The Lord chose me

In 1967, Nguyen was a young student whose family, like millions of others, suffered greatly during the Vietnam War. Devoted to Buddha and ancestor worship, he prayed daily for favor.

In Vietnam and other Southeast Asian nations, ancestor worship is a common practice passed down through generations because ancestors are thought to have influence over the fortunes of the living.

But fortune was not what his family received. Many family members came home from war wounded in body and spirit, and Nguyen began a desperate search for a “new light” of comfort in his life.

One evening, he came across the sounds of a revival coming from a small evangelical church. “I went inside, and for seven evenings I listened continuously without feeling tired,” Nguyen says. “The pastor gave me a Holy Bible, and I put it on the altar of my dead ancestors because I respected the Word of the Lord.” While he sometimes read his Bible, Nguyen did not take God’s Word into his heart.

A transformed life

For several decades, turmoil ruled his life. He lost his home when an altar fire burned out of control—but he did not lose his Bible. He was forced to sell his family’s property to cover the expenses of a bad business deal. Then, in 2004, Nguyen opened his Bible and read: “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” (John 14:21 NIV) The message went straight to his heart and transformed his life.

Nguyen sought out a local pastor and confessed his sins. He began attending church services and Bible studies, and learned how to share the Gospel with his family and others. Now, he is a faithful servant who attends Bible League International’s church planter training.

“The Lord chose me when I received the Holy Bible so many years ago,” Nguyen rejoices. “I always pray for the evangelistic mission of the church, and I hope to spread Christianity to many lost souls and lead them back to the Lord.”