Colby Barrett, Executive Producer of the documentary, A Faith Under Siege, talks with Wayne Shepherd about Russian forces persecuting Ukrainian Christians. (click for more)
A Faith Under Siege can be viewed on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E4gJWdsyAA&ab_channel=AFaithUnderSiege
The film is endorsed by Mission Eurasia. To read Faith Under Fire: Understanding and Responding to Religious Persecution, click here.
🎙️ Interview Overview
•Host: Wayne Shepherd
•Guest: Colby Barrett – entrepreneur, filmmaker, former US Marine Corps captain, and peach orchard owner in Colorado.
•Topic: The documentary film A Faith Under Siege, covering the persecution of Christians in Ukraine amid the Russian invasion.
📌 Key Points from Colby Barrett's Story
•Background:
oRaised in Western Colorado, not in a churchgoing family.
oCame to faith in the military; baptized in Japan.
oMarine Corps officer, later a successful businessman.
oOwns an organic peach orchard in Colorado.
•Call to Ukraine:
oInitially declined a friend’s invitation to join a humanitarian convoy to Ukraine.
oFelt a spiritual pull to learn more.
oResearch revealed shocking statistics of persecution (e.g., over 650 churches destroyed, 49 clergy killed, nearly 20,000 children abducted).
•Birth of the Documentary:
oFelt called by the Holy Spirit to document and raise awareness.
oAssembled a team including local Ukrainian film crews and worked with the Ukraine Freedom Project for access.
oTraveled 1,200 miles across the frontlines; faced real danger but felt God’s protection throughout.
🎥 About the Film: A Faith Under Siege
•Focus: Persecution of Protestant, Evangelical, Catholic, Orthodox, and Jewish faith communities in Ukraine.
•Distribution: Aired on CBN, Newsmax, TBN; available free on YouTube and faithundersiege.com.
•Support Resources: Church screening kits, discussion guides, and prayer guides are freely available.
💔 Key Findings Highlighted in the Film
•Faith Persecution:
oRussian forces deliberately targeted churches and clergy.
oExample: Pastor Britton’s church was taken over by Russian troops and converted into a cultural center.
•Propaganda Clarification:
oRussian claims that Ukraine is persecuting Christians are misleading.
oUkrainian laws targeted only churches tied to Moscow for national security reasons, not faith suppression.
•Child Abductions:
oNearly 20,000 Ukrainian children abducted to Russian “re-education” camps.
oIntended to erase Ukrainian identity and militarize the children.
oNGOs like Save Ukraine have rescued around 1,500 so far.
🙏 Spiritual Reflections
•Personal Impact:
oBarrett was deeply moved emotionally, especially when worshiping with Ukrainian believers.
oEncountered raw grief (e.g., a father who lost his wife and daughters to a missile attack).
•Call to Action for the Church:
oUnderstand that persecution is not about denominational lines but an assault on faith itself.
oAuthoritarian regimes (like Russia, North Korea, Iran) oppose Christianity because it challenges state control.
oChristians are urged to pray, raise awareness, screen the film in churches, and support aid or volunteer work.
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