TOP NEWS

VIII Against the Tide TV Congress

In May, the VIII Against the Tide TV Congress “Poland and the world after the catastrophe” was held. The event was devoted to the current situation in Ukraine, and the prospect of a Polish-Ukrainian alliance or even a union. Our guests talked about how to organize the world after the war with Putin and what the effects of the war will be for the whole world. They also assessed the attitude of the states and their commitment to helping Ukraine, as well as the policy of communist China towards Russia’s aggression.

The speakers of the Congress were:

• Gen. Benjamin Hodges, former commander of U.S. troops in Europe [video]
• Kira Rudik, Chair of the Ukrainian Voice Party [video]
• Manyan Ng, head of Epoch Times Europe [video]
• Satoru Nagao, Hudson Institute expert [video]
• Pavel Novotný, Czech politician
• pastor Bob Kraft

Kira Rudik expressed her gratitude to the Poles for their help. She said she is very hopeful for the establishment of a Polish-Ukrainian alliance: “Kyiv started to be bombarded at 5 a.m. And at 6 p.m., Poland opened its borders to Ukrainian citizens so they can get to safety. You did not ask us any questions. You were that neighbor that, when you come back home and cry, knock on his door, he would open the door, give you a cup of tea, and you would talk. We would never, ever forget this. […] So with this new system that we will be putting together, moving forward after the catastrophe, after the crisis, after we win, I do believe that geographically, mentally, and physically, Ukraine, Poland, and Baltic countries will have to stay united, will have to have closer connections, and we’ll have to help to build the alliance, the effective alliance that would actually work.”

The main event of the Congress was the debate, which was divided into four panels: Security, Local Governments, Health Care and Education. It was attended by specialists from various fields: politicians, experts, doctors, editors, local government officials, and representatives of education.

The idea of the Polish-Ukrainian alliance was supported by the former Minister of Agriculture, chairman of the Council for Agriculture and Rural Areas, Jan Krzysztof Ardanowski: “Strategic cooperation is needed in various areas, e.g. agriculture. If Ukraine perseveres, and may it do so, if Poland, Ukraine, and smaller countries in our part of Europe could unite – as President Zelensky also said in his message to the Polish National Assembly – then, as a matter of fact, it would be the Three Seas Initiative, but at the same time a strong counterweight to the Germans, to their domination, hegemony in this part of Europe. Now there is a chance for our region to stand out for independence. Poland and Ukraine can be absolute leaders in this change in the geopolitical situation.”

[Article – UA version]

WHAT ELSE:

Conference of Pastors and Christian Leaders

In early May, we organized a conference of pastors and Christian leaders under the slogan: “Evangelization of Poles and Ukrainians at the time of dynamic cultural and international changes”. We talked about the response of evangelical Christian circles to the changes taking place and how to use the openness of hearts resulting from the war in Ukraine in evangelization. In Lublin, we hosted pastors and Christian leaders from Poland and Ukraine, who want to look together for new opportunities to reach Poles and Ukrainians with the gospel. The special guest of the conference was Joe Łosiak, co-founder of the oasis movement, and associate of Fr. Franciszek Blachnicki.

The result of the conference was a joint letter in which pastors supported the initiative of President Zelensky and other politicians to strengthen relations between Poland, Ukraine, and other countries in our region. The letter was signed by pastors: Paweł Chojecki, Radosław Kopeć, Paweł Machała, and Michał Fałek from the New Covenant Church in Lublin, pastor Henryk Skrzypkowski from the Baptist Church in Chełm, pastor Ireneusz Dawidowicz from the “Way of Salvation” Congregation of the Baptist Church in Poland, pastor Andrey Hlopkov from the Church of God “Grace of Christ” in Krakow, pastor Oleksandr Moroz from the Ukrainian Baptist Church in Warsaw and Joe Łosiak.

[Petition – UA] [Petition – ENG]
[Article – UA] [Article – ENG]

Robert Makłowicz on Against the Tide TV

We talked to Robert Makłowicz, a well-known Polish food critic, writer, and traveler. We asked him if he believed in the possibility of an alliance between Poland and Ukraine and the entire Three Seas Initiative.

We also talked about the myth of a Pole-Catholic and the contribution of Protestants to Polish culture. We also remembered the time of the Republic of Poland, its tolerance, and its great traditions.

Robert Makłowicz said: “Our past is the Republic of many nations, many religions, and many cultures. Regardless of where we come from in Poland, we are the heirs of this ‘multi’ tradition. I perceive Polish culture as a collection resembling a stained glass window.  If we put one piece of glass in the frame, then it will no longer be stained glass, but an ordinary glass. However, stained glass is a much more complex and beautiful construction.”

