True stories of conversion
from 100 AD until our time.
Appendix to our series on Christian Conversion
To finish up our study of conversion, I wanted to find and share some of the best true stories of conversion, that continued to happen after the first century finished its part in history, and the Lord Jesus continued His work of salvation through the next 20 centuries, catching us up to where we are now in the 21st century AD...not the secular and humanistic “Common Era” that leaves Jesus Christ out.
NOTE: The 21st century is the current century in the Anno Domini Calendar record of history, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. The 21st century began on January 1, 2001 and will end on December 31, 2100.
The terms Anno Domini (AD) and before Christ (BC) are used when designating years in the Gregorian and Julian calendars. The term anno Domini is Medieval Latin and means "in the year of the Lord" ,...but is often presented using "our Lord" instead of "the Lord", taken from the full original phrase "anno Domini nostri Jesu Christi", which translates to "in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ". The form "BC" is specific to English, and equivalent abbreviations are used in other languages: the Latin form, rarely used innglish, is ante Christum natum (ACN) or ante Christum (AC).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/21st_century
NOTE: To accommodate the growing diversity and inclusiveness in cultural and religious perspectives, alternative notations were introduced. BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era) are secular equivalents to BC and AD. BCE refers to the time before the Common Era, while CE denotes the time after it. These notations have gained popularity as they are more inclusive of different religions and belief systems.
The primary difference between BC/AD and BCE/CE lies in their religious connotations. BC and AD are specifically rooted in Christian traditions and refer to the birth of Jesus Christ. On the other hand, BCE and CE are more neutral terms, devoid of religious association, making them preferred by historians seeking a neutral reference point. (meaning the atheists, agnostics, evolutionists, and humanists who want to rewrite history without God in it...Gene)
https://medium.com/@noradaur/understanding-historical-chronology-ad-bc-bce-and-ce-58a5ba43a632
https://medium.com/@noradaur/understanding-historical-chronology-ad-bc-bce-and-ce-58a5ba43a632
These 2,000 plus years of history are so important in how we see the life of the church...is the life of Christ being lived out through the children of God, born into the Kingdom of God through each century. The church did not die after the original apostles and disciples finished their work in the first century. The church just got started and these 20 centuries of conversion testimonies illustrate what Jesus promised in Matthew 16:18.
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
The conversion stories below will demonstrate the reality and the power of Christ’s continuing work of salvation, moving us closer and closer to the Millennial Kingdom, the Judgement Seat of Christ, the Great White Throne Judgement, and the beginning of eternity.
I hope you not only enjoy these stories, but are inspired and edified by them, to the point you want the rest of your life (your part in history) to really count for Jesus Christ.
DISCLAIMER: This is more material than you will have time to read in one or two settings, but I wanted to get it all to you in this one email, so that you have it and know this finishes up our study of “CONVERSION”. I hope you can take your time, and enjoy these stories a few at a time, in a leisurely way.
Gene
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This is a list of people that you will be reading about in chronological order!
Justin Martyr...100-165 AD
Clement of Alexandria...150-215 AD
Constantine the Great...280-337 AD
Saint Augustine of Hippo...354-430 AD
George of Izla...Born in the 500’s-615 AD
Vladimir I Sviatoslavich (Grand Prince of Kiev) 956-1015 AD
~ And...Olga of Kiev (His grandmother)...879-969 AD
Martin Luther...1483-1546 AD
John Calvin...1509-1564 AD
Blaise Pascal...1623-1662 AD
John Bunyan...1628-1688 AD
George Frideric Handel...1685-1759 AD
John Newton....1725-1807 AD
John Wesley...1703-1791 AD
George Whitefield...1714-1770 AD
Florence Nightingale...1820-1910 AD
Fanny Crosby...1820-1915 AD
Charles Haddon Spurgeon...1834-1892 AD
C.S. Lewis...1898-1963 AD
Colonel Herbert Kappler (the Gestapo Commander)...1907-1978 AD
Louie Zamperini...1917-2014 AD
Gary Busey...1944 AD
George Foreman...1949 AD
Lee Strobel...1952 AD
Reggie White...1961AD
Stephen Baldwin...1966 AD
Kirk Cameron...1970 AD
Jeff Gordon...1971 AD
Niki Taylor…1975 AD
Candace Cameron-Bure…1976 AD
Bubba Watson...1978 AD
Carrie Underwood 1983
In the second century, Justin Martyr described the Christian convert’s community as “a new race” (ethnos), implying that the converted are members of a universal race of the redeemed who have exchanged one race or nation or people for another (First Apology 23; Justin Martyr 1948: 59). Regardless of one’s race (i.e. nation or people), all could become members of a universal race, people, or nation – all could become one in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:28).
Justin Martyr’s Conversion
Born 100 AD / Suffered Martyrdom 165 AD
https://orthodoxchristiantheology.com/2015/12/23/justin-martyrs-conversion-and-the-authority-of-scripture/comment-page-1/
Justin Martyr was born into a pagan family in Palestine in the early second century. As a philosopher, he sought truth and wisdom wherever he could find it. He was specifically drawn to the teachings of Plato and Socrates. However, he found that philosophy alone could not provide him with the answers he was seeking. He continued his search for truth by exploring various religions, including Judaism and Christianity.
He studied in the ancient cities of Alexandria and Ephesus where his pursuit of truth led him to examine the Greek philosophical systems of Stoicism, Aristotelianism, Pythagoreanism, and Platonism, ultimately adopting the tenets of the Platonists.
Eventually he encountered a group of Christians on a beach in Alexandria one day and through his interaction with them, he began to understand the power of faith. Justin was deeply impressed by the Christians’ devotion to their beliefs, so he began to study the Bible with them in order to understand more about their religion.
- As he got deeper into the teachings of Christ, he became convinced of the truth of the Gospel and made the life-changing decision to become a Christian himself.
- From that point on, Justin’s life was never the same. He became a fervent defender of the faith, using his skills as a philosopher and rhetorician to engage with other intellectuals and argue in favor of Christianity.
- One of the key themes in Justin’s writings is the role of reason in Christianity. He believed that reason and philosophy could be used to explain and defend Christian beliefs. This idea was groundbreaking at the time and helped to shape Christian theology for centuries to come.
- His unwavering commitment to his beliefs eventually led to his martyrdom, but his legacy lived on as his writings and teachings inspired countless others to follow in his footsteps.
- Justin subsequently started a school in the city of Rome where he taught philosophy and proclaimed that Christianity served to fulfill the highest intellectual and moral aspirations of classical philosophy
- His life and writings have had a profound impact on Christian theology and philosophy.
...One day, while strolling along the shore, he met an old man who engaged him in a conversation that changed his life forever. The old man, who was a Christian, spoke to Justin about Jesus and the Holy Scriptures, and Justin was intrigued.
...The old man on the beach told Justin about the prophecies of the Hebrew Scriptures and how they were fulfilled in Jesus Christ. He explained that Jesus was the Son of God and that he had come to save humanity from sin and death.
...The old man’s message struck a chord in Justin’s heart, and he felt a sense of peace and joy that he had never experienced before. He began studying the Christian faith and soon realized that this was the truth he had been searching for all along. He converted to Christianity and became one of its greatest apologists (defender of the faith).
...His encounter on the beach also reminds us that sometimes, the most unexpected encounters can lead to the most profound spiritual transformations.
...Justin’s encounter with Christ on the beach teaches us that the truth is not something we can find on our own, but rather something that is revealed to us by God.
...It also reminds us that the Christian faith is not just a set of doctrines and beliefs, but a personal encounter with Jesus Christ that can transform our lives. Justin’s story challenges us to be open to the unexpected ways that God may reveal himself to us and to be willing to follow wherever he leads. {https://christianeducatorsacademy.com/the-shocking-story-of-how-justin-martyr-became-a-christian-you-wont-believe-what-happened/}
Justin’s Martyrdom
- Justin’s defense of the Christian faith ultimately led to his martyrdom. He was arrested and brought before the Roman prefect Rusticus.
- Justin was given a chance to renounce his Christian faith by offering a sacrifice to the Roman gods, but he stood firm in his commitment to Jesus Christ...as the only Lord and Savior.
- Roman authorities scourged and beheaded him early in the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, along with six other Christians in Rome in 165 AD.
- He was later dubbed “Justin Martyr” because of his martyr death.
- His death showed that the Christian faith was worth dying for, and it helped to inspire others to stand firm in their beliefs.
- His willingness to die for his faith made a strong impression on those who witnessed his execution, and it helped to spread the message of Christianity to others.
https://reasons.org/explore/blogs/reflections/christian-thinkers-101-a-crash-course-on-justin-martyr
https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-justin-martyr/
https://www.prca.org/books/portraits/martyr.htm
https://www.biola.edu/blogs/good-book-blog/2015/justin-martyr-the-first-great-apologist-of-the-christian-church
https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/biography/saint-justin-martyr#:~:text=This%20he%20found%20in%20the,Christians%20martyred%20for%20their%20faith.
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Clement of Alexandria
Born 150 AD / Died 215 AD
(Born as Titus Flavius Clemens)
Clement depicted in 1584
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clement_of_Alexandria
Clement of Alexandria was born around 150 A.D. Tradition holds that he was born in Alexandria Egypt, but Epiphanius Scholasticus claims Clement was actually born in Athens. Clement was born to pagan parents who taught him a great deal about their religion. Clement was intimately familiar with Greek mythology and the various pagan mystery religions, and he had knowledge that could only belong to someone who was once a religious insider.
After he converted to Christianity, because of his perception of paganism as morally corrupt, Clement used his extensive knowledge of pagan mythology and traditions to convert other pagans to Christianity.
His three major works survived in their complete forms, which is extremely unusual for documents written in the late 190’s A.D. His three major works are “Protrepticus”, “Paedagogus”, and “Stromata”. Most of his other works only survive today in fragments with the exception of “Who is the Rich Man who is Saved?” which is an extensive meditation on the implications of Mark 10:25.
Clement was a Christian Apologist and missionary theologian to the Hellenistic (Greek cultural) world. He was also the second known leader and teacher of the catechetical School of Alexandria.
Clement was converted to Christianity by his last teacher, Pantaenus—reputedly a former Stoic philosopher and the first recorded president of the Christian catechetical School at Alexandria. Clement succeeded his mentor as head of the school about 180 AD.
- During the next two decades Clement was the intellectual leader of the Alexandrian Christian community.
- During this time he wrote several ethical and theological works and biblical commentaries.
- He also combated heretical gnostics (religious dualists who believed in salvation through esoteric knowledge that revealed to humans their spiritual origins, identities, and destinies).
- He engaged in polemics with Christians who were suspicious of an intellectualized Christianity and he educated persons who later became theological and ecclesiastical leaders (e.g., Alexander, bishop of Jerusalem).
- Clement presented a functional program of witnessing in thought and action to Hellenistic inquirers and Christian believers.
- He hoped this program would bring about an understanding of the role of Greek philosophy and the Mosaic tradition within the Christian faith.
- According to Clement, philosophy was to the Greeks as the Law of Moses was to the Jews, a preparatory discipline leading to the truth, which was personified in the Logos.
- His goal was to make Christian beliefs intelligible to those trained within the context of the Greek paideia (educational curriculum), so that those who accepted the Christian faith might be able to witness effectively within Hellenistic culture.
- According to Clement, the Christian was to live under the Logos as befitting a citizen of heaven and then, in an order of priorities, under the law (nomos) as a citizen of the earth.
- If a conflict should arise between God and Caesar (i.e., the state), the Christian was to appeal to the “higher law” of the Logos.
- At one point Clement advocated the theory of the just cause for open rebellion against a government that enslaves people against their will, as in the case of the Hebrews in Egypt.
- In this view he also anticipated Augustine’s theory of the just war, a theory that has been dominant in Western civilization since the early Middle Ages.
- He also struck at racism when it is considered a basis for slavery.
Because of the persecution of Christians in Alexandria under the Roman emperor Severus in 201–202, Clement was obliged to leave his position as head of the catechetical school and to seek safety elsewhere. His position at the school was assumed by his young and gifted student Origen, who became one of the greatest theologians of the early Greek church. Clement found safety and employment in Palestine under another of his former students, Alexander, bishop of Jerusalem. He remained with Alexander until he died.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Clement-of-Alexandria
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clement_of_Alexandria
https://earlyafricanchristianity.com/clement-of-alexandria/
https://www.bartehrman.com/clement-of-alexandria/
https://www.tentmaker.org/biographies/clement.htm
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Constantine the Great
Title / Office: Emperor (324-337) of the Roman Empire
Constantine I Portrait head of Constantine I, marble, Roman, c. 325–370 AD In the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.
Quick Facts
Byname: Constantine the Great
Latin in full: Flavius Valerius Constantinus
Born: February 27, after 280 AD?
Naissus, Moesia [now Niš, Serbia]
Died: May 22, 337, Ancyrona, near Nicomedia,
Bithynia [now İzmit, Turkey]
Constantine the Great was the senior western emperor in the early second century and one of several Roman emperors vying for control of the entire empire. During these wars, Constantine faced one of his main rivals, Maxentius, at the Milvian Bridge in October of 312 A.D. When the two armies met in battle, Constantine’s soldiers carried shields painted with an unfamiliar sign: the Greek letter Chi traversed by Rho.
This symbol was carried by Constantine’s forces as a result of a dream or vision he received, that told him to carry the unfamiliar sign. Constantine vowed that if he won the battle he would follow the unfamiliar god speaking to him, the God of the Christians. Constantine won the battle and became the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity.
Following Constantine’s conversion and his issuance of the Edict of Milan, Christianity could finally step out of the shadows and Christians could practice their faith openly. In addition, Constantine called the First Ecumenical Council, built a number of churches, and over the course of his reign transformed Christianity from a hidden and outlawed religion to the favored religion of the most powerful empires in the world.
He not only initiated the evolution of the empire into a Christian state but also provided the impulse for a distinctively Christian culture that prepared the way for the growth of Byzantine and Western medieval culture.
Throughout his life, Constantine ascribed his success to his conversion to Christianity and the support of the Christian God. The triumphal arch erected in his honor at Rome after the defeat of Maxentius ascribed the victory to the “inspiration of the Divinity” as well as to Constantine’s own genius.
A statue set up at the same time showed Constantine himself holding aloft a cross and the legend “By this saving sign I have delivered your city from the tyrant and restored liberty to the Senate and people of Rome”.
After his victory over Licinius in 324, Constantine wrote that he had come from the farthest shores of Britain, as God’s chosen instrument for the suppression of impiety. In a letter to the Persian king Shāpūr II he proclaimed that, aided by the divine power of God, he had come to bring peace and prosperity to all lands.
Historians say the emperor was an earnest student of his Christianity.
- Even before the defeat of Licinius, he had summoned to Trier the theologian and polemicist Lactantius to be the tutor of Crispus.
- In later years he commissioned new copies of the Bible for the growing congregations at Constantinople.
- He composed a special prayer for his troops and went on campaigns with a mobile chapel in a tent.
- He issued numerous laws relating to Christian practice and susceptibilities. For instance, he abolished the penalty of crucifixion and the practice of branding certain criminals.
- He enjoined the observance of Sunday and saints’ days and extending privileges to the clergy while suppressing at least some offensive pagan practices.
The Arch of Constantine, Rome.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Constantine-I-Roman-emperor
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Saint Augustine of Hippo
Born: November 13, 354 AD in Tagaste, Numidia [now Souk Ahras, Algeria]
Died: August 28, 430 AD in Hippo Regius [now Annaba, Algeria]
https://www.google.com/search?q=drawing+of%C2%A0Saint+Augustine+of+Hippo&client=safari&sca_esv=861d6c36a75495fa&channel=iphone_bm&sxsrf=AHTn8zq9nbtWSGAKZb6j6C0VgcZRC2vNyw%3A1747502766894&source=hp&ei=rsYoaLrJNKDHkPIPk...
St. Augustine was a Christian bishop and theologian of Hippo from 396 to 430.
Augustine was born in 354 A.D. in Africa to a pagan father and a Christian mother. Augustine’s father taught his son to focus on worldly pleasures. Young Augustine was a good student and learned the art of sensual pleasures well.
- When he was 16, he stole fruit from a neighbor’s garden. The teen did not steal because he wanted the fruit. He stole, because he wanted to feel the thrill of doing something forbidden. In his autobiography, “The Confessions” Augustine wrote that “It was foul and I loved it. I loved my own error–not that for which I erred, but the error”.
- ..at the age of 32, Augustine heard a voice tell him to read Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. Augustine did so and was converted to Jesus Christ. Then he began to give to the poor and he became so devout, that he was consecrated as the Bishop of Hippo in 295 A.D.
