Seventh-day Adventist evangelism is once again attracting thousands in the church's Euro-Asia region, a decade after interest in Christianity declined following an initial surge after the fall of the Soviet Union, church leaders say.

A satellite evangelism initiative based in Lutsk in northwestern Ukraine is finishing up its two-week run with more than 500 in attendance each evening.

Ivan Ostrovsky, a church spokesman for the region, reports that more than a thousand people are viewing the program in surrounding countries, including Russia, Kazakhstan and Germany.

Church leaders estimate that about half of people pledging to join the church through the meetings are under 35 years old.

The mayor of Lutsk and members of the city council attended the March 7 meeting, thanking Adventists for offering positive alternatives to alcohol and tobacco for youth.

Two years ago, Adventist evangelist Peter Kulakov held a region-wide satellite outreach from the Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, which was watched by thousands via the Hope Channel.

For programming information, visit hopechannel.info.