Luke 15:10 – “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Once it clicks, once someone finally sees Jesus’ sacrifice, once God makes his love clear, there is no stopping someone from responding. John McNeil, a research assistant at the University of Pennsylvania, had been studying the Bible for about two months. One night after a midweek service he decided that the time was now! It didn’t matter that it was 25 degrees outside. It didn’t matter that we had no baptistery ready. It didn’t matter that he should have been preparing for his upcoming MCAT Exam. He was not willing to wait. John was baptized in the Schuylkill River in downtown Philadelphia at 12:45a.m.--the icy conditions just added to the excitement!
Eric Ntore was born in Bujumbura, Burundi. He is a Tutsi survivor of the neighboring Rwandan genocide that spilled into his country. God called him from Burundi to Philadelphia to become a disciple. He is now a brother and several of his friends are studying the Bible!
Francesco Barone is a Music major at Temple University. He had no previous background in Christianity when he attended church late last year. He enjoyed the service, but the worries of life kept him from coming back. When he returned two months later he was ready to go all in. He took every word from the Bible as fact and was baptized in a tub on a Monday night in February. Two of his friends are now studying.
Anthony Seya became a disciple while living in the Ivory Coast of West Africa in 1998. He moved to Philadelphia 3 years ago, and soon after he fell away; however, he never removed his name from the ministry email list. For three years he received the emails about all the events and good news. When he was finally ready to return, he knew exactly where to go. Anthony was restored earlier this year and is now studying with one of his best friends.
God has worked to bring these and more to him over the past several months. Each story is a miracle and, in the words of Ben Harper, we’ve been “blessed to be a witness.” I hope that these stories encourage you as they have done for me. God is in the midst of doing great things in the campus ministries!
Last Updated: Wednesday, 16 April 2008
Originally Published:http://www.dtodayarchive.org/content/view/502/44/