- Augustine of Hippo said after his salvation experience: ‘You [God] converted me to yourself’ (8.12; Augustine of Hippo 1971: 179, 1; Augustine of Hippo 1971: 181).
- As the Bishop of Hippo, he became a distinguished philosopher, and a bishop who was venerated by all, and an excellent theologian. He was also seen as a spiritual Father of the Church in his time and author of some of the most beautiful and intense pages of ecclesiastical literature, etc...
- But before that, he was a sinner. For many years he had a mistress, with whom he also conceived a son out of wedlock, and dragged himself throughout his turbulent youth between vices and sins...which were most often committed out of boredom, not actual necessity (like the famous theft of the pears of which he himself will write once reformed).
- In theConfessions, autobiography and summa of Augustine’s spiritual and human thought, he turned to God to recount his conversion, his passage from the old self, dedicated to vice and sin, and to the awareness of his new “I”. He affirms that anyone can change his life at any time, by abandoning bad habits (repentance) and embracing the new path with Jesus Christ, only possible by the grace of God.
- Many consider Augustine the most significant Christian thinker after the Apostle Paul.
- Augustine’s adaptation of classical thought to Christian teaching created a theological system of great power and lasting influence.
- Within his numerous written works, the most important are considered to be his “Confessions” (400 AD) and “The City of God” (413–426 AD).
Augustine’s famous quote
“There is no saint without a past and no sinner without a future!”
https://augustinian.org/april-24/#:~:text=During%20the%20Easter%20Vigil%2C%20on,his)%20heart'%2C%20Alypius.
https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/augustine-converts
https://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/christianity/5-famous-christian-conversions.aspx
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Augustine
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippo#:~:text=In%20late%20August%20of%20386,Latin%3A%20tolle%2C%20lege).
https://scholarworks.harding.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1050&context=tenor#:~:text=his%20early%20life%20in%20Thagaste,his%20ultimate%20conversion%20to%20Christianity.
https://www.midwestaugustinians.org/conversion-of-st-augustine
9 Summary Facts About St Augustine
Sarah Roller
https://www.historyhit.com/facts-about-st-augustine/
- Augustine was originally from North Africa.
- He was highly educated.
- He traveled Italy to teach rhetoric.
- Augustine converted to Christianity in 386.
- He was ordained a priest in Hippo, and later became the Bishop of Hippo.
- He preached between 6,000 and 10,000 sermons in his lifetime.
- He was said to have worked miracles in his last days.
- Augustine is respected by Protestants and Catholics.
- He is one of the most important figures in Western Christianity.
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~ The Conversion of the George of Izla ~
Born in the 500’s AD / Died 615 AD
George of Izla (Classical Syriac: )ܓܝܘܪܓܝܣ ܕܐܝܙܠܐ) was born Mihrām-gušnasp or Mihr-Māh-gošnasp. He died in 615 AD as an East Syriac martyr, theologian and interpreter. He was primarily remembered for his role in a royal disputation, which eventually led to his execution.
{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_of_Izla}
- He was raisedZoroastrian in a noble dehqan family and received his education in Zoroastrian religious rituals and Persian literature.
- His father Babai was theōstāndār (official in charge of crown property) of Nasibin and his grandfather had held the prefecture of Weh Antiok Khosrow near Ctesiphon.
- His mother was the daughter of a Magian mowbed (high priest).
- He later married his sister Hazaroe, which was a common practice among aristocratic Magians.
- Mihramgushnasp and his sister-wife, known later by her Christian name "Maria", were among the aristocratic converts.
- The late Sasanian period saw an increase of conversions from Zoroastrianism to Christianity. It seemed that the Church of the East directed their missionary efforts at the Sasanian ruling class in hopes of Christianising the empire, as had been the case with the Roman Empire.
- He succeeded in convincing his sister/wife in converting as well, and together they announced their conversion by desecrating the holy fire, deliberately seeking martyrdom.
- However they were not executed, and he left for a monastery in Mount Izla, Tur Abdin in 601, where he received his Christian education alongside Babai the Great, one of the most influential theologians of the Church of the East.
- George of Izla participated in several debates with Zoroastrians. His knowledge of the Avesta gave him an edge over his rivals.
- The most famous disputation in which he took part was a debate between members of the Church of the East and the Miaphysite Syriac Orthodox Church, convened by the Sasanian king Khosrow II in 612 at the royal court in Ctesiphon.
- The Church of the East delegation was headed by George of Izla while Gabriel of Sinjar, the Shah's physician, led the Miaphysites.
- Later sources claim that George won the debate. In retaliation, Gabriel brought up George on charges of apostasy from Zoroastrianism, a crime punishable by death in Sasanian law.
- George was judged and convicted of apostasy. He was crucified in the straw market in Veh-Ardashir In 615.
Jeanne-Nicole Mellon Saint-Laurent et al., “George the Priest — ܓܝܘܪܓܝܣ ” last modified August 17, 2016, http://syriaca.org/person/1250.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_of_Izla
https://alchetron.com/George-of-Izla
https://www.academia.edu/3082321/_Hagiography_as_History_in_Late_Antique_Iraq_The_History_of_St_George_of_Izla_d_614_by_Babai_the_Great_2010_
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Vladimir I Sviatoslavich (Grand Prince of Kiev) > 956-1015 AD
~ And ~
Olga of Kiev (His grandmother) > 879-969 AD
“The First Christian Rulers in the Rus”
An icon of St. Vladmir. RIGHT: Painting of St. Olga by Mikhail Nesterov (1862–1942). (photo: Wikimedia Commons)
Rarely, perhaps never, in the history of the Church have there been two such unlikely converts.
Thomas J. Craughwell
Vladimir Svyatoslavich the Great (c. 958 – July 15, 1015, Berestovo), also known as Saint Vladimir of Kiev, was the grand prince of Kiev who converted to Christianity in 987 and is generally credited as the person most responsible for the Christianization of Russia.
As the illegitimate son of Prince Sviatoslav I of Kiev, Vladmir consolidated the Kievan Rus' from the Ukraine to the Baltic Sea through his military exploits.
But before we study an overview of Vladmir’s life and conversion, let us look at his grandmother’s life and conversion.
His grandmother Olga (890-969)
Vladimir, the man who would convert the entire nations of Russia and Ukraine to the Christian faith, was highly influenced toward his own conversion by his grandmother Olga.
- But before his grandmother was converted, she had been a mass murderer.
- She was so vengeful, hate-filled, and bloody-minded, that they said she would have scared Attila the Hun.
- As Queen, she brutally put to death whole groups of her enemies and all the people who had caused the death of her husband.
- But, on a diplomatic trip to Constantinople, she providentially consented to receive Baptism in the Eastern Church for political reasons, but from there, she did have a total conversion of heart to Christ. (Then her conversion had a ripple effect, that led to the conversion of her grandson Vladimir, and then to whole nation.)
- After her conversion, Olga dedicated her efforts and resources to building churches.
On her deathbed, Olga grieved that her attempt to make her land a Christian nation had been a colossal failure, not yet knowing about her grandson’s future conversion and Christian work.
The “Primary Chronicle” reported the prince was influenced by the memories of his Christian grandmother...Olga and by missionaries.
Vladmir’s life and conversion
During his early reign, he remained a zealous pagan, devoting himself to the Slavic-Norse deities, establishing numerous temples, and practicing polygamy. He reportedly took 800 concubines, besides seven wives.
- To consecrate the temple he revived an old custom—human sacrifice. As victims, he chose a warrior named Theodore, and the man’s young son, John. They were two of the very few Christians in Kiev.
- Perhaps Vladimir thought the sacrifice of a man and a boy who had turned their backs on the old religion would appease the gods.
- He murdered his half-brother, the legitimate heir, then added his sister-in-law to his harem.
- The chroniclers claim that Vladimir’s harem ran to several hundred women, who were housed in the various cities of his kingdom so that no matter where he traveled, he would not be lonely.
- Like his grandmother, Vladimir was ferocious in war. He conquered tribe after tribe, greatly expanding his realm, and earning the fear, and reluctantly, the respect of his most powerful neighbor, the Christian king of Poland.
- To forestall an invasion of his own realm, the Polish king made a treaty with Vladimir. Even Basil, the emperor in Constantinople, recognized Vladimir’s success as a fighter—when Basil was having trouble with the Bulgars to the west, he appealed to Vladimir for help.
- Vladimir crushed the Bulgar army, and then asked for a reward from the emperor...he wanted Basil’s sister, Anna, to be his wife.
- The request was outrageous. No Byzantine princess had ever married a foreigner, let alone a heathen who indulged in human sacrifice and kept of small army of concubines.
- But Vladimir was a dangerous and powerful man, so Basil agreed to Vladimir’s request, but on one condition—he must abandon his evil habits and convert to Christianity.
- Basil hoped this would be the deal-breaker, that Vladimir would reject the emperor’s terms and settle for another, less controversial reward.
- Instead, Vladimir agreed to be baptized and after his baptism, he married Anna.
As a part of the providential workings listed above, “The Russian Primary Chronicle”, a history of the Kievan Rus from around 850 to 1110, reported that in the year 987, Vladimir sent envoys to study the religions of the various neighboring nations whose representatives had been urging him to embrace their respective faiths.
- The result was described in legendary terms by the chronicler Nestor.
- According to this version, the envoys reported of the Muslim Bulgarians of the Volga, that there was no gladness among them, "only sorrow and a great stench"...that their religion was undesirable due to its taboo against alcoholic beverages and pork.
- Vladimir immediately rejected this religion, saying: "Drinking is the joy of the Rus'".
- Russian sources also describe Vladimir as consulting with Jews, who may or may not have been Khazars, ultimately rejecting their religion, because their loss of Jerusalem was evidence of their having been abandoned by God.
- Ultimately, Vladimir settled on Christianity.
So, in 987, he converted to Christianity, as a condition of a marriage alliance with Anna, the daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Basil II. He then ordered the conversion of Kiev and Novgorod to the Orthodox Church and began the destruction of other faiths.
Returning to Kiev, Vladimir began the conversion of his people to Christianity. He formed a great council out of his boyars, and set twelve of his sons over his various principalities. What Grandmother Olga had prayed for years earlier was coming to fruition at last.
He put away his former pagan wives and mistresses and destroyed pagan temples, statues, and holy sites. He built churches and monasteries and imported Greek Orthodox missionaries to educate his subjects.
He also reportedly gave generously to various charitable works. After Anna's death, he married again, most likely to a granddaughter of the Holy Roman Emperor Otto the Great. He also expanded judicial and educational institutions, aided the poor, and supported Greek missionaries among his people.
It was known that not all of Vladimir's subjects accepted his policies peacefully. Among these were some of his former wives and their sons. Several of these princes rose in armed rebellion, notably Prince Yaroslav of Novgorod.
In the course of putting down this revolt, Vladimir died in battle at Berestovo, near Kiev on July 15. But this son Yaroslav did continue his father’s work of building churches and educating new clergy.
The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches celebrate the feast day of St. Vladimir on July 15. A large number of legends and Russian folk songs were written in Vladimir’s memory.
As was stated earlier...rarely, perhaps never, in the history of the Church have there been two such unlikely converts. Yet, if Olga and Vladimir’s sins have not been forgotten, they certainly have been forgiven.
In Ukraine and Russia, Catholics and Orthodox honor St. Olga and St. Vladimir with a title we do not have in the West. The title is: “Equal to the Apostles”.
Vladimir’s last years were troubled by an insurrection led by his sons and by his former pagan wives, and he died in an expedition against one of them at Berestova, near Kiev, on July 15, 1015. He is commemorated on this day by the Eastern Churches as Isapostolos, like his grandmother Olga.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4132207-the-new-book-of-festivals-and-commemorations: The New Book of Festivals and Commemorations
https://www.ncregister.com/blog/sts-vladimir-and-olga-unlikely-converts-and-equal-to-the-apostles
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_the_Great
https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2022/07/15/102031-holy-great-prince-vladimir-basil-in-baptism-equal-of-the-apostle
https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Vladimir_I_of_Kiev
https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/vladimir-st
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The Conversion of Martin Luther
Born in 1483-Died in 1546 (Age 63)
From: https://learn.ligonier.org/articles/story-martin-luthers-conversion
Martin Luther’s conversion came in 1519. Luther’s own testimony that his “breakthrough” came while he was teaching through the Psalms for a second time. Those lectures were given in the early months of 1519. Later in 1545, Luther reflected on his conversion, and offered up an extraordinary account of this event. Luther tells like this:
Meanwhile, I had already during that year returned to interpret the Psalter anew. I had confidence in the fact that I was more skillful, after I had lectured in the university on St. Paul’s epistles to the Romans, to the Galatians, and the one to the Hebrews. I had indeed been captivated with an extraordinary ardor for understanding Paul in the Epistle to the Romans. But up till then it was not the cold blood about the heart, but a single word in Chapter 1, “In it the righteousness of God is revealed” that had stood in my way. For I hated that word “righteousness of God”, which, according to the use and custom of all the teachers, I had been taught to understand philosophically regarding the formal or active righteousness, as they call it, with which God is righteous and punishes the unrighteous sinner.
- Though I lived as a monk without reproach, I felt that I was a sinner before God with an extremely disturbed conscience.
- I could not believe that He was placated by my satisfaction.
- I did not love, yes, I hated the righteous God who punishes sinners, and secretly, if not blasphemously, certainly murmuring greatly, I was angry with God, and said, As if, indeed, it is not enough, that miserable sinners, eternally lost through original sin, are crushed by every kind of calamity by the law of the decalogue, without having God add pain to pain by the gospel and also by the gospel threatening us with his righteousness and wrath!”
- Thus I raged with a fierce and troubled conscience.
- Nevertheless, I beat importunately upon Paul at that place, most ardently desiring to know what St. Paul wanted.
- At last, by the mercy of God, meditating day and night, I gave heed to the context of the words, namely, “In it the righteousness of God is revealed...as it is written...He who through faith is righteous shall live”.
- There I began to understand that the righteousness of God is that by which the righteous lives by a gift of God, namely by faith.
- And this is the meaning: the righteousness of God is revealed by the gospel, namely, the passive righteousness with which merciful God justifies us by faith, as it is written, “He who through faith is righteous shall live”.
- Here I felt that I was altogether born again and had entered paradise itself through open gates. There a totally other face of the entire Scripture showed itself to me.
Thereupon, I ran through the Scripture from memory. I also found in other terms an analogy, as, the work of God, that is what God does in us, the power of God, with which He makes us wise, the strength of God, the salvation of God, the glory of God. And I extolled my sweetest word with a love as great as the hatred with which I had before hated the word “righteousness of God”. Thus that place in Paul was for me truly the gate to paradise.
https://www.christianstudylibrary.org/article/just-shall-live-faith-conversion-martin-luther
https://learn.ligonier.org/articles/story-martin-luthers-conversion
https://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/sdg/MartinLutherConversion.pdf
https://biblehub.com/sermons/pub/the_conversion_of_martin_luther.htm
https://bulletininserts.org/by-faith-alone-the-conversion-of-martin-luther/
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The Conversion of John Calvin
...Born in 1509 in Noyon, France
...Died in 1564 in Geneva, Switzerland (54 years old)
From: https://puritanboard.com/threads/john-calvins-conversion.4452/
John Calvin was a Frenchman with a gifted intellect that his father thought would be best suited for the field of law, but he left law to study theology. John had been immersed in Roman Catholicism and he became an apologist for Romanism and spoke out harshly against "Lutheranism". Ironically, he studied in Paris at the same school as Ignatius Loyola, who later began the "Counter-Reformation".
*Over time John began to be influenced by the teachings of men like Cop, Wolmar, Beza, Lefevre and Farel .
- His cousin, Pierre Robert Olivetan, became the first to translate the Bible into French from the original languages.
- Pierre spoke many times with John about biblical faith.He would tell him that there are but two religions in the world:
-
- The one class of religion is that which men have invented, in all of which man saves himself by ceremonies and good works.
- The other is that one religion, which is revealed in the Bible and which teaches man to look for salvation solely from the free grace of God.
- John would tell him that he would have none of his new doctrines and how dare he think that John had lived in error all his days, but even as he said these things, he was not so sure of himself.
- Whenever Olivetan would say goodbye and leave, Calvin would burst into tears, fall upon his knees, and vent his doubts and anxieties in prayer.
- His conversion finally happened sometime during 1532 or 1533.
- Calvin says his conversion was sudden, through private study, because he failed to find peace in absolutions, penances, and the intercessions of the church.
- In his commentary on the Psalms, Calvin wrote this about his conversion: "By a sudden conversion, God subdued and reduced to docility my soul, which was more hardened against such things than one would expect of my youthful years. Like a flash of light, I realized in what an abyss of errors, in what chaos I was".
