By Ezra Cho
By the grace of God, in the Holy Spirit, we launched the Pan-Europe/CIS Pastoral Cohort on March 19. The purpose of the Pan-EU/CIS Pastoral Cohort project is to raise native leaders and next-generation leaders in Europe and the CIS as future spiritual leaders and pioneers of ministry through theological and pastoral education. With the encouragement and prayer of General Director Ron Ward, we have begun the first class of the Pan-EU/CIS Pastoral Cohort, marking the start of this approximately four-year project. Those who complete this program can receive pastoral ordination and serve as pioneers in the EU/CIS ministry.
The first class of the Pan-EU/CIS Pastoral Cohort was conducted under the theme “Hermeneutics & New Testament Introduction (I)” by Dr. Ezra Cho. The courses to be offered over the four semesters in 2026 are as follows: Hermeneutics & New Testament Introduction (I), Biblical Greek, Systematic Theology (I), and Church History (I).
The Pan-EU/CIS Pastoral Cohort consists of 14 members from five European countries and from the CIS, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Egypt.
From Europe, there are 8 members: Eberhart Gross (Koln, Germany), Xenofon Grigeriadis (Bonn City, Germany), David Yoo (Koln, Germany); Bruno Aussant (France); Matthew Singh (Portugal); David Shin, Abraham Ales (Czech); Timothy Stamatios (Greece).
From CIS, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and ME, there are 5 members: Artyom Datsenko (Moscow), Pavel Choi (Moscow), Samuel Lee (Yekaterinburg); Jacob Patriiuk (Ukraine, 1); Abraham Yugay (Kazakhstan, 1); Moody Salah (Egypt 1).