Arkadiy Naydonov is a Missionary Training Center Director with International Messengers in Poland.
When did you trust Christ?
I heard the Gospel from missionaries from Denmark. It was a simple choice for an 11-year-old, but at that point, I believe I became more of a religious person than anything else. The deeper understanding of the Gospel and my need for grace through the Saviour Jesus came a little later. I believe it was then that my relationship with the Lord started.
What have been the defining moments of your Christian walk?
I learned to trust God when I was praying for a spouse. I stopped seeking a spouse but started to seek how I could be a godly steward of the time, resources, gifts, and talents that the Lord provided for His glory. I now have a wonderful family with whom I fled Ukraine at the beginning of the war. This was a time of trying to understand what was happening and how to continue to serve the Lord. There have also been people in my life who have shown me the importance of reading the Bible and what it means to serve in ministry.
What do you hope to gain from participating?
I expect the Forum to help me grow both personally and in my ministry. I hope to gain new perspectives and practical approaches that will strengthen how I serve. Through the teaching and the exchange of experiences with other participants, I want to identify my personal and ministry blind spots and discover ways to address them more effectively.
What is your ministry?
I still serve as one of the Missionary Training Center Directors for International Messengers. I function as an unofficial pastor of the local Polish church, which hasn't had a pastor for a while, training elders and spreading the culture of discipleship at the church. I am also on a care team for the mission agency I serve with, taking care of the staff in the field.
What is your leadership role or what were your past leadership roles?
I have organised and led English evangelistic camps for youth and for families. I also planted two churches in Odesa, Ukraine, serving as pastor of one of them.
Why should someone invest in your ministry?
Since 2004, we have been equipping Eastern European churches to move from being receivers to becoming senders of missionaries. Through our Missionary Training Center, we have trained and sent over 170 missionaries to places anywhere from Mexico to Japan. Investing in my training means multiplying the reach of the Gospel through equipping new generations of missionaries and missional believers.