- The only autobiographical reference to the beginning of his Christian life is found in the preface to his commentary on the Psalms. Speaking about his plans as a young man to study law, he wrote, “but God, by the secret guidance of His providence, at length gave me a different direction to my course… [By] a sudden conversion subdued and brought my mind to a teachable frame…[and I] thus received some taste and knowledge of true godliness…” [Institutes of the Christian Religion (Latin: Institutio Christianae Religionis...Vol. 1, xl)
- After his conversion, Calvin broke with the Roman Church and was thrown in prison several times (for short stays) because of his evangelical activities.
- He then became the head of the evangelical party in France, less than a year after his conversion.
- Calvin could have lost his life when he watched a fellow evangelical's tongue cut out and the man burned at the stake.
- Calvin started walking towards the scaffold to intervene, but several other evangelical friends dragged him away.
- After that, Calvin was forced to leave Paris when Nicolas Cop, the rector of the University of Paris, gave the inaugural oration on All Saint's Day.
- This oration, at the request of the new rector, had been prepared by Calvin. It was a plea for reformation on the basis of the New Testament.
- The Sorbonne and Parliament regarded this academic oration as a manifesto of war upon the Catholic Church and condemned it to the flames. Cop fled to Basel.
- Calvin (the real author of the oration) escaped from Paris, being let down from a room by means of sheets and escaping in the garb of a vine-dresser with a hoe upon his shoulder.
For more on John Calvin’s incredible life, in the 54 years he lived, please see the references below or just google his life and ministry.
The History of Protestantism, by J.A. Wylie
https://www.insightforliving.ca/read/articles/john-calvin#:~:text=By%201533%2C%20Calvin%20departed%20from,a%20teachable%20frame....
Griffin, Emilie. 2006. John Calvin: Selections from His Writings. New York, NY: HarperOne.
John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, ed. John T. McNeill, trans. Ford Lewis Battles (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2006)
http://www.thirdmill.org/files/english/html/ch/CH.Arnold.RMT.7.HTML
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Conversion of Blaise Pascal
Born in 1623 in Clermont, France / Died in 1662
Blaise Pascal was born in Clermont, France on June 19, 1623. His mother died when he was only three years old, and he was raised and cared for by his father and two sisters. Blaise took an interest in math and independently discovered that the sum of the interior angles of all triangles was 180 degrees. When his father saw Pascal's ability and interest in geometry, he gave his son a copy of Euclid's Elements and allowed him to study math.
Young Pascal joined his father to attend meetings of leading French mathematicians headed by Marin Mersenne, known for his work with prime numbers. This group also included Pierre Fermat and Renee Descartes.
At 16, Pascal wrote and presented a paper on conic sections stating that if a hexagon is inscribed in a circle, then the three intersection points of opposite sides lie on a single line. This is known as Pascal's Theorem.
Pascal is credited with several important inventions and discoveries in math and physics. He also wrote on religion and philosophy. Pascal suffered from poor health for most of his life and died at the early age of 39 on August 19, 1662.
This summary of his salvation experience is from Westmont University.
On November 23, 1654, from about 10:30 p.m. until 12:30 a.m., Blaise Pascal had an experience of the transforming love of God that changed the entire direction of his life. He had been reading the seventeenth chapter of John’s Gospel, where Jesus prays before giving himself over to be crucified. As he read, suddenly the room was filled with the flaming presence of Christ as perfect Love. The word written in the book was confirmed by the Word present in the Son.
I have separated myself from Him: I have fled from Him, denied Him, crucified Him. Let me never be separated from Him. We keep hold of Him only by the ways taught in the Gospel. Renunciation, total and sweet. Total submission to Jesus Christ. Eternally in joy for a day on earth...Amen.
------------------------------
Pascal wrote out the testimony above on parchment paper. At the top he etched a cross surrounded by rays. He sewed the parchment sheet inside the lining of his coat and it was only after his death that the document was discovered. And what was written there?
This experience, which Pascal called his “second conversion,” led him to abandon nearly everything. He sold his coach and horses, his fine furniture and silverware, and gave the money to the poor. Never again would he sign his name to his own writings, nor would he let his name be mentioned in praise.
https://www.westmont.edu/blaisepascal#:~:text=On%20November%2023%2C%201654%2C%20from,himself%20over%20to%20be%20crucified.
https://www.redeemer.com/redeemer-report/article/pascals_method_for_presenting_the_christian_faith
https://aleteia.org/2016/06/18/the-mystical-vision-of-blaise-pascal
https://iep.utm.edu/pascal-b/
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The Conversion of John Bunyan
Born in 1628 in Bedfordshire, England
Died in August 31, 1688 in London, England
Age of death: 59
John Bunyan was arguably the last and the greatest of the Puritans. An uneducated tinker by training, Bunyan spent nearly fourteen years of his life in prison because he refused to stop preaching the gospel without a license.
Nonetheless, even the eminent Puritan theologian John Owen often came to hear him preach and once said of him, “I would give all my knowledge for the wisdom of John Bunyan”. During his many years in prison, Bunyan left a remarkable legacy through his many books, the best known of which is Pilgrim’s Progress, which has become the best-selling book of all time other than the Bible.
- John Bunyan was brought up by his father in the craft of a brass worker.
- Although he was never a drunkard or a violent man, his special sins were profanity, Sabbath-breaking, and atheism.
Before he was converted, he was notorious for the energy that he put into all his doings. He had a zeal for idle play and an enthusiasm in mischief that perversely manifested his forceful personality. – Editor
(https://img.sermonindex.net/modules/articles/article_pdf.php?aid=1649)
A summary description of Bunyan in his youth
By his biographer, Dr. Hamilton
...He is the noisiest of the party playing pitch-and-toss--that one with the shaggy eyebrows whose entire soul is ascending in the twirling penny.
...His energetic movements and authoritative exclamations identify him at once as a ringleader.
...The penny has come down on the wrong side, and a loud oath at once bellows from young Bunyan.
...The only restraining influence that Bunyan then felt was the power of terror.
...He was often depressed by fear of the impending wrath of God, and he frequently had terrible nightmares that the reckless diversions of his waking day could not always dispel.
...He would dream that the last day had come and that the quaking earth was opening its mouth to let him down to hell.
...Or he would find himself in the grasp of fiends who were dragging him away.
...As he grew older, his conscience grew harder. He experienced some remarkable escapes from death, but these providences neither startled nor melted him.
...He married very early, and his wife was the daughter of a godly man. Her whole property consisted of two small books, The Plain “Man’s Pathway to Heaven”, and “Practice of Piety”, which her father had left her on his deathbed. Young Bunyan read these books and his wife often told him what a good man her father had been.
...The consequence was that he felt some desire to reform his vicious life, and he began to attend church twice a day.
...At the same time, he became overrun with a spirit of superstition. The mere sight of a priest bewitched him.
...However, while enamored with the garb and ritual of worship, Bunyan continued to curse and blaspheme and to spend his Sabbaths in the same riot as before.
...One day, however, he heard a sermon on the sin of Sabbath-breaking, and it haunted his conscience throughout the day.
...When he was in the midst of the excitement of that afternoon’s diversions, a voice seemed to dart from heaven into his soul, “Wilt thou leave thy sins and go to heaven or have thy sins and go to hell?”
...His arm, which was about to strike a ball was stopped, and as he looked up to heaven, it seemed as if the Lord Jesus was looking down upon him in rebuke and deep displeasure.
...At the same time, he was overcome with the conviction that he had sinned so long that repentance was now too late.
...His desperate conclusion was that he was beyond hope. In fact, he became so persuaded that he had forfeited heaven forever that he decided to enjoy the pleasures of sin as rapidly and intensely as possible.
...One day, as Bunyan was standing at a neighbor’s window cursing and swearing, the woman of the house protested that he was the ungodliest man that she had ever known in her life.
...Because the woman was herself a notoriously worthless character, her reproof had a dramatic effect on Bunyan’s mind. He was silenced in a moment.
...However, his swearing had become so habitual that he thought reform was impossible without returning to childhood and relearning how to speak.
...Soon after this circumstance, Bunyan began to read the Bible. He took a special interest in the historical portions of the Scripture, and his outward life underwent much reformation.
...His own account of this period of his life, he shared the following:
(Page 1/3 - The Conversion of John Bunyan)
I did set the commandments before me for my way to heaven and I strived to keep them. I thought I kept them pretty well sometimes which would bring me comfort. Yet now and then I would break one, and so afflict my conscience.
I would repent and promise God to do better next time. I then thought I pleased God as well as any man in England. Thus I continued about a year and all my neighbors considered me to be a very godly man, a new and religious man, and did marvel much to see such great alterations in my life and manners.
And so it was although I knew not Christ, nor grace, nor faith, nor hope. I was nothing but a poor painted hypocrite, yet I loved to be talked of as one that was truly godly.
About a year later, I went to Bedford on business. While walking along the street, I noticed a few poor women sitting in a doorway and talking together.
Their conversation surprised me. Although, I had by this time become a great talker on sacred subjects, their themes were far beyond my reach.
They spoke in a personal and vital way about God’s work in their souls and the views they had obtained of their sinfulness and of God’s love in Christ Jesus, and the words and promises that had particularly refreshed them and strengthened them against the temptations of Satan.
I felt as if these women had found a new world. Their conversation made a deep impression on my mind. I saw that there was something real in religion, that I had not yet understood.
I saw as if they were on the sunny side of some high mountain, where they were refreshing themselves with the pleasant beams of the sun, while I was shivering and shrinking in the cold, afflicted with frost, snow, and dark clouds.
Between them and me, I saw a wall, through which my soul did greatly desire to pass, but I could not find a passage. At the last I saw, as it were, a narrow gap, like a little doorway in the wall, through which I attempted to pass.
After great striving, I pushed my body through. It showed me that none could enter into life, but those who were in downright earnest, and unless they left that wicked world behind them, for here was only room for body and soul, but not for body and soul and sin.
I now fell into a very common error. The object to which the eye of an inquiring sinner should be directed is Christ and His finished work for salvation. Many, however, go in quest of actions, that they hope will unite their soul to the Savior and assure them of salvation.
By some such misdirection I was misled. In quest of faith, I went on a long and joyless journey and was wearied with the greatness of the way. There is scarcely a fear that can assail an inquiring spirit that did not at some stage of my progress arrest my mind.
I was no longer a proud Pharisee, but a deeply humbled sinner. My original and inward pollution was my plague and affliction. I was more loathsome in my own eyes than a toad and I thought I was so in God’s eyes too.
Years of despondency passed over me before I came to the enjoyment of the peace of the gospel. The light in which my darkness finally melted away was a clear discovery of the person of Christ.
I was greatly helped by an old copy of Luther’s Commentary on Galatians. I felt that the torment of guilt that Luther had experienced, before understanding the grace of God was very similar to my own journey.
In fact, such were the benefits I derived from this book that I preferred it before all the books I had ever seen, excepting the Holy Bible, for the rest of my life.
My happiness was now as intense as my misery had been. I wished I was old that I might die quickly and go to be with Christ. But another period of fearful agony awaited me, and like the last, it continued for a year.
The trial that beset me was a diabolical temptation to exchange Christ for the things of this life. The words “Sell Him, sell Him” would be impressed upon my thoughts for weeks at a time.
During this period, the tempter would not let me eat my food in quiet, but flooded my mind with the notion that if I did not immediately leave the table in order to pray, I would displease God.
When I refused to give in to this temptation, my conscience accused me of loving my food more than God. The fear that I had committed the unpardonable sin, had such an effect on me, that it not only distressed my mind, but gave me severe stomach disorders.
Thus my mind continued for years, “hanging” as in a pair of scales...sometimes up and sometimes down...now in peace, and again in terror.
One day, as I was passing into the field, these words fell upon my soul, “Thy righteousness is in heaven”. The eyes of my soul saw at the same time that Jesus Christ was at God’s right hand, and there is my righteousness.
I saw, moreover, that it was not my good frame of heart that made my righteousness better, nor my bad frame that made my righteousness worse...for my righteousness was Jesus Christ Himself, “the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).
Now I was loosed from my afflictions and my irons. My temptations also fled away, and I went home rejoicing for the grace and love of God. The words “He is made of God unto us wisdom and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30) became the blessed truth that was my peace with God.
I was complete in Christ Jesus and although I was sometimes interrupted by disquieting thoughts and strong temptations, my subsequent Christian experience was one of growing comfort and prevailing peace.
John Bunyan
https://img.sermonindex.net/modules/articles/article_pdf.php?aid=1649
https://www.wholesomewords.org › biography › bbunyan12.html
https://www.bibleportal.com/sermon/John-Bunyan/the-conversion-of-john-bunyan
https://banneroftruth.org/us/resources/articles/2014/john-bunyan/
https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Bunyan
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Conversion of Composer George Frideric Handel
Born in 1685 - Died in 1759 (Age 74)
‘I have read my Bible very well, and will choose for myself’
After Jesus Christ, the name most associated with ‘Messiah’ must be George Frideric Handel. German-born in 1685, he settled in London at 25 and was fast recognized as a gifted composer with an industrious work ethic to match.
Hardcore Handel fans may argue ‘Messiah’ is not, in fact, his greatest work. And yet the Dublin Gazette‘s take after its debut at the city’s Great Music Hall rings true: ‘Words are wanting to express the exquisite delight it afforded’.
Not everyone loved ‘Messiah’, though. It stirred controversy among church leaders who deemed it inappropriate for an ‘act of religion’ to be performed in a theatre (and by companies of performers rather than ministers of the word!). It wasn’t the first of his works to rile religious authorities: his oratorios ‘Esther’ and ‘Israel in Egypt’ had met with similar opposition.
But Handel’s Christian instincts guided him to challenge this view of ‘secular’ spaces as unfit for his work. ‘I have read my Bible very well,’ he said, ‘and will choose for myself’’ For Handel, there was no sacred-secular divide – no reason why houses of entertainment shouldn’t also host the praises of God. In fact, where better to sing worship than a building dedicated to the wonder of music?
Handel’s faith also spurred his pursuit of excellence. He’s reported to have said he was sorry if he only ‘entertained’ his audience, wishing instead to ‘make them better’. That faith was expressed most explicitly in his final oratorio, ‘Jephtha’. Composed while his vision was failing, it captures both the lament (‘How dark, O lord, are thy decrees’) and hope of the gospel (‘Freedom now once more possessing, Peace shall spread with ev’ry blessing’).
Having worshipped his whole life at St George’s, Hanover Square, Handel was buried in 1759 at Westminster Abbey. His life and work are instructive to any of us who want to pursue God-honoring excellence in our work: be that in churches, concert halls, or wherever we serve.
https://licc.org.uk/resources/ten-christians-from-history-who-lived-that-whole-life-life/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Frideric_Handel
https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-Frideric-Handel
https://baroquemusic.org/biohandel.html
https://interlude.hk/george-frideric-handel-german-born-baroque-composer/
https://jeanmichelserres.com/2024/12/14/notes-on-george-frideric-handel-and-his-works/#gsc.tab=0
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Conversion of John Newton
Born in 1725 – Died in 1807
“Depth of mercy! Can there be Mercy still reserved for me?”
From: https://banneroftruth.org/us/resources/articles/2001/john-newtons-conversion/?srsltid=AfmBOor_6kMyh9IMzo2awdwACJBzzVxAuYzDYF06jI9TRkdnSs7JHZr4
John Newton was born in 1725 in London. His mother who was a very godly woman and who taught John to pray as a child, but she died when he was only seven years old.
- He had only two years at school and at the age of eleven his father, who was a Sea-Captain, took him to sea for the first time.
- His sea-faring life is well known….and included being wrecked, becoming the Captain of a Slave-Trade Ship, and also was a slave himself to a black woman on the Guinea coast.
- He was rescued by a friend of his father who was a ship’s captain as well.
- Newton lit a fire of driftwood on the shore to attract the attention of any passing ship. In the providence of God, this friend of his father, who was searching for him, sent a long-boat ashore to investigate, and John was rescued.
- He was on this ship returning across the Atlantic, when it encountered a great storm which was threatening to engulf it.
- This took place on the 10th March 1748. Newton testified, “That the 10th of March is a day much to be remembered by me and I have never allowed it to pass unnoticed since the year 1748. For on that day the Lord came from on high and delivered me out of deep waters.”
- The storm was terrific. When the ship went plunging down into the trough of the sea few on board expected her to come up again. The hold was rapidly filling with water. As Newton hurried to his place at the pumps he said to the captain, “If this will not do, the Lord have mercy upon us!”
- His own words startled him: “Mercy! mercy! What mercy can there be for me? This was the first desire I had breathed for mercy for many years!” About six in the evening the hold was free from water, and then came a gleam of hope. I thought I saw the hand of God displayed in our favor. I began to pray. I could not utter the prayer of faith. I could not draw near to a reconciled God and call him Father. My prayer for mercy was like the cry of the ravens, which yet the Lord does not disdain to hear”.
