From the May-August 2011 Issue
God's Mysterious Ways
Istvan and Marta Borzasi
Immediately after the fall of communism (beginning in March 1990), we got permission to have a half-hour radio program on Radio Cluj, which was broadcast on medium wave also, to the whole of Transylvania. From that time on our radio ministry increased every year and we now have a weekly half-hour program on five different radio stations._
Preaching on the radio is different: we cannot know how many people are listening to our message and what their reactions are to it. Sometimes there are people who recognize my voice, or even better, some are saved through the radio and are ready for baptism when we meet face to face. These are great encouragements, knowing that preaching on the radio is not in vain. One such encouragement is someone, who was saved through one of the sermons she listened to on the radio. Here is her story.
Surprise visitors
Early one Sunday morning (in March 1992), two ladies knocked at our door, in the courtyard of the church in Cluj. They had travelled all night by train, just to arrive in time. She had been convicted of her sins through the preaching on the radio in December. She also understood that she should be baptised, so now she had come to be baptised. I said: “Go to the church and we will discuss this.” I also said that this is a wonderful thing! We will start with catechism, and probably later in the year she may be baptised. But she said: “I am not going home until I am baptised!”
This was quite shocking, but I assured her that we would discuss the possibilities at the church. So I went quickly and started to examine the situation. She was so determined, so dedicated, so committed! After that message broadcast in December her life was completely changed! There were no signs that her testimony was not genuine. So I proposed that after the service we would have a general meeting and the church would decide in this matter. She said: “Why? I have already decided!” I had to explain that the church must also decide, because she would be joining this church and the church would become responsible for her.
The church meeting started with her testimony. In about fifteen minutes she told the whole story. It was so moving that many people were crying. Sending her out I asked if anyone had an opinion. About 30 people stood up to speak! Some said that we don’t have such a practice, to baptise somebody without catechism. We have to know her better! We have to see the fruits of her repentance! Others said: What does the Bible say? How was the Ethiopian eunuch baptised? Or the people at Pentecost? Somebody asked: What is your opinion, pastor? I said that technically it is possible: in a few minutes the baptistery can be filled with water. It depended on the vote of the church, because if we received her for baptism, the church would have to take care of her from now on.
So, we had a vote: 130 people voted in favour, 5 abstained, and there was no vote against. In this way we had a baptismal service that afternoon. I preached about the lost sheep from Luke 15. It was a blessed service.
Repercussions
Beginning from that date we started regular services in her house. For about one year I went to preach there on Saturdays. She took the telephone book for her town and she dialled all who had a Hungarian name, asking them to come to the meeting. The house was always full. We couldn’t plant a church there because the time was short, but some people were convicted of their sins, and later became members in other churches. Even more marvellous is that her two boys were also saved and they both became missionaries in Romania! They are working in church planting, having a wonderful ministry. We still have to pray for the repentance of her husband.
God works in mysterious ways!