“Conversion”

“To convert somebody, go and take them by the hand and guide them.” Thomas Aquinas

Overview

This is the moment that someone makes an active decision to follow Jesus. They understand the core truths of the Christian message and desire the justification (freedom from debt), adoption (freedom from loneliness) and regeneration (freedom from sin and selfishness) that Christ offers. We are now his disciples, people who live with the intention of following in the footsteps and the example of Jesus. At this stage, our lives begin to change as we begin asking of every circumstance: what would Jesus do? How would Jesus have me behave? This requires us to turn away from behavior that is contrary to Jesus and to the life God wants for us. Furthermore, this stage is when your faith becomes public. According to Jesus, the Christian faith can only be lived in community; thus, baptism and church engagement begin at this stage (if they haven’t already).

Prodigal Son (Luke 15)

Levels for Phase 3:

  • Knowledge of God

    General understanding of the basic truths of Christian faith.

    Baseline: Grasps the person of Jesus and the Christian message of salvation.

  • Spiritual Disciplines

    Occasional participation in various exercises. Occasional prayer when prompted or in need of specific intervention.

    Frequency: 1-2 times a month

  • Service of Others

    Feels more responsibility to serve their neighbor. Understands the basic truth that one cannot love God and disregard their neighbor’s wellbeing.

    Frequency: Few times a year

  • Church Engagement

    Found a church home and has begun engaging in opportunities for connection and spiritual formation. Also decided to be baptized/reaffirm their faith as an act of public testimony.

    Frequency: 1-2 times a month

  • Witness to Others

    Not expected at this stage.

The “Conversion Stage” found in Scripture:

  • At once they dropped their nets and followed Him.

    Matthew 4:20

  • ...he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.

    Luke 15:20

  • Peter’s words pierced their hearts...Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day.

    Acts 2:37,41

Spiritual Diet during
this Stage

  • The conversion stage is when your faith goes public. For most Christians, this is typically done through baptism or a reaffirmation of faith (baptized as infants). In short, we must find ways to ensure this commitment is both internal and external. In many ways, the act of making our faith public both ratifies and holds us accountable to becoming the people God has called us to be.

  • Another discipline of this stage is evolving from an individualized faith to a communal faith. Here, a believer needs to start seriously contemplating which church would be a good place to continue their growth and understanding of faith. We must be willing to accept the help, correction, and encouragement of the “body” of Christ that we belong to when we decided to become a Christian. Christianity is not an individual religion, but a communal one.

  • In order for a new believer to flourish, it is imperative that they discontinue practices, behaviors, even relationships that will suffocate this newfound commitment. It will be tempting to maintain some of these activities; however, this can (and oftentimes) result in spiritual regression. In many ways, spiritual progress is like addiction recovery. We must be willing to sever ties with anything that triggers or empowers what the Bible calls our “former selves.”

Sample Exercises

  • Again, it needs to be stated that the Christian faith is not an individual act, but a communal one. For example, you cannot learn how to “love thy neighbor” if you are not around them. While there are no perfect churches out there, search diligently for a community that feels like a good fit. Research their worship style, theological beliefs, and mission in their community. At the very least, consider joining a Bible Study or Small Group where you can encounter Christian community on a regular basis.

  • Ideally, a believer would “mark” this moment with a public testimony of their newfound faith. In some traditions, this is completed by way of baptism in a local church. Other traditions will invite you to simply reaffirm your faith if you have already been baptized. The ultimate goal is to witness to yourself and others what God has done for you and what you are doing for God. Talk to your pastor about how your church celebrates these moments.

  • Most churches offer some version of Christianity 101. Perhaps this is through their New Membership class or another course dedicated to teaching new believers the core truths of the Christian faith. In some traditions, this is by way of a formal Confirmation course for students or young adults. Ask your pastor what kind of offerings they have for an introduction to Christianity.

Trap #3 to avoid:

Fickle Faith

One common experience during this stage is to “flame out.” When you first begin a faith journey, the experience can be quite exciting and you might have a very high motivation to engage God’s presence. However, like all things, eventually our commitment to faith must go beyond fleeting feelings and become an intentional discipline. As long as faith is emotionally dependent, moments that feel “less exciting” can become debilitating. This trap can occur by way of increased patterns of apathy or explicit regression (i.e. defaulting to previous habits or behaviors.) The goal at this stage is for faith to move from new to normal. (See Jesus’ Parable of the Sower in the Bible.)

Resources

For more information about this stage of the Christian journey, use the link below!

Stage 3