- “In the gospel” says Newton, “I saw at least a peradventure of hope but on every other side I was surrounded with black, unfathomable despair”.
- On the peradventure of hope Newton staked everything. He sought mercy – and found it.
John Newton’s Testimony
“By the grace of God I am what I am. This is my testimony. This is my confession of faith. This is my hope – It is certain that I am not what I ought to be. But, blessed be God, I am not what I once was. God has mercifully brought me up out of the deep miry clay and set my feet upon the Rock, Christ Jesus. He has saved my soul. And now it is my heart’s desire to extol and honor His matchless, free, sovereign, and distinguishing grace, because ‘By the grace of God I am what I am’. It is my heart’s great joy to ascribe my salvation entirely to the grace of God...1 Cor.15:10
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me…When I’ve been there ten thousand years...Bright shining like the sun...I’ve no less days to sing God’s praise, than when I first begun. This earth shall soon dissolve like snow, the sun no longer shine...But God who called me here below will be forever mine.
The six volume Works of John Newton including hundreds of his letters and a biography of his life is published by the Banner of Truth.
https://www.google.com/search?q=the+christian+conversion+details+of+john+newton&client=safari&sca_esv=bd4c3cf80c4f952f&channel=iphone_bm&sxsrf=AE3TifNx5tx7QTjejG96SftqQWgfsnWCuA%3A1748885712655&ei=0OA9aN_QJ4DX0PEPj5On6Qs&ved=0ahUKEwjf-J79otONAxWAKzQIHY_JKb0Q4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=the+christian+conversion+details+of+john+newton&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiL3RoZSBjaHJpc3RpYW4gY29udmVyc2lvbiBkZXRhaWxzIG9mIGpvaG4gbmV3dG9uMgUQIRigATIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABMgUQIRigATIFECEYqwIyBRAhGKsCMgUQIRifBTIFECEYnwUyBRAhGJ8FMgUQIRifBUiKPFCNBljgN3ABeACQAQCYAYoBoAGcFKoBBTEwLjE1uAEDyAEA-AEBmAIZoALPFMICChAAGLADGNYEGEfCAgQQIxgnwgIFEAAY7wXCAggQABiABBiiBJgDAIgGAZAGCJIHBTEwLjE1oAeNvgGyBwQ5LjE1uAfGFMIHBjAuMi4yM8gHZQ&sclient=gws-wiz-serp
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Newton#:~:text=In%20response%2C%20Newton%20began%20praying,Bible%20and%20other%20Christian%20literature.
https://www.museumofthebible.org/a-wretch-like-me
https://www.wholesomewords.org/biography/bnewton10.html
https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/dailystory/permalink/amazing-grace-converted-john-newton
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Conversion of John Wesley
Born June 17, 1703 in Epworth, Lincolnshire, England
Died March 2, 1791 in London, England (Age 87)
John Wesley John Wesley, detail of an oil painting by Nathaniel Hone,
1766; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
John Wesley was an Anglican clergyman, evangelist, and founder, with his brother Charles, of the Methodist movement in the Church of England.
John Wesley’s journal entry for May 24, 1738, records his conversion at a society meeting in Aldersgate Street, London. Each year, Wesleyans celebrate May 24 (or the following Sunday) as Aldersgate Day or Wesley Day.
I think it was about five this morning that I opened my Testament on those words, ‘There are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, even that ye should be partakers of the divine nature’ [2 Peter 1:4]. Just as I went out, I opened it again on those words, ‘Thou art not far from the kingdom of God’ [Mark 12:34].
In the afternoon I was asked to go to St. Paul’s. The anthem was, ‘Out of the deep have I called unto Thee, O Lord: Lord, hear my voice. Oh, let Thine ears consider well the voice of my complaint. If Thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss, O Lord, who may abide it? For there is mercy with Thee; therefore shalt Thou be feared. O Israel, trust in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption. And He shall redeem Israel from all his sins.’
In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed.
I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death. I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation.
I began to pray with all my might for those who had in a more especial manner despitefully used me and persecuted me. I then testified openly to all there what I now first felt in my heart. But it was not long before the enemy suggested, ‘This cannot be faith; for where is thy joy?’
Then was I taught that peace and victory over sin are essential to faith in the Captain of our salvation, but that, as to the transports of joy that usually attend the beginning of it, especially in those who have mourned deeply, God sometimes giveth, sometimes withholdeth, them according to the counsels of His own will.
After my return home, I was much buffeted with temptations, but I cried out, and they fled away. They returned again and again. I as often lifted up my eyes, and He ‘sent me help from his holy place.’ And herein I found the difference between this and my former state chiefly consisted.
I was striving, yea, fighting with all my might under the law, as well as under grace. But then I was sometimes, if not often, conquered; now, I was always conqueror.
https://godsmissionarychurch.org/2020/05/24/john-wesleys-salvation-testimony/
https://www.christiantoday.com/news/aldersgate-day-how-john-wesleys-conversion-transformed-the-church
https://www.itslikethis.org/john-wesleys-conversion/
https://www.cocdiscipleship.org/middle-ages/john-charles-wesley-experience-conversions/
Summary of John Wesley’s Accomplishments
- Wesley wrote, edited or abridged some 400 publications.
- As well as theology he wrote about music, marriage, medicine, abolitionism and politics.
- Wesley was a logical thinker and expressed himself clearly, concisely and forcefully in writing.
- Between 1746 and 1760, Wesley compiled several volumes of written sermons, published as Sermons on Several Occasions; the first four volumes comprise forty-four sermons which are doctrinal in content.
- His Forty-Four Sermons and the Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament (1755) are Methodist doctrinal standards.
- Wesley was a fluent, powerful and effective preacher; he usually preached spontaneously and briefly, though occasionally at great length.
- Wesley continues to be the primary theological influence on Methodists and Methodist-heritage groups the world over;.
- The Methodist movement numbers 75 million adherents in more than 130 countries.
- Wesleyan teachings also serve as a basis for the Holiness movement, which includes denominations like Free Methodist Church, the Church of the Nazarene, the Salvation Army, and several smaller groups, and from which Pentecostalism and parts of the Charismatic movement are offshoots.
- Wesley's call to personal and social holiness continues to challenge Christians who attempt to discern what it means to participate in the Kingdom of God.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Wesley
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wesley
https://www.biographyonline.net/spiritual/john-wesley.html
https://www.learnreligions.com/who-was-john-wesley-700975
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/john-wesley-88.php
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The Conversion of the George Whitefield
Born in 1714 / Died in 1770 at 55
From:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Whitefield#:~:text=It%20was%20Henry%20Scougal's,by%20means%20of%20good%20works.
George Whitfield was an English Anglican minister, preacher, and evangelist...who was one of the founders of Methodism and the evangelical movement of the 1700’s. He also was used by God to prepare America spiritually for its independence form Great Britian and it founding as a Christian nation based upon the Bible.
- Whitefield was the fifth son (seventh and last child) of Thomas Whitefield and Elizabeth Edwards, who kept an inn at Gloucester.
- His father died when he was only two years old and he helped his mother with the inn.
- At an early age, he found that he had a passion and talent for acting in the theatre, a passion that he would carry on with the very theatrical re-enactments of Bible stories he told during his sermons.
- He was educated at The Crypt School in Gloucester and at Pembroke College, Oxford.
- His Testimony: Whitfield would later confess that though he did good works and tried to obey the law of God, he was not yet truly converted to Christ. It was Henry Scougal's book, The Life of God in the Soul of Man, that Whitfield says opened his eyes to the Gospel and led to his conversion. It was that book he says, that God used to show him that he was still lost despite all his attempts to gain the favor of God by means of good works. Only by God's grace can a person realize they have offended God and their need for Jesus Christ, God's Son, and His righteousness imputed to them by faith. Henry Scougal's book showed him the need for a man to be born of God from above, and that this is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit creating a new heart and a new nature within that wants to serve God, not in order to be saved, but because one has been graciously and undeservedly saved.
He visited America seven times, making 13 ocean crossings in total. (He died in America.) It is estimated that throughout his life, he preached more than 18,000 formal sermons, of which 78 have been published. In addition to his work in North America and England, he made 15 journeys to Scotland—most famously to the "Preaching Braes" of Cambuslang in 1742—two journeys to Ireland, and one each to Bermuda, Gibraltar, and the Netherlands. In England and Wales, Whitefield's itinerary included every county.
In 1770, the 55-year-old Whitefield continued preaching in spite of poor health. He said, "I would rather wear out than rust out" His last sermon was preached in a field "atop a large barrel". The next morning, 30 September 1770, Whitefield died in the parsonage of Old South Presbyterian Church, Newburyport, Massachusetts, and was buried, according to his wishes, in a crypt under the pulpit of this church. A bust of Whitefield is in the collection of the Gloucester City Museum & Art Gallery.
Kidd 2014, pp. 260–263 summarizes Whitefield's legacy.
Whitefield was the most influential Anglo-American evangelical leader of the eighteenth century. {Which shows the incredible power and influence of a single person, who is truly converted.}
- He also indelibly marked the character of evangelical Christianity.
- He was the first internationally famous itinerant preacher and the first modern transatlantic celebrity of any kind.
- Perhaps he was the greatest evangelical preacher that the world has ever seen.
Marks of a True Conversion! - George Whitefield Sermon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ6YCISfutU
https://lexloiz.wordpress.com/2009/06/22/born-again-the-conversion-experience/
https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/uploaded/50cf7fab039903.84269873.pdf
https://study.com/learn/lesson/george-whitefield-preaching-great-awakening-significance.html
https://www.the-new-way.org/testimonies/conv_pred_04_george_whitefield.html
https://rlo.acton.org/archives/124391-george-whitefield-conflict-and-conviction.html
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Florence Nightingale
Born in 1820 / Died in 1910 at 90
Social reformer, statistician, and nurse
‘God called me in the morning and asked me if would I do good for Him alone, without reputation?’
Everett Historical/Shutterstock
Born into a wealthy family, she felt called by God to become a nurse. Despite her family’s protests, she trained in Germany before working at a hospital for wealthy Londoners and volunteering in poorer hospitals treating cholera and typhus.
When news reports from the Crimean War revealed British soldiers were dying of malnutrition and disease, the public outcry was enormous. Until then, women had not been allowed to the front and there were no nurses. But in light of the crisis, Florence’s friend and Secretary of War Sidney Herbert asked her to gather volunteers.
At age 34, she set off with 38 women. Together they saved thousands of lives, with Florence pioneering new standards in hygiene and living standards for wounded soldiers. Working late nights by candlelight, she gained the title ‘The Lady with the Lamp’ and returned home a national hero.
But that wasn’t the end of her service. Despite the news bulletins, there were no official reports on the numbers of dead and wounded. But Florence had the figures. She provided the War Office a detailed breakdown of casualties, using some of the earliest infographics, and recommended best practice for care in future conflict. She continued to campaign in support of improved nursing care and sanitation for decades, including founding a nursing school – the world’s first to be connected to a hospital.
Throughout it all, she dealt with worsening illness and was often bedbound. Even as her physical ability waned, she continued to use her fame, data skills, connections, and training to bring change in the vocation God had given her. And we continue to benefit from her work today.
https://licc.org.uk/resources/ten-christians-from-history-who-lived-that-whole-life-life/
https://www.christianitytoday.com/1990/01/faith-behind-famous-florence-nightingale-christian-history/
https://www.premierchristianity.com/home/the-christian-faith-of-florence-nightingale-the-founder-of-modern-nursing/2827.article
https://cwfn.uoguelph.ca/spirituality/spiritual-journey/
Nightingale’s Spiritual Journey
A presentation by Lynn McDonald, in celebration of National Nursing Week, Sunday May 5, 2002, at The Cathedral Church of St. James, Toronto, ON.
Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) was baptized in the Church of England as an infant, in Florence, Italy, where she was born in 1820. As a child she attended Church of England services with her family in Hampshire, Methodist chapels in Derbyshire (the Nightingales were a dissenting family and continued to support the chapels of their Derbyshire workmen and tenants). A Wesleyan influence will be clear in Nightingale’s spiritual journey to the end of her life.
She was probably not confirmed (records were not kept at that time and there is no reference in correspondence to a confirmation). She later prepared people for first communion and confirmation, so we know that she was not against the practice, but she seemed to take some interest in the fact that her friend General Gordon (Gordon of Khartoum), an ardent, muscular Christian of the most extreme sort, had not been confirmed.
Certainly Nightingale’s faith was very individual and not much tied to ceremony. In 1836, at age fifteen or sixteen, she was “converted” and the following year, at a very precise date, 7 February 1837, she perceived a “call to service.” She recounted the former experience fifty years later, referring to the:
American book which converted me in 1836 — alas! that I should so little have lived up to my conversion — The Cornerstone. There was such a striking chapter: Pharisees, Peter, and Judas even, all live now. And, then it gave them as they appear in these days.
The book is by Jacob Abbott, an American Congregational minister and educator. It presents a very activist faith, right from the first page, which gives its intention as the explanation of the elementary principles of “the gospel of Christ…for a human soul hungering and thirsting after righteousness.” But this gospel could not be understood “unless the heart is willing to comply with its claims.” The reader was advised to “go to God before you proceed farther.”
Nightingale also used Jacob Abbott’s The Way to Do Good, or the Christian Character Mature:
Upon the cornerstone of faith in Jesus Christ, as the atoning sacrifice for sin, there is reared the superstructure of holy life and action; and a holy life is one which, from the impulse of love to God, is occupied with doing good to man.
To read the rest of Florence’s incredible testimony, just click on these links:
https://cwfn.uoguelph.ca/spirituality/spiritual-journey/
https://www.revshirleymurphy.co.uk/post/the-christian-faith-of-florence-nightingale
https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/florence-nightingale-sampler/
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The Conversion of Fanny Crosby
1820-1915 (Age 95)
By the time Fanny was 12 years old, her mother and grandmother had helped her memorize word for word, the first five books of the Bible and first four books of the New Testament...Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Fanny Crosby, 30 years old and without sight since she was a baby, was a teacher at the New York Asylum for the Blind when she and some friends attended a revival at the Methodist Broadway Tabernacle (shown below) in 1850.
https://christianheritage.info/places/united-states/new-york/new-york/site/fanny-crosby-conversion-chelsea-methodist-episcopal-church/
She was moved enough to go forward at the end of two services, “seeking peace from her inner spiritual struggles, but found none”, according to Vance Christie, a pastor and Christian writer. Then on Nov. 20, 1850, she prayed at the tabernacle’s altar, later recalling “that the light must indeed come then or never”. Christie wrote that as the congregation sang, “Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed?” and the line, “Here, Lord, I give myself away”, “Fanny expressed that commitment as the desire of her heart, yielding her life to Christ. Immediately her ‘very soul was flooded with a celestial light,’ and she sprang to her feet, literally shouting, ‘Hallelujah!’”
Through faith in Jesus Christ as her personal Savior, Fanny found the spiritual forgiveness, peace and life for which she had been searching. For the remainder of her life she was a devoted disciple and servant of Jesus. Eventually she was led into her primary ministry as a hymnwriter. She composed the lyrics for nearly 9,000 hymns, Christian songs, and poems...including a number of hymns that are still sung today. She also traveled widely, ministering fruitfully in churches, Bible conferences, rescue missions, YMCAs and various other settings.
Miller, Tom. The Lost Chelsea Methodist Episcopal Church — 333 W 30th St. daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/2016/09/the-lost-chelsea-methodist-episcopal.html.
Fanny Crosby - My Salvation Experience
From: “Fanny Crosby the Hymn Writer” by Benard Ruffin
The last meeting with her grandmother weighed deeply on her mind. Fanny had not experienced the distinct emotional “conversion experience” so important to her ancestor. She began to doubt her faith. She doubted her life was totally consecrated to the service of God, as she felt it should be.
Fanny had a close friend named Theodore Camp who suggested she go with him to the revivals at the Broadway Tabernacle. At first, she hesitated. Then one night she had a vivid and disconcerting dream:
“It seemed that the sky had been cloudy for a number of days and finally, someone came to me and said that Mr. Camp desired to see me at once. Then I thought I entered the room and found him very ill.” The “dying” Camp asked if she would meet him in heaven after their deaths. “Yes, I will,” Fanny said, “God helping me.”
This was the response she had given her dying grandmother. In the dream, just before he died, Camp admonished, “Remember, you promised a dying man!” Fanny recorded: Then the clouds seemed to roll from my spirit, and I awoke from the dream with a start. I could not forget those words, “Will you meet me in heaven?” and, although my friend was perfectly well, I began to consider whether I could really meet him, or any other acquaintance, in the Better Land, if called to do so Fanny was convinced that as things stood, she could not. She felt there was something terribly lacking in her spiritual life.
