Resident Profile: Vlad Hruntkovskyi

The Resident Leadership Program has welcomed over 220 seminarians from 20 different countries. Vlad was the first participant from Ukraine. Born and raised in Ukraine, where only 3% of the population identifies as Protestant, Vlad grew up in a Baptist home where his father served as a minister.

At 17, Vlad’s journey led him to the United States, where he pursued soccer and English language studies. His academic path continued when he received a scholarship to a Christian college in South Carolina, supported by his host family who covered his living expenses. After college, he returned to Ukraine to seek spiritual guidance about seminary education and his future direction.

God’s providence led him back to the United States to attend Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville. During this time, he visited Slavic communities across America but found himself discouraged by their ultra-conservative Orthodox approach and lack of English services. “The churches seemed empty of young people and determined to repeat the mistakes of the Catholic church,” he observed.

During his seminary studies, the war started between Russia and Ukraine. His parents chose to remain and serve their church, at one point just seven miles from the front line. His father later reflected that this crisis became a defining moment for Ukraine’s Baptist church, as people witnessed their unwavering commitment to serve – evacuating those in need, providing food, and embodying Christ’s love. This dedication led many locals to question the traditional Orthodox churches.

While teaching youth during seminary, Vlad recognized gaps in his preparedness for ministry. A Personal Evangelism class introduced him to Need Him Global, eventually leading to his Resident application. He later shared that the Resident experience gave him “the confidence in Christ needed to approach every conversation,” helping him see how everything he learned in seminary were simply tools that pointed back to the Gospel.

“I needed to be reminded that the Bible is the true Word of God,” Vlad reflected. “I don’t have to go back to Ukraine to see the world is falling apart. Christ is the anchor of our hope. This Resident experience has focused, refined, and purified the power of the Gospel.”

As Vlad considers his future ministry, whether in the US or Ukraine, he appreciates how the program has prepared him. “Before the war in Ukraine, I thought I would go to post-truth, post-Christian societies and attempt to revitalize churches there. The Residence Program helped me encounter multiple worldviews and actually talk with people, learning how Muslims and Hindus think. I learned to present the gospel to someone who has never heard of Christ, and that has become a huge part of my calling.”

Pray with us for Vlad and his family and that this war would end quickly.