The sixth annual All-Ukrainian Christian student conference SALT2018 took place in the village Kapitanivka, not far from Kyiv on January 29 – February 04, 2018. This year’s SALT conference
continues the tradition of previous conferences, offering students quality and unique material from competent speakers.
The theme of the conference “Mindful Christianity in the Post-truth Era” reflected two main tendencies of modern life. The aim of SALT 2018 was to help modern Christian students to cope with these.
First, the conference addressed a student’s hectic pace of life in which one needs to combine studies at the university, part or full-time work, active participation in church life, and ministry in CCX. At the same time, each student must have one or two active accounts in social media networks and have time for private life. This pace leads to the fact that part of life goes on automatically, on autopilot, and students cannot fully enjoy life and relationships with the Lord. Therefore, the important task of SALT 2018 was to teach students to stop, contemplate themselves and the world, and to live consciously, giving thanks to God for everything.
To help the students, we began each day with Bible study in the Book of Ecclesiastes led by VasylAharkov, CCX staff worker in Kharkiv. Throughout the four days, students gradually learned to look with God's eyes on questions of wisdom (education), success, wealth, and life in general. The Lord created all these things for our joy, but when they become the primary goal of our lives, we will inevitably be disappointed, for without God it is all a chase after the wind.
Pavel Levushkan, the pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia in Riga and the founder of the Baltic Center of Contemplative Living, gave the main seminar track “Mindful Christianity”. He taught that it is important not only to study the Scripture deeply but also to contemplate oneself. As the Apostle Paul advised Timothy, “Take heed to thyself, and to thy teaching. Continue in these things; for in doing this thou shalt save both thyself and them that hear thee” (1 Timothy 4:16). To do this, one should constantly ask oneself questions, follow one’s thoughts, and live in gratefulness to God for every moment of life. Pavel told about some Christian practices that can be useful for students. He also held a workshop on LectioDivina, the method of reflection on the Holy Scripture.
This year the students had a special task in the city. They had to observe how the Ten Commandments were violated in daily life in Kyiv. Each of the small groups had to observe the violation of one particular commandment and report on the results during the evening program. It was the time when students could realize societal sin and their own sin, and ask for God’s forgiveness.
The second major challenge for modern Christian students is information overload. In a week, modern students process as much information as an average person in the 18th century received in a whole lifetime. Our brain is not adapted to this, so we are hiding in the "information bubbles" or in "clip thinking". It prevents Christians from being society’s light and salt, and keeps them from building healthy relationships with others. Sometimes they even fall into traps put before them by society’s manipulators.
Denis Kondyuk, Academic Dean of the Ukrainian Evangelical Theological Seminary, conducted a seminar for students called “Christianity in the post-truth era”. He explained to the students the danger of the post-truth era: media culture, which can appeal not only to facts, but to people’s emotions and ideological views.In recent years, this phenomenon has gained enormous popularity and occurs widely.Denis offered Christians the following recipes to prevent these manipulations: treat all people as bearers of God's image; learn to recognize fakes; be honest; have integrity, and seek good for others when sharing information.
Sergey Terentyev, the director of educational projects of the Foundation for the Promotion ofLeadership “Standard” and the pastor of the Reformed Evangelical Church “BozhyiZavit” in the city of Rivne, led a seminar called “Critical Thinking”. Pastor Sergey taught the students practical ways to prevent being manipulated, ask the right questions and differentiate between facts and opinions. In his second seminar called “Conflict Solving” he gave some practical tips on how to keep peace with people around us. Both seminars were very practical.
As usual at SALT conferences, small groups played a special role. They were a platform where students from different cities, universities and denominations shared their impressions and knowledge gained during seminars and other parts of the program. Sometimes there were even heated discussions, but it is only natural for a student to communicate and analyze.
This year, 53 students and 2 graduates from universities in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odessa, L’viv, Lutsk, Zaporizhzhya, Simferopol and Beltsy, Moldova, were seasoned with SALT. On the last day of the conference, they committed to dedicate themselves to the ministry of CCX for the next semester. The students also made important decisions based on everything that God had taught them at the conference. After the official conference closing, the conference participants along with CCX alumni of past years and the partners of CCX celebrated the 25th Anniversary of CCX Ukraine, where they all prayed for the participants and blessed them for further ministry in their cities.
We are deeply grateful to those who prayed for SALT 2018 and donated finances and other resources to make this conference possible! For years, SALT has raised the most pressing issues for modern Christian students, invited high-level speakers, and built a network of active Christian leaders in the key cities around Ukraine.
Students’ feedback:
Each conference is a new opportunity to move away from your traditional thinking and look at everyday things from a different perspective. SALT was not an exception! I would like to share the main theses that made me rethink some aspects of my life. I learned that you should always reflect on what you are doing and search your heart. We think so much about the future that we forget to live in the present, here and now, and an important phrase for me was this: "To solve a problem at one level, we must go to the next level”. It is very important to remember, as it often seems to us that the knowledge we have is sufficient to solve the problem, but really it is not. This was a great push to go further and develop yourself. I am thankful to the organizers, the speakers and the students who created that atmosphere!(Katerina Bondaruk, Kharkiv).
These five days are the best way to start the year, I believe, for all who came. What I like most about this conference is the busy schedule. Each of your days is super productive in deep thinking, study, and reflection. It is impossible not to find something new and useful for yourself here. At the conference, we can learn from speakers who have a great deal of knowledge and practice, and they are ready to share their knowledge and support us. What is more, the conference is attended by special students: those who strive for self-development, those who believe and ask themselves questions, those who are not afraid to change! It is always fun to be with them. One can scale the loftiest heights with them! In general, SALT is love! Many thanks to all the organizers and participants! (Diana Skornyakova, Kyiv)
What makes this conference special? Perhaps, breaking out of your typical schedule, you can hear an opinion from the outside and see your mistakes. Those few days were amazingly cool. Sometimes it seemed to me that seminars, lectures, and Bible studies were specially selected for me. They touched me to the depths of my soul. It was cool. Thank you! (VeronikaPasku, Odessa)
This week left an indelible impression, and will be remembered for a very long time with warmth and joy! SALT 2018: Inhale Life and Exhale Thanks!(Hanna Ponomarenko, Kharkiv)
SALT is the conference I want to come to again. If we take into account that Kyiv offers a wide variety of events, it speaks of great respect for the conference and its organizers! (Roman Chornyi, Kyiv)
Author: Alexander Zhakun, Director of SALT 2018