She began to attend the revivals with Camp every evening in the autumn of 1850. In those days, the service was highlighted by a long, emotional sermon, punctuated by cries of “Amen!” and “Hallelujah!” There were inarticulate cries, convulsive sobbings, and ecstatic outbursts. It was not uncommon for the frenzied worshipers to leap from their seats and run about or fall on the floor.
When the preacher concluded the sermon—usually spiced with abundant references to hellfire and the consequences of failure to heed the gospel message—those interested … were invited to come forward and be prayed over. People would go to the front of the tabernacle and kneel on the cold, dirty floor for as long as two hours while deacons and elders placed their palms on the candidates’ foreheads, praying aloud for conversion.
Twice that fall, Fanny went to the altar. Twice she got down on her knees and the frenzied elders all but crushed her skull, laying hands upon her head and roaring prayers for her conversion. Twice the hours went by without her “getting happy.”
Finally, on November 20, Fanny, now torn with frustration and anxiety, was led for a third time to the altar. This time she was frantic. “It seemed to me that the light must come then or never.” No other candidates presented themselves that night. For hours, the deacons and elders prayed, but nothing happened.
The congregation began to sing Isaac Watts’s consecration hymn, “Alas and Did My Saviour Bleed.” At the fifth and last verse—”Here, Lord, I give myself away. Tis all that I can do.”—it happened. Suddenly, Fanny felt “my very soul was flooded with celestial light.” She leaped to her feet, shouting, “Hallelujah! Hallelujah!” In her ecstasy, “for the first time I realized that I had been trying to hold the world in one hand, and the Lord in the other.”
https://wordwisebiblestudies.com/today-in-1850-fanny-crosby-converted/
https://www.wholesomewords.org/biography/bcrosby8.html
https://www.bowery.org/timeline/our-stories/fanny/
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The Conversion of Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Born June 19, 1834 / Died January 31, 1892 at age 57
Charles Haddon Spurgeon was an English Particular Baptist preacher. Spurgeon remains highly influential among Christians of various denominations, to some of whom he is known as the "Prince of Preachers".
He was a strong figure in the Baptist tradition, defending the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith, and opposing the liberal and pragmatic theological tendencies in the Church of his day.
Spurgeon was pastor of the congregation of the New Park Street Chapel (later the Metropolitan Tabernacle) in London for 38 years.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Spurgeon
The great nineteenth-century English pastor and evangelist, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, was converted to Christ as a young man on January 6, 1856. In Spurgeon’s own words, it happened like this:
I sometimes think I might have been in darkness and despair until now had it not been for the goodness of God in sending a snowstorm, one Sunday morning, while I was going to a certain place of worship.
When I could go no further, I turned down a side street, and came to a little Primitive Methodist Chapel. In that chapel there may have been a dozen or fifteen people. I had heard of the Primitive Methodists, how they sang so loudly that they made people’s heads ache; but that did not matter to me.
I wanted to know how I might be saved, and if they could tell me that, I did not care how much they made my head ache. The minister did not come that morning; he was snowed up, I suppose.
At last, a very thin-looking man, a shoemaker, or tailor, or something of that sort, went up into the pulpit to preach. Now, it is well that preachers should be instructed; but this man was really stupid. He was obliged to stick to his text, for the simple reason that he had little else to say. The text was, “Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth” [Isaiah 45:22].
He did not even pronounce the words rightly, but that did not matter. There was, I thought, a glimpse of hope for me in that text. The preacher began thus—
”My dear friends, this is a very simple text indeed. It says, ‘Look.’ Now lookin’ don’t take a deal of pains. It ain’t liftin’ your foot or your finger; it is just, ‘Look.’ Well, a man needn’t go to College to learn to look. You may be the biggest fool, and yet you can look. A man needn’t be worth a thousand a year to be able to look. Anyone can look; even a child can look. But then the text says, ‘Look unto Me.’ Ay!” said he, in broad Essex, “many on ye are lookin’ to yourselves, but it’s no use lookin’ there. You’ll never find any comfort in yourselves. Some look to God the Father. No, look to Him by-and-by. Jesus Christ says, ‘Look unto Me.’ Some say, ‘We must wait for the Spirit’s workin’.’ You have no business with that just now. Look to Christ. The text says, ‘Look unto Me.'”
Then the good man followed up his text in this way:—
”Look unto Me; I am sweatin’ great drops of blood. Look unto Me; I am hangin’ on the cross. Look unto Me; I am dead and buried. Look unto Me; I rise again. Look unto Me; I ascend to Heaven. Look unto Me; I am sittin’ at the Father’s right hand. O poor sinner, look unto Me! Look unto Me!”
When he had gone to about that length, and managed to spin out ten minutes or so, he was at the end of his tether. Then he looked at me under the gallery, and I daresay, with so few present, he knew me to be a stranger. Just fixing his eyes on me, as if he knew all my heart, he said,
“Young man, you look very miserable.”
Well, I did; but I had not been accustomed to have remarks made from the pulpit on my personal appearance before. However, it was a good blow, struck right home. He continued,
“and you always will be miserable—miserable in life, and miserable in death,—if you don’t obey my text; but if you obey now, this moment, you will be saved.”
Then, lifting up his hands, he shouted, as only a Primitive Methodist could do,
“Young man, look to Jesus Christ. Look! Look! Look! You have nothin’ to do but to look and live.”
I saw at once the way of salvation. I know not what else he said,—I did not take much notice of it,—I was so possessed with that one thought. Like as when the brazen serpent was lifted up, the people only looked and were healed, so it was with me.
I had been waiting to do fifty things, but when I heard that word, “Look!” what a charming word it seemed to me! Oh! I looked until I could almost have looked my eyes away.
There and then the cloud was gone, the darkness had rolled away, and that moment I saw the sun; and I could have risen that instant, and sung with the most enthusiastic of them, of the precious blood of Christ, and the simple faith which looks alone to Him. Oh, that somebody had told me this before, “Trust Christ, and you shall be saved.”
After telling of his conversion, Spurgeon added these important words:
When I was anxious about the possibility of a just God pardoning me, I understood and saw by faith that He who is the Son of God became man, and in His own blessed person bore my sin in His own body on the tree.
I saw that the chastisement of my peace was laid on Him, and that with His stripes I was healed. It was because the Son of God, supremely glorious in His matchless person, undertook to vindicate the law by bearing the sentence due to me, that therefore God was able to pass by my sin.
My sole hope for Heaven lies in the full atonement made upon Calvary’s cross for the ungodly. On that I firmly rely. I have not the shadow of a hope anywhere else.
Personally, I could never have overcome my own sinfulness. I tried and failed. My evil propensities were too many for me, till, in the belief that Christ died for me, I cast my guilty soul on Him, and then I received a conquering principle by which I overcame my sinful self.
The doctrine of the cross can be used to slay sin, even as the old warriors used their huge two-handed swords, and mowed down their foes at every stroke. There is nothing like faith in the sinners’ Friend: it overcomes all evil.
If Christ has died for me, ungodly as I am, without strength as I am, then I cannot live in sin any longer, but must arouse myself to love and serve Him who hath redeemed me. I cannot trifle with the evil which slew my best Friend. I must be holy for His sake. How can I live in sin when He has died to save me from it?
Spurgeon’s Accomplishments for the Lord after his conversion!
From: https://www.britannica.com/biography/C-H-Spurgeon
From: https://canonjjohn.com/2021/01/30/heroes-of-the-faith-c-h-spurgeon/#:~:text=He%20was%20astonishingly%20prolific%3A%20he,not%20simply%20one%20of%20quantity.
Reared a Congregationalist, Spurgeon became a Baptist in 1850 and, the same year, at 16, preached his first sermon. In 1852 he became minister at Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire, and in 1854 minister of New Park Street Chapel in Southwark, London.
Within a year a new structure had to be built to accommodate his following, and almost immediately an even larger church was required. From the opening in 1861 of the tabernacle, which held 6,000, until his death, he continued to draw large congregations. He preached here for the remaining 38 years of his life. He preached regularly to extraordinary numbers – once to 24,000 people at Crystal Palace – and without any amplification.
The editor of a monthly magazine, Spurgeon also founded a ministerial college (in 1856) and an orphanage (1867). His sermons, which he published weekly, ultimately filled more than 50 volumes in the collected edition. At his death, some 56 million copies had been printed in nearly 40 languages.
An ardent fundamentalist, he distrusted the scientific methods and philological approach of modern biblical criticism and in 1887 left the increasingly liberal Baptist Union.
Spurgeon was such a uniquely talented individual that it is hard to do him justice. He was gifted with intelligence, stamina, memory, a remarkable voice and a wonderful way with words, all of which he nurtured through reading, prayer and fellowship with godly people. He was astonishingly energetic – he often worked 18 hours a day – something that doubtless helped him to his early grave.
Spurgeon has been called the ‘Prince of Preachers’ yet his deep commitment to social action mustn’t be overlooked. As he himself said, ‘When our biographies shall come to be written, God grant that they may not be all sayings, but sayings and doings!’ He created and led several organizations, including those which trained theological students and helped church planters, as well as others which worked amongst the orphans, widows and prostitutes. He fought evil wherever he found it; for example he thundered against slavery to such an extent that his books were burnt in the United States.
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Permission granted for reproduction in exact form.
All other uses require written permission.
Find more free articles at www.BulletinInserts.org, a ministry of Christian Communicators Worldwide: www.CCWtoday.org
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C. S. Lewis
British writer, lay theologian, and scholar
Born November 29, 1898 in Belfast in Ulster
Died November 22, 1963 in England
(Died at age 64)
Lewis in 1947
Clive Staples Lewis was a British writer, literary scholar, and Anglican lay theologian. He held academic positions in English literature at both Magdalen College, Oxford (1925–1954), and Magdalene College, Cambridge (1954–1963). He is best known as the author of The Chronicles of Narnia, but he is also noted for his other works of fiction, such as The Screwtape Letters and The Space Trilogy, and for his non-fiction Christian apologetics, including Mere Christianity, Miracles, and The Problem of Pain.
Lewis was a close friend of J. R. R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings. Both men served on the English faculty at Oxford University and were active in the informal Oxford literary group known as the Inklings. According to Lewis's 1955 memoir Surprised by Joy, he was baptized in the Church of Ireland but fell away from his faith during adolescence.
Lewis returned to Anglicanism at the age of 32, owing to the influence of Tolkien and other friends, and he became an "ordinary layman of the Church of England". Lewis's faith profoundly affected his work, and his wartime radio broadcasts on the subject of Christianity brought him wide acclaim.
Lewis wrote more than 30 books which have been translated into more than 30 languages and have sold millions of copies. The books that make up The Chronicles of Narnia have sold the most and have been popularized on stage, TV, radio, and cinema. His philosophical writings are widely cited by Christian scholars from many denominations.
In 1956, Lewis married American writer Joy Davidman. but she died of cancer four years later at the age of 45. Lewis died on November 22, 1963 from kidney failure...at age 64. In 2013, on the 50th anniversary of his death, Lewis was honored with a memorial in Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey.
C.S. Lewis who only realized after the fact that he had become a follower of Jesus Christ by looking back on the way his thinking had changed. The Holy Spirit enters the hearts of some with a pin and of others with a sword! It is precisely this fact, for fact it is, that has led so many Christians to wonder precisely when it was that they became Christians, and so many of them then to wonder whether the fact that they don’t know when they were converted might mean that they never were.
IT HAPPENED ON SEPTEMBER 22
C. S. Lewis Came to Christ in a Motorcycle Sidecar
“WHEN WE SET OUT I did not believe that Jesus is the Son of God and when we reached the zoo I did.” So wrote C.S. Lewis, describing his conversion to Christianity in the sidecar of his brother Warnie’s motorbike, which took place on this day, 22 September 1931.
Lewis had been reaching this understanding for some time. Reared an Irish Protestant, he rebelled against Christianity following the early death of his mother. While obtaining his education, he slid into outright atheism.
However, encounters with Christian friends and reading the works of George MacDonald and G. K. Chesterton drew him back to theism (the belief in God). He wrote of that return to God, “You must picture me alone in that room at Magdalen, night after night, feeling, whenever my mind lifted even for a second from my work, the steady, unrelenting approach of Him whom I so earnestly desired not to meet.
That which I greatly feared had at last come upon me. In the Trinity Term of 1929 I gave in, and admitted that God was God, and knelt and prayed: perhaps, that night, the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England.” But he did not yet believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God.
Three days before he came to that belief, he had a long talk with two Christian colleagues: J. R. R. Tolkien and Hugo Dyson. Tolkien argued that some myths might originate with God, as a means of preserving a rudimentary level of truth. Lewis said he did not believe there was any truth in them at all.
They were still talking at 3AM when Tolkien had to go home. Dyson continued the conversation, pointing out the practicality of Christianity—a religion with power to actually free from sin, instill peace, and provide genuine outside help to change one’s character.
Evidently, these ideas were percolating in Lewis’s mind as he rode to the zoo. Three months later, on Christmas Day, he expressed his new faith publicly by returning to the Anglican church in which he had been confirmed, joining his local parish and taking Communion for the first time since his childhood. Within six months of taking that step, he had written The Pilgrim’s Regress, the first of his many apologetic works.
Perhaps his best-known apologetic book is Mere Christianity, compiled from a series of radio talks he gave for the BBC. It includes one of the most famous passages in all apologetics:
“A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on the level with a man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either he was and is the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon; or you can fall at his feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to”.
Other beloved books by Lewis include his Narnia fantasy series and A Grief Observed, the account of his loss of his wife, Joy Gresham. Lewis married this American divorcee, a friend of his, after she contracted a painful cancer. Following a brief respite, she relapsed and died. Their story has twice been filmed under the title Shadowlands.
—Dan Graves
https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/dailystory/permalink/c-s-lewis-came-to-christ-in-a-motorcycle-sidecar
https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/GraceInConversion.pdf
https://www.faithtacoma.org/none/conversion-acts-151-3
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._S._Lewis
https://www.1517.org/articles/sunshine-in-september-the-story-of-c-s-lewis-conversion
https://christinprophecy.org/articles/c-s-lewis-his-conversion/
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Converted by a Relentless Priest:
Colonel Herbert Kappler the Gestapo Commander
Born on September 23, 1907 in Stuttgart, Germany
Died on February 9, 1978 Soltau, Lower Saxony, West Germany
Kappler in custody, 1946
Colonel Herbert Kappler was the Gestapo agent in charge of enforcing the deportation of Jews from the city of Rome during the Second World War. Kappler repeatedly tried to capture and kill an Irish priest named Fr. Hugh O’Flaherty, who hid Jews and other allies inside the Vatican walls and produced official Vatican passports so they could flee to safety.
The priest is credited with saving 6500 people from the Nazi terror. When Kappler himself was imprisoned at the end of the war, he asked to see O’Flaherty, who was his only visitor. The priest traveled every single month for more than five years to Gaeta prison (70 miles south of Rome) to meet with Kappler. They became fast friends. In time, because of the priest’s visits, Kappler, who had been raised Protestant, recommitted to his repressed Christian faith in Jesus Christ before he died in 1949.
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For more sources of conversion stories from the first century up until our time, peruse these sources:
https://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/christianity/5-famous-christian-conversions.aspx
https://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/christianity/important-christian-converts-no-one-talks-about.aspx
https://sacredwindows.com/dramatic-conversions-and-the-power-of-grace/
https://www.amarillo.com/story/lifestyle/faith/2022/01/16/haynes-conversions-christianity-can-dramatic-quiet-process/9164654002/
https://www.holyart.com/blog/saints-and-blessed/holy-sinners-here-are-the-most-famous-conversions/
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The following testimonies/stories of salvation during the 20th & 21st century are from the these sources, plus the sources attached with each story:
...https://christian.net/resources/top-famous-christians-who-have-converted/
...https://www.ncregister.com/features/coming-into-the-church-50-notable-converts-you-should-knowonlinechristiancolleges.com/famous-christian-converts-and-7-famous-de-converts/
...https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_converts_to_Christianity
….https://www.christiantoday.com/news/the-60-most-influential-christians
....https://www. https://www.ncregister.com/features/coming-into-the-church-50-notable-converts-you-should-know
....onlinechristiancolleges.com/famous-christian-converts-and-7-famous-de-converts/
….https://faithit.com/9-inspirational-christian-stories-turned-lives/
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Louie Zamperini
Born January 26, 1917 / Died July 2, 2014
After two brutal years as a prisoner of war in Japan, World War II ended, and Louie returned home a hero, but Collin Hansen wrote that Louie returned home a broken man.
