Biography

Leonid Padun is the Senior Bishop of Ukrainian Christian Evangelic Church, Pastor of  the “Word of Life” Church of Donetsk. He is a member of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organisations, a co-founder and a member of the Council of Representatives of Christian Churches of Ukraine, and a co-founder and a member of the Council of Evangelic Protestant Churches of Ukraine.

Leonid was born in Donetsk on October 10, 1960, into a big family of a coal miner. His mother, a devoted believer, by her strong faith in Jesus Christ  influenced not only Leonid’s life but that of the whole family. At the age of 17, Leonid gave his life to Jesus. From that day on his deepest desire was and is to serve God.

In 1979 Leonid started his first job. That same year he was called up for military service in the USSR army. The perils and trials for Christian faith he had to go through during those years did not break his spirit. Instead, they strengthened the young soldier teaching him complet reliance on God.

After demobilization Leonid continued his professional career. Sensing a clear call to serve God and people, in 1990 Leonid Padun entered the ministry of a pastor. His small community of only eight at the beginning actively engaged in street evangelism and grew rapidly. Already in 1991 they were over 300 people.

In 1992 Leonid graduated the Bible School in Uppsala (Sweden), where God put into his heart a vision to start a similar centre of spiritual education in the city of Donetsk. In 2002 Pastor Padun graduated a Pastors course in Moscow (a leadership training program affiliated with Oral Roberts University in the USA).

In 1993 he married to Yulia. The couple has two sons.

Today Leonid Padun pastors in Donetsk a “Word of Life” church of 5 069. He is the Senior Bishop of Ukrainian Christian Evangelic Church with  about 400 local churches across Ukraine. Pastor Padun represents the protestant movement in the interdenominational dialog at the national level and is a member of generally acknowledged confessional associations. For significant contribution to the development of spirituality in Ukraine and his perennial fruitful activity in the church Leonid Padun was granted a high state award – Order of Yaroslav the Wise, Fifth Class.

Personal blog - leonidpadun.org

Leonid Padun with his wife Yuliya and his sons Alexey and Evgeny.