Verdict in the case of Bartłomiej Pankowiak

The District Court in Kalisz issued a verdict in the case of Bartłomiej Pankowiak, the victim of priest Arkadiusz H. The Kalisz Curia is to pay the victim PLN 300,000 in compensation.

Artur Nowak commented: “We feel satisfaction, but not entirely, because the court did not fully accept our demand. It is important for us, for Bartek and Jakub, that the principle of responsibility has been decided. The court in the oral justification of the verdict said that this is not a fight with the Church, but a fight for the Church, for a healthy Church, and the plaintiffs, i.e. the Pankowiak brothers, were the precursors of this good cause. They set an example, starting with the fact that they showed their faces in the movie, and spoke about their trauma, but also by applying for reparation, they became the precursors of the purification of this Church.”

Cardinal Zen arrested!

On May 11, the Chinese authorities arrested Cardinal Joseph Zen from Hong Kong. Along with him, a group of people supporting a foundation created in 2019 to help protesters in Hong Kong was detained. The cardinal supported Hong Kong’s independence efforts, publicly criticized the Vatican’s agreement with the Chinese Communists, and called communism itself a “diabolical system”.

After the White House intervened, the Cardinal was quickly released on bail. However, he still faces imprisonment.

“The lack of a decisive response by Pope Francis to the arrest of Cardinal Zen, the retired bishop of Hong Kong, by the Chinese Communists, is a shame and a disgrace,” said Hanna Shen, a correspondent for Against the Tide TV in Taiwan.

Christian Congress

This month we organized a Christian conference, special guests of which were Joe and Anna Łosiak, missionaries from the USA. The program of the convention included e.g. a meeting with young people, a concert by Joe Łosiak, a series of lectures by Joe and Anna, and a Q&A session. We also invited our guests to a program about whether the “revolution of Jesus” in Poland is possible.

We also talked to Anna Łosiak about the lights and shadows of homeschooling.

Joe Łosiak also gave us a Sunday Sermon “If not Mass, what?”

WHAT’S NEW:

• We have prepared a new evangelization leaflet “Putin’s Pope”
• We have started a new project – a study of the First Letter to the Corinthians, led by Pastor Paweł Chojecki.
• We made a new animation “It is war then!”, which answers the questions of why there are wars, why people hurt each other, and why we are surrounded by so much evil. The animation with drawings by Andrzej Patalon was created based on the leaflet of the same title. It is available in Polish and Ukrainian.

WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON:

• We are preparing for the Polish-Ukrainian evangelization conference in June, during which we will organize a concert of Christian music in Lublin.
• We are planning on setting up evangelization tents in various cities Polish.
• We are in the process of preparing for the Christian summer camp in July.
• We are beginning an advanced Bible study project in collaboration with the Mt28 Movement. The first book to be studied will be the Epistle of James.
• In our headquarters, we are also working on a new car park.

TOP NEWS

Premiere of the Against the Tide TV film “Little survivors from Mariupol”

On Easter Monday, the film “Little survivors from Mariupol” directed by Szymon Żuk premiered. The documentary tells the story of 62 orphans rescued from Mariupol by five heroic Americans with the support of Christians from Polish and Ukraine. Pastor Matthew Shea was at the head of the rescue team and was supported by Polish pastors Paweł Chojecki and Radosław Kopeć, as well as members of the New Covenant Church in Lublin and the editorial office of our TV. The documentary recounts the course of the rescue operation until March 4, when in the morning the children were safely brought from Ukraine to the Journalist’s House in Kazimierz Dolny. All those who were involved in the action jointly admitted: That this mission was successful is God’s miracle!

Soon , the documentary will also be available in Spanish, Ukrainian and German.

WHAT ELSE:

Oleksandr Turchynov, former acting president of Ukraine: “Russians call me Bloody Pastor!”

Oleksandr Turchynov, former Acting President of Ukraine, First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine from 2007 to 2010, a soldier of territorial defense and also a Baptist preacher as well as former Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, was a guest of our TV. With our guest we talked about the war in Ukraine, how the Ukrainian army has changed since 2014, and why Christians should get involved in politics.

President Turchynov said that it is thanks to trust in God that soldiers are ready to sacrifice their lives in defense of their homeland and compatriots.

Ukrainian MP Kira Rudik: “We have to judge Russians like Nazis!”

The parliamentarian of the Supreme Council of Ukraine, Kira Rudik, told us about the course of her expedition to the sites of Russian crimes in Ukraine. She talked about the conversations she had with eyewitnesses of the genocide in Bucha, about the bestiality of the Russians and the need to bring Putin and his soldiers before an international tribunal.