Ivan Mesa wrote in 2014, that soon thereafter, he married a beautiful blonde woman named Cynthia. On the outside all seemed well, but hatred for one of his captors metastasized. “A once singularly hopeful man now believed that his only hope lay in murder”, Hillenbrand writes. Louie’s life spiraled downward as he gave himself over to drunkenness and reckless behavior. Money he had invested in get-rich-quick schemes foundered. Despite appeals and warnings from friends, he made no reform. His wife initiated a divorce.
In September 1949 a young Billy Graham came to Los Angeles for a three-week campaign to bring the city to Christ. Cynthia attended and received Christ as Savior. She returned home, informed Louie of her new life in Christ, and made clear she would no longer pursue a divorce. Although relieved, Louie wanted no part of this religious awakening. Nevertheless, eventually Louie also attended and, although indignant at first, on the second day he came forward to receive Christ. Here is his account:
I dropped to my knees and for the first time in my life truly humbled myself before the Lord. I asked him to forgive me for not having kept the promises I’d made during the war, and for my sinful life. I made no excuses. I did not rationalize, I did not blame. He had said, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved”, so I took Him at His word, begged for His pardon, and asked Jesus to come into my life.
His new life had begun. Joy replaced anger in Louie’s heart, and he freely forgave his former captors. Throughout his life he gave testimony of Christ, particularly with troubled youth near his home in Los Angeles. He was a faithful husband until Cynthia died in 2001 of cancer. Louie died earlier this year at 97 (2014).
When CBS wanted to air a documentary of his life in the 1990s, he insisted on including his conversion:
My whole life is serving God. If you want this to be authentic, you have to have my conversion in there. . . . I want you to show a picture of Billy Graham to confirm it. When people hear the name Billy Graham they think of one thing: the gospel.
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=the+summary+details+of+Louis+Zamperini%27s+christian+conversion&t=newext&atb=v313-1&ia=videos&iax=videos&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DO5UkPM0mTh8
Sources: Louis Zamperini and David Rensin, Devil at My Heels: A Heroic Olympian’s Astonishing Story of Survival as a Japanese POW in World War II (New York: HarperCollins, 2004); Laura Hillenbrand, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption (New York: Random House, 2010). https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/broken-louie-zamperini/
Ivan Mesa (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is editorial director for The Gospel Coalition, where he has served since 2014. He’s the founder of Inkling Editing and editor of several books, including Scrolling Ourselves to Death: Reclaiming Life in a Digital Age. He and his wife, Sarah, have four children, and they live in eastern Georgia.
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Bettie Page
Born on April 22, 1923 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Died on December 11, 2008 from a heart attack in LA.
A household name in the 1950s, Bettie Page was a cultural icon and (often nude) pin-up model beloved for her audacious sensuality and free spirit. In 1959, Page raised eyebrows when she converted to evangelical Christianity. She reported that she had come to this decision after attending the Key West Baptist Church, after which she immersed herself in Bible studies. Whatever the reason for her conversion, she was certainly affected. It’s widely believed that Page’s conversion incited her departure from the world of pin-up modeling.
https://www.imdb.com/search/name/?death_date=2008-12-11,2008-12 -11
1958–1992: Retirement; departure from spotlight
The reasons reported for Page's departure from modeling vary. Some reports mention the Kefauver Hearings of the United States Senate Special Committee to Investigate Crime in Interstate Commerce as a potential reason, after a young man apparently died during a session of bondage which was rumored to be inspired by images featuring Page. After leaving modeling, Page converted to Christianity and became a born again evangelist on December 31, 1959, while living in Key West, Florida. She recalled in 1998, "When I gave my life to the Lord, I began to think he disapproved of all those nude pictures of me”.
On New Year's Eve 1958, during one of her regular visits to Key West, Page attended a service at what is now the Key West Temple Baptist Church. She found herself drawn to the multiracial environment and started to attend on a regular basis. She would, in time, attend three bible colleges, including the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, Multnomah University in Portland, Oregon and briefly, a Christian retreat known as "Bibletown", part of the Boca Raton Community Church in Boca Raton, Florida.
During the 1960s, she attempted to become a Christian missionary in Africa, but was rejected for having had a divorce. Over the next few years, she worked for various Christian organizations before settling in Nashville in 1963, and re-enrolled at Peabody College to pursue a master's degree in education, but eventually dropped out. Then she worked full-time for Rev. Billy Graham. For a good summary of the rest of her life, go to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bettie_Page#:~:text=After%20leaving%20modeling%2C%20Page%20converted,those%20nude%20pictures%20of%20me.%22
FROM PORN TO BORN-AGAIN: A REMEMBRANCE OF BETTIE PAGE
https://religiondispatches.org/from-porn-to-born-again-a-remembrance-of-bettie-page/
1950s pin-up became born-again Christian
https://www.mercurynews.com/2008/12/12/1950s-pin-up-became-born-again-christian/
Betty Page Biography
https://www.last.fm/music/Betty+Page/+wiki
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Johnny Cash
Born on February 26, 1932 in Kingsland, Arkansas.
Died on September 12, 2003 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Country music legend Johnny Cash became a born-again Christian in 1968. On being born-again he said, "A few years ago I was hooked on drugs. I dreaded to wake up in the morning. There was no joy, peace, or happiness in my life. Then one day in my helplessness I turned my life completely over to God. Now I can’t wait to get up in the morning to study the Bible."
He became an ordained minister
Cash was well-known for his “outlaw” image based on his reputation as a hellion, particularly in the 60s, when he would smash up hotel rooms, drive his Jeep while hopped up on pills, and have brushes with the police. This period of his life reached a head when he was drummed off the Grand Ole Opry for dragging a mic stand across the footlights of the stage in a fit of temper, disrespecting the “mother church” of country music. Afterward, he ran his car into a utility pole, knocking out several of his teeth and breaking his nose. Most of Cash’s behavioral excesses were the result of drug abuse.
Once he remarried to June Carter of the famous Carter Family in 1968, Cash began a decades-long re-examination of his life and re-dedication to his Christian roots. This culminated in two and a half years of study in the late-70s, after which he received a degree in theology and became a minister. He was encouraged in his studies by the Reverend Billy Graham, who became a close friend of the Cash family during these years. Although he never attempted to marshal a congregation or play a guiding role in church services, Cash did preside at the wedding of his daughter Karen. Becoming a minister was the utmost expression of the religious feeling that characterized much of his life.
https://www.biography.com/musicians/johnny-cash-10-interesting-facts
Cash was in no way perfect, and one of the reasons why he wore black—he became known as The Man in Black—was because he wanted to always identify with the brokenness of where he had come from.
What Cash’s Gospel music testifies to, is the redeeming love of God, that Jesus Christ is the One who redeems us from our sin and justifies us through faith. As the apostle Paul says in 1 Timothy 1:15-16:
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.
– Mark Powell {https://ap.org.au/2024/02/05/johnny-cash-christian/}
Saturday Night Sinnin’, Sunday Morning Salvation: The Life and Legacy of Johnny Cash
https://www.helwyssocietyforum.com/saturday-night-sinnin-sunday-morning-salvation-the-life-and-legacy-of-johnny-cash/
Recounting Johnny Cash: An Interview with the Man in Black
https://cbn.com/article/salvation/recounting-johnny-cash-interview-man-black
Here are some interesting insights about the neurological and psychological activities going on in the brain of a person, as he or she is experiencing conversion.
From: https://www.saet.ac.uk/Christianity/Conversion#section1
Recent breakthroughs in cognitive neuroscience, neurology, and psychology have resulted in fruitful efforts to measure subjective religious experiences. Well over one hundred neuroimaging and physiological studies have been performed on people engaged in religious or spiritual practices (e.g. meditation, prayer, etc...), demonstrating changes to brain activity during such practices. (Newberg 2018: 197).
Unlike religious and spiritual practices, measuring the brain activity in a sudden religious conversion is impossible, for the experience itself cannot be reproduced in a laboratory setting. A convert may recount the experience, but can never recapture the moment.
However, scholars extrapolating the results from surveys and questionnaires focusing on spiritual experiences have correlated the consequences of spiritual enlightenment (which may include conversion) – such as a transformation of belief and behaviors, altered relationships, a sense of surrender or loss, a sense of clarity and new understanding – with brain scan studies indicating changes in neurological activity.
Moreover, when people relive the feeling of enlightenment (or in a Christian context, testify to conversion), it reinforces not only the elements of change to the testifier, but also to those who witness the testimony. Millions of people have embraced the Christian faith (been converted), because they concluded that the Christian God was the true God and the only God that could help and/or save them, both in the temporal world and the life to come. (Newberg and Waldman 2016: 48–65).
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R.C. Sproul (Robert Charles Sproul)
Born on February 13, 1939 in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania
Died on December 14, 2017 in Altamonte Springs, Florida at age 78.
I read the new biography of the late R.C. Sproul a few weeks ago.
As a freshman college student in Pennsylvania, generally indifferent to the great questions posed by the gospel of Jesus Christ, one weekend evening he and his roommate were heading to a bar in nearby Youngstown, Ohio. Just before driving away from campus, they realized that they were out of cigarettes. They went back into the lobby of their dorm where there was a vending machine. Nearby were two fellows sitting at a table, one of them was one of the college’s football stars. They motioned to R.C. and his friend to join them. The two upperclassmen were studying the Bible together. For more than an hour the two older students talked with them about God and Christ and the Bible. R.C. and his roommate never made it to town that night and R.C. stepped into a new world as a new man. He woke up that morning, one sort of man; he went to bed that night, another.
[Nichols, R.C. Sproul: A Life, 38-40]
And that was the experience of some of you. In September of 1957, the Lord used Ecclesiastes 11:3 to awaken R.C. Sproul’s soul. Sixty years later, watch as he recounts his conversion to the Christian faith.
"...if a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie." (Ecclesiastes 11:3)
I’m coming up on the 60th anniversary of my conversion to the Christian faith. It was in September of 1957. And I will never forget, I think I’m the only person in the history of the church to be converted by a particular verse that God used to open up my heart and my eyes to the truth of Christ.
It came from the book of Ecclesiastes, where the author of Ecclesiastes describes, in metaphorical terms, a tree that falls in the forest and where it falls there it stays. And God awakened my soul by considering that passage, as I saw myself as a tree falling, and rotting, and decaying. And that was the description of my life. That’s where I was. Nobody had to tell me that I was a sinner, I knew that. It was abundantly clear to me.
But as I went to my bedroom that night and got on my knees, my experience was one of transcendent forgiveness. And I was overwhelmed by the tender mercy of God, the sweetness of His grace, and the awakening He gave me for my life.
And I pray that any of you who have not yet experienced an awakening to the reality of Christ would have that experience in your life. That you would look carefully at the Scriptures and the Word of God, and that that Word may be used in power to quicken your soul and your spirit that you too may be awakened to the fullness of glory, and peace, and joy that is ours in Christ.
https://www.ligonier.org/posts/rc-sprouls-awakening-christian-faith?srsltid=AfmBOoqSE9UWwMiGKLxIs1g_Y7LeZPFcUllPz6WQD3rpStKHuHaRwBi4
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Chuck Norris
Born on March 10, 1940 in Ryan, Oklahoma
Chuck Norris, the iconic and manly star of the hit show Walker, Texas Ranger, is easily one of the most famous people in Hollywood to have become a born-again Christian. Since officially converting, Norris has written a number of Christian books. He’s been vocal about his belief that children in American public schools should be educated about the Bible.
https://www.ranker.com/list/celebrities-who-are-born-again-christians/celebrity-lists
Chuck Norris tells how God’s plan was bigger than his own
By Sara Horn, posted September 21, 2004 in the Baptist Press.
https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/chuck-norris-tells-how-gods-plan-was-bigger-than-his-own/#:~:text=His%20mother's%20enormous%20faith%20was,attended%20a%20Billy%20Graham%20crusade.
ATLANTA (BP)–Most would say Chuck Norris has reached the pinnacle of success. A six-time world karate champion, he starred as the hero in more than 23 films and wrote and produced his popular television series, “Walker, Texas Ranger.” But success couldn’t rescue the Norris family the night they faced a life-threatening crisis.
Norris felt absolutely helpless when his wife, Gena, went into pre-term labor with their unborn twins. But Norris also knew he could rely solely on God. He recounts the events of that frightful night in his new autobiography, “Against All Odds: My Story” with Ken Abraham, published by Broadman & Holman.
“I had earned millions of dollars over my lifetime and I’d been a friend to several presidents, yet all the money in my bank account couldn’t help me now….There was only one person to whom I could turn”. It was God. He’d been with Norris throughout his life, and this would be no different.
‘God Has a Plan for You’
Carlos Ray Norris was born into a family struggling to survive, led by an alcoholic father who moved the family 16 times by the time the future actor turned 15. Norris’ mother, a strong Christian and prayer warrior, never gave up or let her children give up despite living in extreme poverty.
“God has a plan for you,” she told her son daily, convincing him he could, indeed, beat the odds.
His mother’s enormous faith was a great example for the young Norris. It was she who insisted the family go to church wherever they were living. Norris began a personal relationship with Jesus Christ at an early age, and he rededicated his life to Christ as a young adult when he attended a Billy Graham crusade.
Norris says his mother continues to be a great influence in his life.
“She loves Jesus with all of her heart and soul and made sure we understood that [growing up”, he said, following a book signing in Atlanta. “She influenced me spiritually and instilled in me a sense of responsibility that carried over in my later adult life. She always told me ‘God has plans for you’. and I didn’t know what she meant. I think I do now”.
“Finding Forgiveness”
You could say the action star’s career “kicked” off as a young airman stationed in Korea studying martial arts. He wasn’t initially strong, and success did not come easily, but within eight years, Norris became a martial arts world champion. He holds the distinction of being the first man in the Western hemisphere to receive an eighth degree black belt grand master in Tae Kwon Do.
The chain reaction that followed his success in karate moved him rapidly up the ladder of recognition. His karate championships led him to open a successful chain of karate schools and gain appearances on television, including “The Tonight Show”. Eventually Hollywood took notice and it wasn’t long before he was cast in his first feature film.
But while his career path was leading to fame and fortune, his personal life bore the toll. Norris and his first wife, Dianne, divorced after 30 years of marriage. When their two sons grew up and moved away, the long distances and times apart adversely affected their relationship. Despite the divorce, he and Dianne remain friends.
Ten years later, life took a life-changing twist. A letter from a daughter he’d never known turned up in his mailbox. In his first year of marriage, Norris had committed a one-time extramarital affair while stationed away from home. He’d never known the experience had made him a father.
It would be hard for many people of Norris’ stature to relay struggles in a book for all to read, but Norris and his new wife see the theme of forgiveness as a big part of their story.
His daughter Deanna and her husband are now a part of the family, and there’s been emotional healing all around — between Norris and Deanna’s mom and Norris and his former wife, and new relationships between his sons and their half-sister.
“These are human frailties and we all have them...we all sin”. Norris said. “But as far I’m concerned, the sin that resulted in my daughter turned out to be a blessing. I can’t imagine my life without her and her children, my three grandchildren”.
From Kick ‘Star’ to ‘KICKSTART’
These days, children are very important to Norris. After a difficult pregnancy, his wife of six years gave birth to healthy twins — a boy and a girl, now age 3. He also continues to work on his KICKSTART program for middle school students. The proceeds of his book will go to KICKSTART.
More than 30,000 kids have graduated from the program, currently found in 37 schools. While the focus of the program is on martial arts, it does a lot more for the kids who participate — many who are from the inner city. It builds their self-esteem.
“Many have gone on to college, and one of our kids just graduated from MIT on a scholarship”, Norris said proudly.
It’s clear he’s passionate about the program, almost as much as he is about his faith. By his own acknowledgement, he’s grown deeply in his walk with God in the last 10 years. But Norris gets frustrated at the silent majority of Christians who refuse to speak out on issues of faith.
He and Gena have taken a stand to get the Bible back in public schools. They endorse the National Council of Bible Curriculum in Public Schools, which aims to incorporate the Bible as part of elective history and literature classes.
So what’s next for the soft-spoken action hero? A two-hour “Walker, Texas Ranger” special is planned, as well as the possibility for a new series tied closely to his KICKSTART program. Members of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas, he and Gena hope eventually to get involved in missionary work as their children grow older. And, of course, he remains passionate about the KICKSTART program.
“We’re hoping to help millions and millions of kids and show them that they don’t have to give up”. Norris said. “The odds aren’t stacked too highly against them to achieve their dreams. I want them to know that if I can overcome the things in my life, there’s no reason why any of them can’t do the same thing”.
