Christian Conversion Stories
Conversion Story of the Month
Greg had stage-four cancer but then God whispered…
I got the call on Monday morning from Greg who had just found out he had stage-four pancreatic cancer. He knew his time was short so he wanted to get married that night to make sure his fiancée would be taken care of after he was gone. They got their marriage license that day and I met them that evening. They had both been raised in a church but he was not certain about forgiveness or life after death. I shared with them the Bridge Diagram and it all made sense. He invited Christ into his life right then and for the first time felt peace inside. An hour later they shared their marriage vows with each other in front of their family and friends. It was very moving for everyone when they said “…for better or for worse, in sickness and in health… as long as we both shall live.” Then that night God whispered “Greg, I am with you.” The next day the PET scan showed that the pancreas was free from cancer. There was some cancer in the liver and small intestines but it was treatable. They were ecstatic because now they not only had the promise of eternal life; they had hope for life in this world as well. Within twenty-four hours Greg got saved, married and began the road toward healing. Now, that’s a good day.
Muslim Doctor was in the Red Zone.
The doctor responded positively when he found out that I was a pastor, so I asked him about his church background. He said he was a Muslim, but that he also went to church. I was really surprised so he explained that he began going to church as a result of a crisis he had experienced. Through a Christian friend's encouragement, he reached out to God and God helped him through the crisis, something he never thought could happen. I told him that God was reaching out to him and, to show him how to get closer to God, I drew out the Bridge Diagram for him. He said he wanted to cross over to a personal relationship with Christ. So I led him through a prayer to receive Christ. He was so appreciative. Who would have guessed that he was in the "Red Zone" of his spiritual journey? I've met with him three times since then to help him grow. He always says it is the highlight of his day and a real blessing to him.
Steven came out of his coma just in time...
Steven was an eleven year old boy who had been suffering from a brain tumor. When he was in his final stages and in a coma, some friends asked me to go with them to visit Steven in the hospital and to comfort his parents. On arrival, Steven was not in a coma and was talking and responding to his parents. Sometimes just before death, the body rallies and this was that time. So I asked his parents if Steven had prayed and received Christ as his Savior. They were not sure, so with their permission, I drew the Bridge diagram and explained how Steven could receive Christ and know that he would be going to heaven. When I finished, Steven told his dad he wanted me to lead him in a prayer to receive Christ. He understood that he was forgiven and that when he closed his eyes here on earth for the last time, he would open them in the presence of Jesus in heaven. Everyone sensed that God was present in that special hour. Steven came out of his coma just in time to find Jesus and to guarantee that his final departure would be to heaven.
On Monday nights I am leading a group of believers through the "How to Share Your Faith" 4-week training process. After the first night, I suggested that they practice presenting the Bridge to Life diagram to some of their family and friends during the week. Russel practiced on his sister who was home from college that weekend. The next week he shared with us that his sister was deaf and so was his dad. Early on, he had learned sign language to be able to communicate with them. When he drew out the bridge diagram for his sister, he used sign language to explain to her the meaning of each part of the diagram and what God was offering her. When he finished, she said she wanted to cross over and receive Christ. He told her that he didn't know how to do that. He thought it was a simple prayer but he wouldn't know until the next Monday night and that he would have to get back to her. After the second week, when he learned how to guide someone through a prayer to receive Christ, he connected again with his sister. She had flown back to college so he contacted her through a webcam. Without any words spoken, he shared with her how to receive Christ and then guided her through a prayer. Both their eyes were open as he told her what to say to God. Phrase by phrase, sign by sign, he guided her in asking Christ to forgive her, come into her life and begin to lead her. When they were finished it was very emotional. Russel told her that he was excited that the first person that he had ever led to Christ was his sister. She said that she was excited because she got to be the first person he had ever led to Christ.
Pastor Kent
The family had just lost Jose Jr. to leukemia and weren't planning to have Christmas.
Adonai is the name of a ministry of our church to families in the community whose children have cancer. A couple weeks ago Mark, a leader in the ministry, called Jose & Maria to find out how little Jose Jr. (2 yrs. old) was doing. Jose Jr. had been suffering with leukemia and waiting for a bone marrow transplant. But when Mark called he learned that Jose Jr. had passed away just two weeks earlier. Jose (dad), Maria and their four teenage kids were taking it really hard. They were not planning to do Christmas this year... until Mark said that Adonai would provide Christmas for them.
