Copy
View this email in your browser

"I tell you that in the same way ...

there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” ~ Luke 15: 7
 
You read about these kinds of stories in Reader’s Digest or James Dobson’s blog, where an atheist comes to know Christ.  But how many former atheists do you personally know who have come to salvation?  Nate and I met our first professing atheist in 2016. 
 
I asked for permission to share his story, and this quiet man (who does not like the attention) agreed. Axel was born and raised in Communist Potsdam.  Even after the wall came down and the Russian’s moved out, he was still full of all of its fundamental ideologies.  Axel did not believe in a religion and certainly not a God.  He thought, “With all of our intellect and sciences the thought seemed silly and childish.”  Axel meet his wife Antonia during college, shortly after she became a believer.  She had one condition to marry Axel, “You must come with me to church every Sunday.”
 
They started attending our church, mittendrin, together in 2015.  Shortly after coming, they asked if they could start a coffee ministry to welcome people into the service each Sunday.  That ministry is still a staple outreach for our church.  During this time Steffen, our Pastor, started to meet with Axel regularly and invited him to join a new course he was starting called Entdeckerkurs (Discovery Class).  This class is designed specifically for atheists.  It’s basic premise is to answer the question, “Who is Jesus and what does it have to do with me?”
 
Over the years Axel not only attended this class once, but three times.  He asked hard questions, he debated truths, and he wrestled with knowledge. I pictured Axel often a lot like Jacob when he wrestled with the angel (Gen. 32:22-31).  As a friend and pastor, it can be difficult to understand and easy to feel discouraged, when you feel like you have given someone all the tools, answered all the questions, and shared clearly the path towards salvation without seeing results.  But Axel’s wrestle was not part of an easy equation where sharing faithlistening wellSalvation.  His wrestle was part of God’s economy, as he journeyed to claiming what would be his own faith, and not the faith of someone else.
 
On Easter morning, Antonia stepped up to Steffen with tears rolling down her cheeks and said, “I know he will not tell you because he doesn’t like the attention, but Axel accepted Christ last week.”  As the weeks unfolded so did more of the story.  In the weeks prior Axel had been preparing to start a new job.  This job might take him into some very dangerous places.  As he pondered the thought of death and never seeing his wife again, he also pondered heaven and Jesus.  The more he thought about Jesus, the more he realized he believed in Him and what He had done on the cross and how He brought about salvation. “The more I sat in the church service hearing the message over and over again, the more it started to become real.”
 
So sitting alone, with no fanfare other than the angels rejoicing in heaven, he confessed Jesus to be Lord of his life and to live in his heart.
 
Last Sunday was Axel’s baptism.  The sun shone brightly, which slightly took the edge off the cold water.  Joy, laughter, and celebration bounced in the air as that new-believer-glow radiated from his smile and eyes.  So many of us have prayed for years for his salvation, answered hard questions, loved unconditionally, and longed for this day. This day was a gathering of those rejoicing over one sinner who had repented.

Please pray for ...

Axel‘s new path of deeper understanding and maturing in his faith.  Please pray for continued confidence and assurance of faith, salvation, and the reality of Jesus.  
Brittany
Brittany
@BrunsTribe
@BrunsTribe
brunstribe.com
brunstribe.com
Nate
Nate
Email
Email
Copyright © 2015 BrunsTribe.com, All rights reserved.

Contact us at:
nate.bruns@efca.org   brittany.bruns@efca.org

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list






This email was sent to <<Email Address>>
why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences
ReachGlobal · 901 East 78th Street · Minneapolis, Mn 55420 · USA

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp