About Us
For nearly three decades, HART has been dedicated to alleviating poverty and injustice in Eastern Europe by empowering and equipping the local church with resources and ‘tools’ to build, strengthen and grow their churches and create a better world for themselves and their communities.
Our Mission
HART is a Christian relief and missions organization, whose purpose is to serve, empower and build the local church in Eastern Europe, to advance the gospel and serve the most vulnerable people in their communities.
Where We Serve
Eastern Europe
How We Work
PARTNER
We identify and partner with the most inspiring pastors, ministries, and churches; empowering them to advance the gospel and serve the most vulnerable people in their communities.
BUILD
We equip them with the tools to build, strengthen and grow their churches and create a better world for themselves and their communities.
TRANSFORM
Our vision is to see lives transformed by the power of the Gospel message of Jesus Christ, and through sustainable programs and projects led by local churches.
Our Foundation
Core values
Christ-centered. Our faith in Christ is the foundation for our hope, inspiration, our story, mission, and values. We believe in the power of the transformative love of Christ to change lives.
Child-Youth focused. “If you want to change a country – start with its children!” We believe in investing in the lives of children who will ultimately impact their families, community, and nation.
Church-driven. Working with the local church is at the very heart of our work. Since the Church is the institution God ordained to carry out His work, all our programs and projects emanate from and are operated by the local church.
Sustainable Solutions. We understand that lasting change requires more than quick fixes and band-aid solutions. Implementing good strategies and fostering long-term partnerships can support national partners in their journey towards self-sufficiency and lasting positive change within communities.
Principles and distinctives
We are called to a loving and generous concern for the poor. We belong to a compassionate Kingdom, one wide enough to take in all the lost, oppressed, hungry, homeless, and dispossessed.
We believe in promoting the dignity of each man, woman, and child we serve.
We believe lasting transformation of lives and communities can happen only through the local church.
We believe compassion and giving must be done wisely, ensuring the beneficiaries of our compassion flourish.
We believe good intentions + good strategies = success. Conversely, good intentions devoid of proper strategies will not lead to success and sustainability.
One of the keys to ensuring that our compassion is wise and benefits others – is to enter long-term partnerships with National churches, rather than temporary quick fixes.
We believe in promoting self-sufficiency and independence of our national partners.
We believe in being practical and effective in all we do. Working directly with and through partnerships with Nationals is the most cost-effective way to do Relief Aid and Missions projects in the world today!
We believe aid doesn’t work. No country has worked its way out of poverty through foreign aid. It is only through free enterprise, micro-finance, and projects with sustainability as the objective, that we can arrest the cycle of poverty in poor countries.
We believe in the competency and dedication of National Churches, pastors and ministries and believe they are deserving our Western support.
WE believe that North Americans have a responsibility and a great opportunity to make a difference in the world.
Strategic approach to relief aid and missions
HART’s approach to relief aid and missions is centered on empowering and resourcing local churches in Eastern Europe to advance the gospel message and serve the most vulnerable people in their communities. This is based on a few key principles:
1. Partnering with local churches and leaders: HART works hand-in-hand with Ukrainian church partners, providing them with the tools, training, and resources they need to effectively respond to humanitarian crises and serve their communities. This ensures initiatives are locally driven and culturally appropriate.
2. Addressing immediate needs while building long-term resilience: HART’s programs aim to meet basic needs like food, shelter and medical care, while also reducing future vulnerabilities and creating sustainable change. The goal is to catalyze a positive transformation that lasts.
3. Empowering the local church as agents of change: HART believes the local church is uniquely positioned to be a force for good in their communities. By investing in the capacity and vision of Ukrainian Christians, HART helps unleash the potential of the church to bring redemption, restoration, and renewal.
4. Providing holistic support: HART’s initiatives span emergency aid, community development, leadership training, and more. The goal is to come alongside churches with comprehensive support to maximize their impact and sustainability.
In summary, HART’s approach is defined by its commitment to empowering local churches, addressing immediate and long-term needs, and unleashing the transformative potential of Ukrainian Christians to change their world. This model has enabled HART to make a lasting impact through its partnerships over the past 25+ years.
Statement of faith
We believe that the Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments in their original texts, are fully inspired by the Holy spirit, without error, and are the final authority for the Church.
We believe that there is one God eternally existent in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We believe in the absolute deity and full humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ. We believe in His virgin Birth, His sinless life, the authenticity of His miracles, His vicarious and atoning death, His bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father and His present mediatorial work in heaven.
We believe in the personality and deity of the Holy Spirit and in His regenerating ministry. We believe He gives life, He sanctifies, He empowers and comforts all believers.
We believe that man is saved through repentance and faith in the finished work of Christ. Justification is through grace alone.
We believe that the Church is the body of Christ composed of all who are regenerated through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The present work of the Church is the worship of God, the perfecting of the saints, and the evangelization of the world.
We believe in the personal and bodily return of the Lord Jesus Christ to consummate our salvation and establish His glorious Kingdom.
Uniqueness – working solely with National churches, pastors & missionaries
THE WORLD OF MISSIONS HAS CHANGED. In many parts of the world, including Eastern Europe, the age of conventional missionary work, which once flourished, is changing rapidly. A new and powerful strategy for missions has emerged over the last two decades as God is raising up an army of National leaders all over the world.
HART has been a pioneer and leader of this movement in Eastern Europe for over 25 years. We identify and partner with the most inspiring National pastors, missionaries, and ministries – giving them the tools to build a better world for themselves and their communities.
The unwavering belief that the local church is the most effective and sustainable vehicle for driving positive change in communities is at the heart of HART’s approach. Therefore, all of HART’s projects and programs, whether focused on relief aid, community development, or spiritual transformation, emanate directly from partnerships with Ukrainian churches and ministries, their leaders, and congregations.
WHY is this strategy successful?
Here are some key advantages of supporting national pastors and missionaries rather than sending missionaries from North America:
1. Cultural Relevance: National workers are already familiar with the local culture, language, and context, allowing them to communicate the gospel and minister more effectively to their own people.
2. Sustainability: National missionaries can continue serving long-term without interruption, unlike foreign missionaries who may face restrictions or must leave the country.
3. Cost-Effectiveness: National missionaries typically require much less financial support compared to sending and maintaining North American missionaries.
4. Reproducibility: The ministry model of national missionaries is more easily reproduced by local churches, as it does not depend on foreign presence or assistance.
5. Empowerment: Supporting national workers empowers local churches to take ownership of missions and become self-sustaining, rather than creating dependency on Western resources.
6. Witness: National missionaries are seen as part of the local community, not as representatives of a foreign country or religion, which can enhance the credibility of the gospel message.
7. Longevity: Partnerships with national missionaries allow for long-term engagement in the same location, leading to deeper relationships and more effective ministry over time.
By supporting national pastors and missionaries, National churches can leverage the unique advantages they offer to spread the gospel and strengthen local churches in a sustainable and culturally relevant way more effectively.
Please consider donating today
Your gift can help save a life or help someone forced to flee their home due to the war in Ukraine.
