Ermias was raised in a Muslim family and had no intention of changing religions … until two East-West training participants approached him in an African slum.
These local believers started asking Ermias about his life, concluding with questions about his faith. When Ermias told them he was Muslim they asked if he had any knowledge of Jesus. Ermias hadn’t heard of this Man before, so he asked them to share more about their Christian faith.
They talked about their stories and how they intersected God’s story, ending by telling Ermias about Christ’s love that was shown in His death on the Cross to pay the penalty for sin.
Because of his Islamic faith, Ermias was familiar with the concept of sin, but he didn’t know there was a God who willingly forgave the sins of all those who professed faith in Jesus as their Savior. He eagerly responded to this good news with true faith in Christ.
The next morning, Ermias shocked the men he’d met the previous day by showing up at the evangelism and church planting training, announcing “I believe in Jesus. What now?”
It took less than 24 hours for this man to become a faithful disciple of Jesus.