When Mark and I (Kent) delivered the Christmas gifts for the kids and food for the family, they were so grateful for the expression of love. We had wrapped a special family gift for this family-a Wii game system. So Mark suggested that they open this particular gift while we were there. The dad didn't know what it was but the kids were sure excited because they had played the game at school. The real surprise was that the mom had been wishing for the game for herself! It was like shock and awe for her and she was thrilled.
In response, the dad brought out and shared with us dozens of pictures of Jose Jr. as we talked about their loss and how they were coping with it. There were a lot of tears and we explained that they would see Jose Jr. again in heaven which became very comforting to them.
Mark asked the dad if he was sure about going to heaven himself. He said he wasn't but was trying to make things right with God. To help him know how to do that, I shared the Bridge diagram and how to receive Christ. He got it, along with his kids who had been listening attentively. They took extra time to explain it to their mom in Spanish. She understood it, too, and they all wanted to cross over that bridge and start a new life with God... with the assurance of heaven and seeing Jose Jr. again. So, phrase by phrase, I led them through a prayer to receive Christ. I spoke in English, the daughter translated in Spanish and they all prayed to God from their hearts.
When we explained again the significance of stepping over the line of faith and beginning a new life with God, peace and joy became apparent in their faces. It was a powerful and moving experience. The evening had begun in pain, sorrow and depression but it ended with peace, a new hope, and a new life in God. Adonai opened their hearts to this family and this family opened their hearts to God. It was perfect.
Pastor Kent
I think God was saying, "since you are already here, there is someone I'd like you to talk to."
A couple months ago I had major back surgery at the UCLA medical center. I was very grateful for the morphine pump; every time I hit the button it put a smile on my face. After surgery I had a nice conversation with the head nurse as she talked freely about her Christian life and shared the major point of stress she was facing. I listened a lot, asked questions and shared with her some biblical perspectives of her situation. After we prayed, she said there was another nurse that she wanted me to talk to who was going through a hard time. So at 11 PM she brought Carmen into my room so we could talk. Carmen shared her difficult journey with me and it was obvious that she needed God to help her. When I asked her about her church background, she said she had gone to church as a child but not since. I explained that there was a big difference between "Churchianity" and Christianity and that the difference was a personal relationship with Christ. I drew out the Bridge diagram to explain how she could cross over into a personal relationship with God. She really wanted that and knew she needed God. So at her request, I led her through a prayer to receive Christ into her life. Because she was going off shift in the morning and I wasn't going to see her again, I gave her assurance of her salvation and suggestions on how to begin growing in her new relationship with Christ. I also encouraged her to start going to church with her friend, the head nurse. She left my room at midnight, the day of my surgery. That was a wonderful experience. The miracle was that Carmen found Christ even though I was on morphine. My perspective is that I don't think God allowed me to have back surgery so I could lead her to Christ. Rather, I think God was saying, "Since you are already here, there is someone I'd like you to talk to." Praise God for that opportunity.
Kent
God replaced one banker for another so I could tell her about Christ, but.
I was trying to open a new account at Wells Fargo and the bank officer needed some additional information. When I returned, I had to start the process over with a new banker, named Alicia. I was grumpy. When Alicia asked me about the booklet I was carrying I said, "It is to train Christians how to lead people to Christ" with very little enthusiasm. I was still grumpy. She wanted to know more. That's when God kind of thumped me. So I said, "It is to help people know how to experience forgiveness, eternal life and a personally relationship with God." She was interested and told me that she had not been to church in years. I explained there was a big difference between Churchianity and Christianity, between religious activities and rituals and a personal relationship with Christ. She wanted to know more so I asked for a piece of paper in order to draw the Bridge Diagram for her. She gave me a post-it. I drew out the infinite separation between God and man . on a post-it! When I finished she said she wanted to cross over into a relationship with God. I explained the prayer. She wanted me to lead her in a prayer but she couldn't leave her desk.in the midst of eight other busy desks in the banking section. So I said, "let's just keep talking the way we are and I'll give you the words to say, and you say them silently in your heart to God." I did and she did.holding back the tears in her eyes. After I went over the acrostic, ESPN, there was much joy in her heart. That night she shared the Bridge Diagram with her husband and the next day she told me that they would be coming to our church that weekend. Amazing! God replaced one bank officer for another so I could tell her about Christ, but then he had to thump a grumpy me to get my attention.