AUTHOR SARA HORN
Is Chuck Norris a Christian? His Faith and Background
FROM GODTUBE.COM....June 03, 2022
https://www.godtube.com/blog/chuck-norris-christian-faith-and-bio.html
Chuck Norris Shares His Faith in Christ
Summarized by AI from the post below
The Lord is coming soon: it is time for all believers to stand up for Jesus, boldly declare their faith in Him publicly and over and over, and refuse to bend his Words to try to accommodate modern acceptable but very ungodly and abominable trends...Chuck
https://www.facebook.com/groups/123755984449068/posts/2958452417646063/
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Bob Dylan
Born on May 24, 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota
In the 1970s, “voice of a generation” Bob Dylan announced he had become a born-again Christian. He even released two gospel albums: “Saved” and “Slow Train Coming.” Many of his fans, including John Lennon, were horrified by Dylan’s conversion to Christianity. The former Beatle even recorded a record called “Serve Yourself” in response to Dylan’s evangelical song “Gotta Serve Somebody.” Though Dylan has remained quiet about his faith for much of his life, he confirmed as recently as 2012 that he “still believes in Jesus.”
https://www.ranker.com/list/celebrities-who-are-born-again-christians/celebrity-lists
Bob Dylan’s conversion
Posted on 07/01/2025 by Charles Brammall
In the middle of Bob’s 1978 grueling worldwide tour of Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and then North America, he surrendered to Jesus.
He was exhausted, physically ill, and worn down with anxiety from his 1977 divorce. At the end of the San Diego show someone from the crowd threw a small silver cross on stage.
Bob was normally unfazed by fans throwing things at gigs, but he spotted the icon and pocketed it. It traveled with him to Arizona for his next performance. Two days later, in a hotel room in Tucson, he was feeling even worse and reached into his pocket, pulled out the cross, and put it on.
Bob says he experienced “a literal visitation from Jesus Christ… a presence… that couldn’t have been anybody but Jesus… (He) put His hand on me; it was a physical thing. I felt it. I felt it all over me.
I felt my whole body tremble. The glory of the Lord knocked me down and picked me up. Jesus did appear to me as King of Kings and Lord of Lords … I believe every knee shall bow one day, and He did die on the cross for all mankind.”
He had heard about Jesus’ overwhelming presence, power and majesty through his girlfriend, Mary Alice Artes. Also, from his recently converted bandmates, including T-Bone Burnett. It was Mary that God seems to have used to bring him the closest to Him.
She had recommitted herself to the Jesus of her youth through her Church, Vineyard Christian Fellowship Tarzana, Cal., which Dylan soon joined. Founded in 74, it was a small but fast-growing evangelical church that emphasized redemption over judgment. However, Dylan later came to emphasize judgement in his songs often.
Artes’s recommitment made her decide to live a Biblically pure life by moving out on Bob, with whom she had been living. She asked two Vineyard pastors to call on Bob at his home and minister to him. They knocked on his door in Birdclyffe, off Glasko Turnpike, and apparently, the Lord rescued him that day.
His new faith was a syncretistic amalgam incorporating elements from the “Jews-for-Jesus” movement and some Southern Californian New Age. Also, some old-fashioned fire-and-brimstone millennialism, but Jesus was smack bang in the middle of it.
The next two years were a flurry of fruitfully creative time as he dived into a deep exploration of the Gospel. This was mainly through Bible studies for new Christians at his church.
He began proclaiming his faith in signature style, writing and performing music. He released three remarkable Christian albums. Even many secular critics agree they are some of his best work: 1979’s “Slow Train Coming”, 1980’s “Saved” and 1981’s “Shot of Love”.
They evidence his rich, deep Jewish heritage and familiarity with the Old Testament, gained from years of rigorous study of it as a Jewish boy.
His post-conversion follow-up study of the Bible, especially the New Testament, added a remarkable and delightful new Gospel incisiveness and Christocentric edge to his already rich lyrics.
One can almost taste the excitement at his newfound discovery- that Jesus’ birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension to rule are the fulfilment, the “Yes”, to every one of God’s promises in the OT.
The songs are nothing short of thrilling and paradigm-shifting. They are visceral and existential. Songs like “Saved”, “Every Grain of Sand”, “Covenant Woman” (about Artes), “What Can I Do For You?”, “Pressing On”, and “Saving Grace”. Marvellous.
The extraordinary lyrics of these albums are HIGHLY Biblically Theological (and to a lesser extent, Systematically theological, which’s quite appropriate).
I still pinch myself that the Bible and theology I love, esteem and admire so much are coming from such a groovy rocker who I also respect and love so much. It’s nearly too good to bear. There’s a fine line between pleasure and pain. They are quite shocking in their delightfulness. A little glimpse of heaven.
https://theothercheek.com.au/bob-dylans-conversion/
How Bob Dylan embraced Jesus in a born-again period lasting three years.
The musician’s latest addition to the Bootleg series, ‘Trouble No More’, reveals a period of his life from 1979 to 1981 when he converted to evangelical Christianity, which is reflected in songs such as ‘I Believe in You’ and ‘When He Returns’
To finish reading this short article, please click on this link:
https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/music/features/bob-dylan-jesus-trouble-no-more-bootleg-series-volume-13-slow-train-coming-u2-a8031031.html
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Gary Busey
Born on June 6, 1944 in Baytown, Texas
Prolific character actor Gary Busey is best known for roles in films like Lethal Weapon and Point Break, as well as his perhaps-less-than-Christian lifestyle tending towards women and cocaine. In 1988, Busey’s life changed forever when he overturned his motorcycle. The actor fractured his skull and he suffered permanent brain damage. This extreme hardship ignited Busey’s interest in religion, and in 1996, he announced that he had officially become a Christian. Busey says, “I am proud to tell Hollywood I am a Christian. For the first time, I am now free to be myself.”
https://www.ranker.com/list/celebrities-who-are-born-again-christians/celebrity-lists
Actor Gary Busey discusses his faith in Christ
Reprinted from Christian Walk without permission
Date unknown
TERRY MEEUWSEN: Gary Busey's unforgettable role in "The Buddy Holly Story" earned him an Oscar nomination in 1978, and since then, he's starred in over 60 Hollywood films, including blockbusters like "Lethal Weapon" and "The Firm."
But until recently, his off-screen behavior and reputation as a drug addict overshadowed his talent and success. But he's here now to share the dramatic turnaround that saved his life and his career. Gary, welcome.
Mr. GARY BUSEY: Thanks.
MEEUWSEN: You were raised in a Christian home, and then decided, when you grew up, you wanted to go to Hollywood. What motivated you?
Mr. BUSEY: It was even earlier when I was in the first grade, I saw a movie called "Samson and Delilah," the Cecil B. DeMille film, and when it was over, I said to my mother, "Where do all the people go?" And she said, "They go out, and another audience comes in to see the picture show." And I said, "No, not those people, the people up there." She said, "You mean the people in the picture show?" And I said, "Yes." She said, "Well, they go off and they do another picture show, and so we'll come and see it." And I said, "That's what I want to do." And she said, "You want to be in the picture show?" And I said, "No, I want to tell stories with light."
MEEUWSEN: Wow.
Mr. BUSEY: And light stands for L-I-G-H-T, which stands for Living In God's Heavenly Thoughts.
MEEUWSEN: For a lot of parents -- if their child said, "I want to go to Hollywood and get into this business," a lot of parents would balk at that. Your mom and dad really supported you, didn't they?
Mr. BUSEY: Well, my dad told me I could do anything I wanted to do. I was raised as a Christian, baptized when I was 12, but I didn't really have any idea of what it was like to be a true, full-blooded Christian until I went through the experiences that God gave me to go through ...
MEEUWSEN: Yeah.
Mr. BUSEY: ... which were cocaine, which were extravagant living in the fast, fast, fast, fast, fast lane, see?
MEEUWSEN: Yeah.
Mr. BUSEY: He gave me those experiences and he's always there with me.
MEEUWSEN: Now having grown up like that, Gary, when you were in the midst of all the things that you did when you were in the "far country," so to speak, did you think about God at that time? What went through your mind?
Mr. BUSEY: Of course not. There's no way to think about God. There's no reason to.
MEEUWSEN: Yeah.
Mr. BUSEY: 'Cause your number-one relationship is with the dark side of you ...
MEEUWSEN: Mm-hmm.
Mr. BUSEY: ... your shadow, the dark side. C.G. Hume writes about it, in terms of the fact that every one of us has a dark side. And my dark side, my shadow, my lower companion is now in the back room blowing up balloons for kids' parties. And I also learned that addiction is a failed search for spirituality. Because I OD'd May 3rd, 1995, on cocaine and GHB, and it was that OD that sent me to Palm Springs with a felony on my head, and that's when I, for the first time in my life, actually really and truly surrendered to God.
MEEUWSEN: Wow.
Mr. BUSEY: And then I went to the Promise Keepers after that, after my felony was dismissed, and I rededicated my life to Christ. And Bishop Wellington Boone was there, and I met him after the meeting, and I said, "I want to do this," and he said, "You'll reach a lot of people because of what you do." And my first Promise Keeper meeting I spoke at I had a chance to sit-down with Coach McCartney. This man is filled with love, treasure and intensity. And I'm not usually at a loss for words, but sitting with Coach McCartney, I was all ears and all heart. I was opened up in every way. I felt like a child. And I felt truly like a child of God, which we all are.
And Bishop Wellington Boone was there when I spoke for the first time, and he sent me a beautiful book that I recommend every husband to get, and it's called, "Your Wife is Not Your Mama," and it's by Bishop Wellington Boone. And I had no idea what it was like to be a husband, and I started reading the book, and it talked about, "You should love your wife like Christ loves the church. You should be her servant. You should be her biggest fan." The book is this thick so it has a lot more to say than that, and it's a step beyond "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus." My wife Tiani and I have four books and we have the videotapes.
But God sends messages every day. It's not that He answers prayers or He's gonna show up to you like a king in armor; He's there with you every day and he gives you messages with something you see, or especially something you feel.
MEEUWSEN: Mm-hmm.
Mr. BUSEY: But the main messages come from experiences you go through. Like my cocaine addiction, like my motorcycle wreck, where I hit the curb going 45 miles an hour and split my skull and I went out of my body to a very special place where I saw light. I saw circles of light, which I define as angels who talked to me in thought with androgynous voices. These experiences that were all given is no greater than anyone else's -- but the experiences we have are given to us by God, especially the hard ones. And having cancer, having the drug overdose, having missed death in a car accident out by Albuquerque and the OD -- I've had four chances to split but as I was told by the light when I was out of my body, I could come now or I could return to my body and continue my destiny. It's your choice. These experiences that made me come to the point of being a full-blooded, upright Christian working for Jesus and God as modern-day disciple. And in the Hollywood industry of making movies I'm in, it's a tough one.
MEEUWSEN: How has Hollywood responded to your being so forthright about your new commitment to Christ? What do people think?
Mr. BUSEY: They're surprised and they're in wonderment, and they go, "Oh, come on." But they know what I've been through. I've been doing this 27 years. They know what I've been through. It's been pretty much in the press, and they saw my action and my behavior, and I've made amends. When you're on cocaine, you have nothing else in your life that's sacred to you than your relationship with drugs. So they know that. They know what I've been through.
And guess what works, though? Actions speak and your behavior patterns, your discipline. My gosh, there is a discipline to being a human being. And I'm telling you, it's very important.
And let me talk to you about the power of prayer. Prayer should be in appreciation, not in supplication. When you go to pray for, "Oh, I need a new home, I need a better job, I need a relationship that works, I need this, I need this, I need that," the first thing you do when you pray from now on is start by thanking Jesus. Start by thanking the Lord God for what you have, because he knows what you want before you ask it, and if you do it with praise first, that's the biggest thing for God, is praise and affirmation. And if you pray with thankfulness and you know in the Bible it says, "If you ask for it, I will give it to you," but you must ask for it in appreciation. That's a big step, learning to pray, and I've learned that because I pray every day.
MEEUWSEN: Thank you for being with us today.
https://www.google.com/search?q=details+of+Gary+Busey%27s+christian+conversion+to+christ&client=safari&sca_esv=bdbe02a50ca64cca&channel=iphone_bm&biw=1171&bih=864&sxsrf=AE3TifPDFJmB_Ht-etwKASZ_S-TXDHEf8A%3A1748824696433&ei=ePI8aJqdGqee0PEP19fgsAc&ved=0ahUKEwiaubjWv9GNAxUnDzQIHdcrGHYQ4dUDCBI&uact=5&oq=details+of+Gary+Busey%27s+christian+conversion+to+christ&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiNmRldGFpbHMgb2YgR2FyeSBCdXNleSdzIGNocmlzdGlhbiBjb252ZXJzaW9uIHRvIGNocmlzdDIFEAAY7wUyBRAAGO8FMggQABiABBiiBEiAJ1DgCVjRI3ABeACQAQCYAYEBoAHlDaoBBDIuMTS4AQPIAQD4AQH4AQKYAhCgAskNwgIKEAAYsAMY1gQYR8ICBxAjGLACGCfCAggQIRigARjDBMICCBAAGKIEGIkFwgIKECEYoAEYwwQYCpgDAIgGAZAGB5IHBDIuMTSgB9JEsgcEMS4xNLgHww3CBwYwLjIuMTTIB0E&sclient=gws-wiz-serp
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Al Green
Born on April 13. 1946 in Forrest City, Arkansas.
Photo: Lindsey Turner/Flickr/CC BY 2.0
Musician Al Green became a born-again Christian in 1973. He later went on to completely renounce pop stardom. He has said, "The music is the message, the message is the music. So that's my little ministry that the Big Man upstairs gave to me - a little ministry called love and happiness”.
Al Green’s nightmare began with a pot of grits, ended with two gunshots, and helped push the greatest soul singer of the early ’70s away from the music that had made him a star. On Oct. 18, 1974, for reasons that still remain unclear, Green’s girlfriend, Mary Woodson, then 29, burst in on the singer as he prepared to take a shower in his Memphis home. Heaving scalding grits at his back, Woodson burned the singer so badly he would spend several months in the hospital. Woodson then fled to a bedroom, where she shot and killed herself with the singer’s registered .38-caliber pistol.
Green — who had achieved huge artistic and commercial success with songs like ”Let’s Stay Together,” ”Take Me to the River,” and ”Tired of Being Alone” — had met Woodson at a concert in upstate New York several months earlier.
A few days after Green returned from a concert in San Francisco, Woodson showed up at his Memphis home. She claimed to be single but actually had left her husband and children behind in New Jersey. A deeply troubled woman, she latched onto the charismatic Green and his pop-star lifestyle, and the two became close.
”I’ve never met a man with more of a basic animal appeal to women”, says Davin Seay, who collaborated with Green on his recent autobiography, Take Me to the River. ”This one came back at him with a vengeance. I think it was a wake-up call.”.
And an awakening. ”I think it was a catalyst that resulted in him turning from secular music to gospel music”, says Seay of Green, who’d become a born-again Christian nearly a year before Woodson’s suicide. ”It does him an injustice to assume his religious conversion was a matter of convenience based on this traumatic experience, and he likes to distance the facts of his conversion from the terrible events of that night. But I think the Woodson incident kind of crystallized his need to move on, to sort of shut down one part of his life and open up another”.
By the late ’70s, Green had devoted himself almost entirely to religious music. In 1976 he became a Baptist minister, buying the Full Gospel Tabernacle church in Memphis, where he continues to preach today. As horrific as Mary Woodson’s suicide was, it helped the man who once sang ”Call Me” to find what he believed to be his true calling.
https://ew.com/article/2000/10/20/al-greens-conversion/
https://www.biography.com/musicians/al-green#commercial-success
https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/al_green_452361
https://ew.com/article/2000/10/20/al-greens-conversion/
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William (Bill) J. Murray
Born on May 25, 1946 in Ashland County, Ohio.
Source: americanloons.blogspot.com
The son of America’s most famous atheist activist, Madalyn Murray O’Hair, Bill shared her militant rejection of religion. Taylor Caldwell’s book “Dear and Glorious Physician” sparked an unexpected spiritual interest, while reading on a plane. Murray’s 1980 conversion to Christ horrified his mother, who disowned him. He now leads the Religious Freedom Coalition as a Baptist minister advocating for persecuted Christians. His story demonstrates that faith can emerge even from the most anti-religious backgrounds.
In 1980, Murray became a Christian. Learning of his conversion, his mother commented: "One could call this a postnatal abortion on the part of a mother, I guess; I repudiate him entirely and completely for now and all times. He is beyond human forgiveness". He became a Baptist minister. He and his mother Madalyn Murray O'Hair were estranged by his action, as he was from his daughter and brother, who shared his mother's household and were deeply involved with the American Atheists organization. O'Hair had legally adopted Robin.
In 1995, his mother, daughter Robin, and half-brother Jon disappeared from their home and office. It was learned that they were kidnapped, held for about a month, and subject to extortion of $600,000 before they were killed in a remote area outside Austin, Texas. Their bodies were not found until January 2001.
