Atheist Professor Stands, Says "Yes" to Jesus

As missionary Kurt Plagenhoef shared the gospel with 120 people in Fushe Kruje, I silently interceded from my seat in the crowd.

Kurt’s message was simple and masterful, communicated fluently in Albanian. Kurt wore a simple white robe with black and red paint stains smeared all over it. Periodically, Kurt would point to one and speak a word. I knew he was naming a sin, or a problem, or any one of a million ways in which man has fallen short of God's perfection and holiness.

Missionary to Albania, Kurt Plagenhoef, in Fushe Kruje, Albania. Kurt preached all three nights of the 360Go missions outreaches. More than 200 people were reached and at least 35 gave their lives to Jesus.

Spiritual debate--Jesus vs. Allah. Our team answers a Muslim man's questions about Jesus and the Bible. Pictured: (far left) Jimmy Smith, businessman from Jay, Florida; (center) Greg Perkins, Pastor of West County Assembly of God in St. Louis, Missouri; (far right) Kurt Plagenhoef.

I looked around and watched the faces of the people. They were stern, weathered, and serious. Six decades of official atheism in Albania's recently history, coupled with a traditional Islamic culture, made the gospel story strangely alien to their ears. Yet, it was clear these people could see and understand the hope of it.

Everyone sins, is stained, and needs supernatural help washing their "robe" to stand clean before God. When the invitation to accept Christ was extended, many people rose to their feet. The physical invitation to respond was not for eye contact with the preacher, a quickly raised hand, or a private decision made in the heart. In Albania, things like this are done publicly, or they carry little weight.

I watched as people stood one-by-one. A village elder. A businessman and his wife. A neighbor to the church. A mother and her three daughters. A day laborer who had wandered in earlier after smelling the meat cooking. And finally, an atheist professor we'd met and spoken to earlier. He, too, slowly rose to his feet. Wow. It was incredible to watch him pray to receive Christ as Savior!

Saying "yes" to Jesus. At least 35 people accepted Jesus as Savior, including an atheist professor (pictured above, far right, in blue jacket).

Family faith. This family sat directly across from me. The entire family accepted Jesus as Savior, received their first Bible, and filled out a contact card for further discipleship.

The next day, the professor sent us a text message that read:

“Greetings. Thank you so much that we were together with the American guys. It left me with a special impression. I am very happy. Trust me. I was very happy with the fellowship and the message. It was a beautiful atmosphere. I was there for the first time, and I was touched. I appreciate the culture and the warmness.”

Now the process of discipleship starts. Pastor Albani Manushi, his family, and their church staff have a lot of work to do. Please pray for them!

During this trip, our 360Go team conducted three community events where we canvassed  neighborhoods, cooked a barbecue, spent time talking and laughing with the people, and then communicating the gospel message. In those three days we touched more than 200 people and saw at least 35 come to faith in Christ!

Plagenhoef said, "In our context here, Muslim majority, among these cold, hard, resistant men, we've never seen that kind of response where [so many] men stood to repent of sin and accept Jesus Christ."

360Go Albania Team. (From left to right) Jimmy Smith, Dakota Hann, Austin Hann. Dan Kersten, Matt Buerky, Daniel Yount, Louie Day, Kurt Plagenhoef, Stephanie Plagenhoef, Arjana Spahija, Daniel Hann, Gezim Spahija, and Greg Perkins.

This is why we started 360Go. Nine men decided they would GO. As a result, 35 people decided to follow Jesus. That’s money, time, and effort well spent! This year, there will be more 360Go trips. All Christ-following men are invited! Go to the Men’s website to learn more.

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