Kira Rudik on our Television appealed to all world leaders and said that now, when everyone is hesitating whether to give Ukraine weapons, the same nightmares are happening in other cities occupied by the Russian army. She called on the international community that other countries will be responsible if they don’t help Ukraine.

Ukrainian journalist Olena Golikova, in IPP: “The genocide in Bucha shows: You cannot compromise with the criminal Putin!”

We also talked to Olena Golikova, a Ukrainian journalist who fled to Poland from Kharkov. She spoke about Russian crimes against the population of Ukraine, for example, about the genocide in Bucha. Several hundred bodies of murdered civilians, including women and children, were found on the streets of this city. In the interview, she stressed that the West cannot succumb to war criminals and for its own good should support Ukraine and take decisive steps, because Ukraine defends the free world against Russian communism.

Dmytro Matiuchin, Head of the Municipal Help Center with a direct footage from Zaporizhzhia!

Dmytro Matyuchin, director of the Municipal Aid Center in Zaporizhzhia and head of the department of social pastoral care of the Baptist Union of Ukraine, agreed to talk to us. He has been helping refugees from eastern Ukraine since 2014 and is currently in Zaporizhzhia, where he coordinates charitable assistance. In the interview, he told us about the current situation in Zaporizhzhia, asked us to pray for peace, and appealed for further humanitarian aid.

Daria Korsak straight from Odessa, touchingly about Poles: “Heroes!”

We also talked to Daria Korsak, a Ukrainian journalism student at the UMCS in Lublin, who is currently in Odessa. In a talk, she expressed great emotion and gratitude to the Poles who so eagerly help her compatriots. In an interview, she said: “Historically, Poland is closer to us than Russia […] although Russia for 20 years has been saying that Ukrainians and Russians are brothers – no, they are not brothers. We have never been, and never will be. […] During this war, we understood who really was our brother. This is Poland. Poland and Ukraine are simply one brother who helps another.”

Victor Olivares, journalist from Mexico: “Nobel Prize for Poland for helping Ukraine!”

Victor Olivares, a journalist for the Mexican television Azteca Noticias, the second largest TV in the country, came to Kazimierz Dolny to present the current situation of orphans from Mariupol saved thanks to the cooperation of Christians from the USA, Ukraine and Polish. Editor Olivares appeared on our television. He spoke about his idea of awarding Poland the Nobel Peace Prize for helping refugees from Ukraine. He also expressed great gratitude to all Poles who are so actively involved in helping Ukrainians fleeing the war and assured that children in Kazimierz Dolny are safe.

David Svoboda, Czech historian: “Fear of World War III plays into Putin’s hands!”

David Svoboda, a Czech historian and expert on Polish-Ukrainian relations told us about an open letter from Czech intellectuals to Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, in which they express their support for Ukraine and call on the Czech government to take concrete action. We also talked to Mr. Svoboda about how Putin’s crimes will affect the thinking of Western elites and the need to strengthen Polish-Czech relations. When asked how the West should behave, Svoboda stated that the war in Ukraine is also a war of the West and that we cannot avoid danger posed by the Russian regime by showing fear.

Former U.S. Army Europe Commander General Ben Hodges talks about Smolensk and Russia’s defeat

The expulsion of the Russian military from Ukraine, the return home of deported Ukrainians, the certainty that Russia will not be able to carry out further invasions, and the formal commitment of the West to restore Ukraine’s sovereignty – these four determinants of victory in the war with Russia were discussed in our interview with General Frederick Benjamin “Ben” Hodges, former commander-in-chief of American troops in Europe, currently a strategy expert at the Center for European Policy Analysis. General Hodges also answered questions about Smolensk.

Interview: Jim Warner Wallace, author of “The Case of Christianity – Investigation Resumed.”

Our guest was Jim Warner Wallace, a police detective and author of the book “The Case of Christianity – Investigation Resumed”. In the book, he outlines how he used investigative techniques to investigate the claims of Christianity. In the interview, he tells us what conclusions the investigation led him to and how it changed his life.

WHAT’S NEW:

Free Polish language course for pastors and Christian leaders

We have started a course of free Polish language lessons for pastors and Christian leaders from Ukraine at the following levels: introductory, basic, intermediate.

T-shirts, bags and pins #PrayForUkraine

In our shop, you can find T-shirts, bags and pins #PrayForUkraine with a logo designed by Olga Kurysh, a young Ukrainian.

WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON:

• We are preparing for the Congress of Christians from the Megachurch project, where the special guest will be Joe Łosiak, an American missionary of Polish origin, an associate of Father Franciszek Blachnicki in the 70s.
• We are in the process of preparing our facility for the summer season – we want to build a playground.
• We are working on the animation of the evangelization leaflet “So it is war then!” in Polish and Ukrainian.