Nikolai, Katya, and their young son live part of the year near us in Dneprorudniy and part of the year in Nikolai’s home village some distance away.  They are young parents, in their early twenties, and Katya always attends church.  

  But Nikolai seemed to have no interest whatsoever in spiritual realities.  When we’d see him at the market, he’d be coldly polite.  When we invited them both to come over as guests for dinner, Katya sadly shared with us that Nikolai had refused, wanting no contact with believers.  He seemed like so many of the typical, hardened, aggressive young men that we see around us everywhere in this culture.  We prayed that God would work in his heart.  

  Then, a couple of weeks ago, I walked in to Sunday evening church to get the sound equipment set up before leading the service, and Nikolai stood inside, welcoming me with a huge grin!  “Can I help you set up?” he laughed.  I stared at him, and could only say, “Praise God!  What happened?”  

  They had just come to town from his home village where they had spent the summer.  While there, Katya’s prayers, witnessing, and example where allowing God’s Spirit to do a convicting work in Nikolai’s heart.  He knew that God was real - he couldn’t deny it.  One day, at home, while reading the New Testament, he fell on his knees and repented of his sin.  By the time he set foot in church for the first time, he was a totally changed man!

  Now, he can’t be stopped!  As soon as I opened the service up for testimonies, he was on his feet.  Whenever we have times of sharing during Bible study, he’s expressing his thoughts.  After the service, he’s helping me take apart equipment, all the while excitedly telling me of the things God has been doing in his life!  

  Today, one of the skeptical guys in our village was sitting with me, sipping tea in my kitchen and trying to tell me that the Bible was all about setting up a system of religion to control people and keep them from thinking for themselves.  I told him, “That may be what religion is about, Sergei, but that’s not what God’s Word is about!  It’s about Jesus Christ transforming and changing people from within - making them new creations!”

  I thought of Nikolai and the transforming power of God’s grace in his life and family.   Then, I looked across the table at Sergei, who confessed to me that his life is full of unhappiness and moral failure.  “God doesn’t want you to accept religion, He wants you to let Him save you and change you from the inside out!” I told him.

  As I pray for this man, I can’t help but picture the huge smile a shining eyes of Nikolai, and hope that, someday, Sergei will let God do the same thing in his life!