On August 30, Slavic Baptist Church "Bethel" held a special service dedicated to the ordination of Denis Okunev for a deacon ministry. He along with the head pastor of the church is representatives of the second generation of immigrants. Grigoriy Ivanovich Lakhno together with his son Vitaliy serves as a church pastor. He has entrusted the ministry to his son. It is a blessing when both the experience of the older as well as the energy of the younger is united for a mutual service in one local church.
Before the ordination, I gave some words of exhortation to Dennis and his wife Victoria, as well as to every member of the local church. In our ministry, we as ministers cannot forget the One Whom we are serving, the Only, Invisible, Triune God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Just the awareness of His presence, glory, and majesty brings us to humility, trembling, and reverence. Worship, adoration, and obedience to God is the foundation of every ministry, including that of a deacon. Only by loving God with the whole heart can we be able to love people whom we are serving.
The service went by very quickly after which everyone came up to Dennis and Victoria to congratulate them. To serve in God’s vineyard is a tremendous privilege for every disciple of Jesus Christ. May the Lord bless Dennis and his family in their new page of life of following after Christ.
Ivan Mileyev
