Becoming a Builder: A Conversation with Emiliano Monteiro
For a long time, I was an atheist. Then, as I studied biology, life and how it works, I began to think there must be a god. I started searching for answers, informed myself about other religions and began going to church.
I met Karollina. She was a Christian. The first time I went to church with her, I left there thinking, These people are on to something. That first impression never left my mind. She had told me about Christ, but I hadn't accepted it.
Back then, I read John 18:38 in the Bible: "'What is truth?' Pilate asked."
It kept banging over and over in my head.
Karollina introduced me to Alberto Malta, [a leader with Campus Crusade for Christ in São Paulo]. We had lunch together in a restaurant at USP. He explained the Four Spiritual Laws to me.
We talked about believing in Christ and what He did, that He died for all of our sins and was resurrected. I remember Alberto asking me, "What's stopping you from accepting Christ?" No one had ever asked me that before.
I already knew some things about Jesus and Christianity, but I just hadn't taken the step [to accept Him]. I wanted my life to change.
He explained that I didn't have to change [myself]. He said I could accept Christ the way I was and that the change in my life would come. All I needed to accept Him is faith.
That was when I accepted Christ. I did it with my heart.
If you search for God, you will find Him. [I understand now that] you don't have to be religious to accept Christ. All you need to do is go as you are. The changes will come later.
It was Jesus that changed my life, not some other god. It was Jesus that finally answered my – and Pilate's – question.
Emiliano Monteiro is pursuing his doctorate degree in biology at the University of Sao Paulo (USP) in Brazil. He was born and raised in the city of Sao Paulo. Emiliano enjoys music, movies and cheering for his favorite soccer team, Sport Clube Corinthians Paulista.
