “House of Bread” Church


December 28, 2010 “How can you speak good things when you are evil?” Response by Pastor Alexander Shevchenko to the article in the American newspaper Sacramento Bee “Spiritual Bread for a New Generation” in the issue of December 26, 2010 (“Spiritual bread for a new generation” By Stephen Magagnini. Published: Sunday, Dec. 26, 2010). Christ was amazed at the duality of nature in these people. Stratification, double-mindedness flowing into duplicity. It is impossible to speak of any arrangement of family, church, or state when the individual is disordered and incapable of being whole. “…every city or house divided against itself will not stand” (Matt. 12:25). However we, brought up on European humaneness, on Carnegie’s principles, see the world differently. We can harbor dislike for someone and yet speak flattering words. The recent appearance of a Sacramento Bee editor in our office was met with wariness. However, we were easily persuaded that a number of acquaintances and colleagues in his circle often speak about the “House of Bread” church, which piqued the journalist’s interest in getting to know us better. The first meeting lasted more than two and a half hours. There were five of us, we drank tea, talked, taking turns expressing our thoughts, complementing and correcting each other. The conversation led to the conclusion that the church, as one of the few institutions that affirm moral standards in society, must remain faithful to Biblical truths in raising our generation. In this consists its loyalty to its duty to its homeland. The editor openly spoke about his teenage son, who himself wished to somewhat distance himself from the ordinary public school and went to study at a boys-only school attached to a Catholic church. We rejoiced, seeing that the conversation was a success. After that, the journalist visited one of the church’s home groups, the youth ministry, continuing to gather material for the article. What came of it, you can read for yourselves in the Sacramento Bee, in the article “Spiritual Bread for a New Generation,” in the issue of December 26, 2010 (“Spiritual bread for a new generation” By Stephen Magagnini. Published: Sunday, Dec. 26, 2010) I do not wish to comment on the article in detail, but I am convinced that despite all the good words about the church, the journalist presented Christians in a negative light (if that can be called light). After reading the article, I have absolutely no desire to visit such a church, or even to rejoice deep down that there are such people in our city. The editor, as it turned out, did nothing but meticulously seek out individual statements, skillfully weaving them into the overall picture. Not just Christians, but Slavic Christians were once again portrayed as narrow-minded people in the land of unlimited opportunities. At first glance the article is nothing, without salt, without emphasis… But as it turns out, it is merely a skillful presentation of material: say nothing overtly bad, yet leave a bad impression. Bravo! Everyone understood everything. We have learned to read between the lines, as the comments of people in response to the article unambiguously prove. Moreover, we became such “friends” with the editor that he repeatedly assured us that, as a sign of trust, he would definitely give us his work to read before sending it to print. Of course, that did not happen. After everything that happened, I stopped trusting the Sacramento Bee. This newspaper, to put it mildly, is not objective, and to put it bluntly, is no different from the Soviet method of brainwashing its readers, shamelessly pushing its own agenda. Such things have no place in history. Alexander Shevchenko Pastor of the “House of Bread” church Take heart, dear ones, take heart, for this had to be,
And therefore do not be afraid, not ceasing to love them.
For these are berries at the start, they will bloom as flowers, and then…
and the heart cried out in grief — why persecution, why?
For the Name alone they will persecute you, not to speak of other things,
and if all abide in the Body, they will kick not only with a boot.
Take heart, dear ones, take heart, JESUS has already overcome the world
and in JESUS rejoice, fear no more the dark forces.
And to GOD — hallelujah, Glory forever and ever,
the LORD will find a way to deal with them, flicking them lightly on the forehead.

WITH LOVE, Yuri and Svetlana Boretsky (Ukraine, Volnogorsk, Dnepropetrovsk region) I believe that secular people cannot properly assess the spiritual condition of the church. But just as they once told lies about Jesus and it did not hinder Him from fulfilling His mission, so now nothing will hinder true believers and those who follow Jesus from following Him correctly, much less some newspaper article… - Lyudmila Kulaeva What the reporter wrote is a lie. I have been listening since August 2 to Pastor Alexander’s sermons and I am grateful! Everywhere mutual respect for one another is preached, and the fact that the word is preached uncompromisingly is right, because believers should not tolerate any sin. I am grateful to the Lord God for such radical ministers and uncompromising word! - Nila Gorovaya (Ukraine, Dnepropetrovsk) List of all news |

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