Teaching in Ukraine From Far Away: One Pastor's Work to Reach the Ukrainian People for Christ

Roman Kapran, a Ukrainian pastor living in the United States, was chief editor of a Ukrainian Study Bible that was released in 2024. He now works with TWR Ukraine to provide biblical content to audiences in the Ukrainian language. 

Roman Kapran can be forgiven if he couldn’t immediately find his own book. 

“Wait a minute,” he said, gazing at a bookshelf that nearly reaches the ceiling of his office in suburban Philadelphia. “Somewhere here,” he continued as he turned to a small pile of books on the right side of his desk. Finally reaching into another bookshelf on his left he found it, and he held up a slim burgundy-colored hardback book with gold-colored lettering. 

A translation of Romans from Greek to Russian, it’s Roman’s first book, completed after he graduated from Odessa Theological Seminary in Ukraine.  

Now, he’s using a lifetime of biblical scholarship to contribute to a Bible study program broadcast by TWR Ukraine. 

 

Far From Home 

Roman is one of two Ukrainian pastors living in the United States who are being heard in their native country through TWR Ukraine. Previously, we profiled Serhii Rybak in California, who is part of the 10,000 km podcast along with his brother in Ukraine and both of their wives.  

Serhii and his family moved to the United States seven years ago. For Roman, the move to the States in 1998 was made possible because his wife’s family had obtained permission from the U.S. government to immigrate.  

Roman grew up in the Ukrainian city of Novovolynsk when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. Although he was brought up by Christian parents, he said he didn’t really turn to Jesus as his Lord until he read the Bible on his own when he was 14 or 15.  

“I became a Christian, and I realized that I need to serve God,” he said. “And I saw that God just changed my life.” 

Preacher-Student 

His preaching career started even before he began his compulsory service in the Soviet army, from 1986-88.  Over the next 20 years, he would dive deep into God’s Word, studying at Irpin Theological Seminary (1991-93) before graduating from Odesa Theological Seminary, both in Ukraine; and adding further studies at Theological Biblical Seminary (now Missio Seminary) in Pennsylvania from 2000-06.  

It was at Irpin that Roman first met Alexander Chmut, now director of TWR Ukraine. That relationship led to their collaboration on the study of Romans for the TWR Ukraine program Studying the Bible Together.  

“We made a Zoom [video] with Alexander when the war started, the full-scale invasion,” Roman said. “I said to him that … my interest is in Romans, and he proposed [that we] make this program on Romans.” 

The two men were recording the programs together, via Zoom, on Saturdays, Roman said, speaking across seven time zones.  But because of busy schedules on both sides, they now record their portions separately, sending questions and comments back and forth.  

Varied Roles 

Roman, who majored in New Testament and New Testament Greek in seminary, isn’t just a biblical scholar. He pastors a Ukrainian Baptist Church in Newark, Delaware. He is also vice president of the Ukrainian Baptist Convention in the USA after serving as president from 2018-24. 

Roman also was chief editor of a Ukrainian Study Bible that was released in 2024 on Aug. 24, which is Ukrainian Independence Day. He has a photo of Alexander Chmut holding the Bible. Its cover is in the colors of the Ukrainian flag – blue and yellow.   

Another photo shows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy holding the study Bible. That came about in February. Roman presented the Bible to Zelenskyy on the same day that Zelenskyy met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.  

Only Ukrainian 

Although his first book was a Bible translation into Russian, Roman now writes only in Ukrainian. Because Ukraine in the past was part of the Russian empire and the Soviet Union, many Ukrainians spoke Russian, he explained.  

“After the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022, [a] majority [of] Russian-speaking people in Ukraine switched into [the] Ukrainian language,” he explained in an email. “I have decided to write books in Ukrainian because [the] younger generation in Ukraine wants to use their native language.”  

Roman still has family in Ukraine, including a niece and nephew who are serving in the Ukrainian army, and he has strong feelings about the war.    

“People are tired, and they’re exhausted of that war,” Roman said, but added that they don’t want to surrender.  

He doesn’t, either. 

“God keeps Ukraine,” Roman said. “I believe sooner or later, this war will be finished, and my goal right now is to do everything possible for the Ukrainian churches.”