A High & Holy Calling: Vlad Burlaka

Vlad Burlaka
Pastor-teacher, City Bible Church
Sacramento, California

The story of Pastor Vlad Burlaka is one that is common among TMS graduates – showing up to Grace Community Church with raw material and a desire to serve the Lord, not knowing all that the Lord was yet to accomplish in his ministry.

Vlad served faithfully for several years in Grace Community Church’s college ministry while attending The Master’s Seminary. Upon graduation, he was backed with the support of Grace Advance and sent to Sacramento, CA, to plant City Bible Church roughly five years ago.

The church plant has not been met without its challenges – from changing facilities six times, having to deal with rigorous virus restrictions forcing the congregation to meet outdoors for a large portion of the church’s life, to plenty of other ministry heartaches. While many of the burdens of church planting are difficult, it has been met with abundant help and encouragement from the family of ministries that sent Vlad.

“The beauty of GCC being my sending church, TMS being the seminary that equipped me, and Grace Advance helping provide the oversight that I needed, is that these are not just detached organizations. This is a family, a body of believers, and the universal bride of Christ. For me to have the opportunity to pick up the phone and speak to the elders at Grace Community or seminary professors for guidance on how to counsel in a specific situation, has been such an asset for me and for our church,” says Burlaka.

Slowly, City Bible Church is being built up and growing by the consistent, faithful ministry being done by Vlad and his congregants.

“Never did I think the Lord would use me the way He has. It reminds me of what Pastor John has said many times - “Focus on the depth, and the Lord will take care of the breadth of the ministry.” That’s what we’ve seen - if we are faithful to the Lord and His word, it is astonishing to see what He will do.”