The plot was led by David Roland Waters, an ex-convict and former employee of the American Atheists, who had been fired for theft of $54,000; and two accomplices.
https://www.ranker.com/list/celebrities-who-are-born-again-christians/celebrity-lists
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_J._Murray
https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/public/digitallibrary/smof/publicliaison/blackwell/box-037/40_047_7007844_037_018_2017.pdf
https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1990/04/22/confessions-of-an-unbeliever/
My Life Without God. Harvest House Publishers, 1982 ISBN 0-7369-0315-1.
The Church Is Not for Perfect People Harvest House Publishers, 1987 ISBN 0-89081-602-6
Let Us Pray: A Plea for Prayer in Our Schools 1995 ISBN 0-688-14563-9
Stop the Y2K Madness! 1999 ISBN 0-940917-04-1
The Pledge: One Nation Under God. AMG 2007, ISBN 0-89957-035-6, ISBN 978-0-89957-035-8. Freeware written by Todd Akin
Utopian Road to Hell: Enslaving America and the World with Central Planning WND Books 2016 ISBN 1944229086, ISBN 978-1944229085
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George Foreman
Born on January 10, 1949 in Marshall, Texas
Gage Skidmore/Flickr
In 1977, heavyweight boxer George Foreman nearly died as the result of a 12-round fight against the great Jimmy Young. After praying to God for a second chance, Foreman committed to becoming a born-again Christian. Today, Foreman ministers at his own church in Houston, Texas, has founded a youth center, and frequently collaborates with Trinity Broadcasting Network and The 700 Club.
https://www.ranker.com/list/celebrities-who-are-born-again-christians/celebrity-lists
George Foreman: A life transformed by faith and resilience
Foreman's life was turned around one dark night in the changing rooms as he faced defeat and his idea of death.
Few stories in sports capture the redemptive power of faith as poignantly as that of the recently deceased George Foreman. Known to the world as a ferocious fighter with a devastating punch, Foreman’s journey — from a childhood shadowed by poverty to becoming a two‐time heavyweight champion and later a devoted man of God — reminds us that hope can be found even in our darkest moments: an example of hope so apt for this Jubilee year.
Born into hardship in Marshall, Texas, Foreman had a childhood marked by a struggle against poverty. As a young boy, he was so conscious of his family’s destitution that he would carry an empty lunch bag to school — a silent effort to hide his hunger and the shame that accompanied it, as detailed in Chad Bird's book, Upside-Down Spirituality: The 9 Essentials of a Faithful Life.
With limited opportunities and a turbulent home life, boxing became more than a sport for him; it was an outlet for pent-up emotions and a means to redefine himself. In the ring, every blow he threw was not merely an attack on his opponent but a declaration against the circumstances that once defined him. His formidable record — 76 wins with 68 knockouts testifies to a man who, despite early struggles, channeled his anger into achieving greatness.
Yet the path was not without its setbacks. Notable defeats, such as the bitter loss to Jimmy Young in 1977, plunged him into a personal crisis. In the confines of a dressing room, Foreman confronted the raw fear of his own mortality. As he later recalled in an interview with Christian Headlines, as shared by Crosswalk, in that moment of vulnerability he cried out, “I still believe there’s a God!”
In the interview, the former champ went on to give more details of this most vulnerable moment in his career, sharing:
All of a sudden I faced death, and I knew I was about to die. So with that in mind, I heard a voice within me say, ‘You believe in God, why are you scared to die?’ And I was afraid – I really was. And I started fighting to keep my life in me. I eventually lost the fight.”
“I was gone out of this life. Above me, under me, all around me was nothing... I remember thinking there was no hope for me – like someone had dropped me out in a sea. There was no land.”
Foreman shared how he felt impelled to cry out, “I still believe there's a God!” He went on to explain how “a hand reached in and pulled me out of nothing and death... I started screaming, ‘Jesus Christ has come alive in me!'"
This turning point in his career ignited a transformation that went far beyond the confines of the boxing ring. It became a cornerstone of his spiritual rebirth, steering him toward a life of ministry and service.
Foreman’s conversion was a humble, deeply personal awakening. As he later shared with quiet conviction, his faith did not erase the scars of his past but helped him carry them with dignity and hope — a hope that resonated not only with the devout but with anyone who has ever struggled against despair.
Foreman’s story is one of dual triumphs. In the ring, he delivered unforgettable performances that earned him global acclaim. Outside it, his transformation led him to become a preacher, a philanthropist, and an inspiration to countless individuals -- and of course a businessman known for his grill!
His life was one of struggle, perseverance, and divine mercy. It illustrates that even the hardest punches can give way to healing and grace.
Foreman’s journey echoes familiar themes of redemption and the transformative power of God’s love. His belief that “there is hope” in every hardship invites us to see our challenges as opportunities for spiritual renewal. As we remember his life, we also celebrate a legacy that encourages us to trust in God’s providence, even when the odds seem insurmountable.
You can hear one of the world's greatest boxers explain in his own words what happened on the night he met Jesus in the video below:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/Lo8TLpPLcvY?autoplay=1
Foreman shared how he felt impelled to cry out, “I still believe there's a God!” He went on to explain how “a hand reached in and pulled me out of nothing and death... I started screaming, 'Jesus Christ has come alive in me!'
This turning point in his career ignited a transformation that went far beyond the confines of the boxing ring. It became a cornerstone of his spiritual rebirth, steering him toward a life of ministry and service.
Foreman’s conversion was a humble, deeply personal awakening. As he later shared with quiet conviction, his faith did not erase the scars of his past but helped him carry them with dignity and hope — a hope that resonated not only with the devout but with anyone who has ever struggled against despair.
https://aleteia.org/2025/03/26/george-foreman-a-life-transformed-by-faith-and-resilience
George Foreman Recalls Incredible Conversion to Faith in God: ‘Jesus Christ Is Coming Alive in Me!’
https://www.faithwire.com/2023/04/28/george-foreman-recalls-incredible-conversion-to-faith-in-god-jesus-christ-is-coming-alive-in-me/
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Lee Strobel (Attorney, Pastor, Author)
Born on January 25, 1952 in Arlington Heights, Illinois
Source: genexis.org.uk
The Chicago Tribune’s legal editor approached Christianity with journalistic skepticism and professional determination. His wife’s 1979 conversion prompted his two-year investigation intended to disprove biblical claims once and for all. Strobel’s evidence-driven mind couldn’t ignore the historical facts he discovered about Jesus. His journey from atheism to faith in 1981 later became The Case for Christ bestseller. Millions have explored Christianity through his books and lectures about this unexpected transformation from skeptic to pastor.
https://historycollection.com/famous-atheists-who-found-faith-the-25-most-surprising-conversions-to-christianity/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Strobel#:~:text=Strobel%20later%20became%20assistant%20managing,at%20the%20age%20of%2029.
https://www.lifeway.com/en/articles/the-case-for-grace-lee-strobel-story
https://billygraham.org/podcasts/god-people-stories/gps-lee-strobel-2025
"Based on scientific evidence, I became convinced that there's a Creator of the universe; and based on historical data, I became confident [in] Jesus' claim to be the Son of God. [He] backed up that claim by returning from the dead." Strobel officially became a Christian in 1981, certain the gospel was true.
https://www.google.com/search?q=the+christian+conversion+details+of%C2%A0Lee+Strobel&client=safari&sca_esv=ad6378d11241a281&channel=iphone_bm&sxsrf=AE3TifOMAv7QZMFhjqtuLMeQA7a9M-m9kQ%3A1748907296281&ei=IDU-aIL0ENW90PEP2NmcsQ4&ved=0ahUKEwiChI-x89ONAxXVHjQIHdgsJ-YQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=the+christian+conversion+details+of%C2%A0Lee+Strobel&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiMHRoZSBjaHJpc3RpYW4gY29udmVyc2lvbiBkZXRhaWxzIG9mwqBMZWUgU3Ryb2JlbDIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABMgUQIRigATIFECEYqwJIpCRQqwZYiSBwAXgAkAEAmAGAAaAB4AyqAQQ2LjEwuAEDyAEA-AEB-AECmAIQoAL4DMICChAAGLADGNYEGEfCAgQQIxgnwgIIEAAYgAQYogTCAgUQABjvBZgDAIgGAZAGB5IHBDEuMTWgB6pwsgcEMC4xNbgH8gzCBwYwLjEuMTXIB1E&sclient=gws-wiz-serp
How an Atheist Became a Christian by Investigating the Resurrection
The age-old question: Is there a God? If so, how can we prove it? For many, including Lee Strobel—best-selling author and former atheist—this question lies at the core of their worldview. Lee was once firmly convinced that there was no God, believing that, without proof, faith was nothing more than a delusion. But everything changed when his wife became a Christian. Determined to find evidence to discover the truth, Strobel launched a journalistic investigation into the origins of Christianity and the credibility of Jesus. Little did he know, this search for truth would eventually turn his world upside down and transform his life.
Continue reading for highlights from this episode of the Even You podcast, or watch the full interview with Lee Strobel below.
https://www.eastwest.org/blog/how-an-atheist-became-a-christian-by-investigating-the-resurrection/
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Reggie White
Born on December 19, 1961 in Chattanooga, TN
NFL player Reggie White is a born-again Christian and became an ordained evangelical minister in 1981. He has said, "One thing that God revealed to me is that we as Christians are going to have to get a portion of the media so that we can present the good news on a major basis the way that they're presenting the bad news on a major basis."
https://www.ranker.com/list/celebrities-who-are-born-again-christians/celebrity-lists
White Stuns Lawmakers With Speech
By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff
March 25, 1998 / CBS Sportsline
Most people invited to speak to the Wisconsin Legislature give five minutes of pleasantries, get a few moments of applause and go home.
Lawmakers weren't expecting the earful Reggie White had in store for them Wednesday.
They thought the Green Bay Packers star and ordained minister came to talk about his community work and a recent trip to Israel.
White did, but his nearly hour-long speech also included remarks on homosexuality, race and slavery that turned the Assembly's applause to stunned silence.
White said the United States has gotten away from God, in part by allowing homosexuality to "run rampant."
"Homosexuality is a sin, and the plight of gays and lesbians should not be compared to that of blacks," White told lawmakers.
"Homosexuality is a decision, it's not a race," White said. "People from all different ethnic backgrounds live in this lifestyle. But people from all different ethnic backgrounds also are liars and cheaters and malicious and back-stabbing."
White said he has thought about why God created different races. Each race has certain gifts, he said.
Blacks are gifted at worship and celebration, White said.
"If you go to a black church, you see people jumping up and down because they really get into it," he said.
Whites are good at organization, White said.
"You guys do a good job of building businesses and things of that nature, and you know how to tap into money," he said.
"Hispanics were gifted in family structure, and you can see a Hispanic person, and they can put 20, 30 people in one home."
The Japanese and other Asians are inventive, and "can turn a television into a watch," White said. Indians are gifted in spirituality, he said.
"When you put all of that together, guess what it makes: It forms a complete image of God," White said.
White said later that his comments were about coming together as a society and were not meant to stereotype the races.
"This is the first time I've been at a loss for words," Assembly Minority Leader Walter Kunicki, D-Milwaukee, said after White's speech. "You can still tell from the tension in the room that much of this was offensive."
White was invited to speak by Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen, R-Waukesha.
Jensen called White's comments about homosexuality "disappointing." Homosexuality is a genetic predisposition, not a decision, Jensen said.
Rep. Tammy Baldwin, a Madison Democrat and the Legislature's only openly gay member, said she disagreed with White's remarks, but as a lawmaker believed in putting aside personal feelings to promote a "healthy debate."
CBS Sports spokeswoman Leslie Ann Wade declined to comment on White's speech or whether his remarks would affect his chances for a studio analyst's job. White has auditioned for a commentating job at the network.
CBS fired football analyst Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder in 1988 for saying that blacks had been "bred from slavery" to make better athletes.
"CBS doesn't accept bias from any of its announcers of any kind," Wade said.
White declined to comment on whether he will leave the Packers before the 1998 season.
© 1998 SportsLine USA, Inc. All rights reserved
CBS Sportsline
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/white-stuns-lawmakers-with-speech/
Prophetic word for today
Reggie White
First posted: February 26, 2005
Word received: February 2005
Received by: Shamah-Elim Bible Studies
On the morning of Monday, February 14, 2005 -- 8 days after Super Bowl 39 --the Lord led me to watch a report aired on the 90-minute, Sunday-night version of ESPN's SportsCenter. The report by Andrea Kramer dealt with the passing away of NFL superstar Reggie White and with the "spiritual turn" his life took towards the end of his days.
During the day of December 26, 2004 (when God unleashed His tsunami judgment on south Asia), I was stunned to hear that retired NFL player Reggie White had passed away at the young age of 43. Reggie White is considered one of the greatest defensive ends of all time. He was selected to 13 Pro Bowls (the National Football League's equivalent of an "All-Star game") during his 15-year career, and was a "sack machine" feared by offensive lines throughout the league. He played for some years with the Philadelphia Eagles, and then played for the Green Bay Packers, where he was instrumental in their first Super Bowl victory in 29 years in 1997's Super Bowl 31 over the New England Patriots (who won Super Bowl 39 20 days ago).
To finish this article, please click on this link:
https://shamah-elim.info/p_regwhite.htm
Faith That Never Fumbled: “Remembering Reggie White”
CBN
https://cbn.com/article/not-selected/faith-never-fumbled-remembering-reggie-white-0
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Stephen Baldwin
Born on May 12, 1966 in Massapequa, New York
Photo: s_bukley Shutterstock
Like much of his famous family — including his older brother Alec — Stephen Baldwin abandoned his Roman Catholic upbringing upon starting out on his acting career in Hollywood. Baldwin, first gained attention in the film Born on the Fourth of July,
Stephen Baldwin became a born-again Christian after the 9/11 attacks. He believes that his outspoken opinions on being a Christian have cost him film roles.
He has said, "I think it's really terrifying that a country based on the foundations and ideals of God, is now systematically removing God from everything. Everything"!
Today, Baldwin travels the country speaking about his Evangelical ministry and his faith-based book The Unusual Suspect: My Calling to the New Hardcore Movement of Faith.
https://www.ranker.com/list/celebrities-who-are-born-again-christians/celebrity-lists
STEPHEN BALDWIN GRATEFUL FOR FREEDOM IN CHRIST: ‘ME & JESUS’
By Movieguide® Contributor
Actor Stephen Baldwin recently shared an emotional encounter with Christ and expressed his gratitude for his relationship with God.
“True freedom…fear, focus, pride, happiness…I’ve been blessed to experience most of them in Hollywood but now all that is left for me is Jesus as there is nothing in this world & I mean nothing – this world has to offer… that gives the same satisfaction as salvation,” Baldwin said.
“I’ve hung out with all of the most powerful people in Hollywood & they are dying violent spiritual deaths every day…me, I’m free from Hollywood[,] free from distraction. It’s just me & Jesus now. Wouldn’t have it any other way,” he added.
Baldwin became a Christian after years in the entertainment industry serving his own needs and centering his life around money.
He found Christ after his family’s nanny brought his wife, Kennya, to church.
“She went into prayer and Bible study regiment unlike anything I’d ever seen before. Up in the morning, on her knees face on the ground for an hour, without flinching, up off her knees into the bed with the Bible at least 30 to 45 minutes, every morning, every night for one year,” Baldwin said, per Beliefnet.
While initially unimpressed, 9/11 changed Baldwin’s mind.
“September 11th kind of freaked me out. I said, ‘Hey, what’s this all about? My wife’s a Jesus freak. Maybe it’s time I begin thinking about this faith thing,’ Pursued it, became born again, accepted the Lord, baptized in water,” he said.
His conversion brought him from acting in secular movies to starring in faith-based movies, like the Movieguide® award-winning THE LEAST OF THESE: THE GRAHAM STAINES STORY.
“I’ve made about 110 films in 30 years, so the Lord is always giving me ideas,” Baldwin told CBN. “Film is so natural to me, I have to stay in touch with the Holy Spirit. I get ideas every day for, let’s say, a Christian version of CSI or Law and Order.”
Baldwin emphasized that “Christian material should be just as good as anything you’d find on Netflix and that the production quality must be up there with the very best in the business.”
The actor continues to use his platform to share his faith and encourage other Christians in their walk with Christ.
Movieguide® previously reported:
Christian actor Stephen Baldwin shared how his relationship with Christ gave him true satisfaction.
“My life before Christ was focused on making money,” the 54-year-old actor said in his “I Am Second video. “My life before Christ was a totally day-in and day-out existence that was–unbeknownst to me at the time–an existence of self-absorbance.
“[I was] just doing what you normally do when you’re trying to maintain a career in the movie business,” Baldwin added.
The star recalls that his outlook on his career in Hollywood and movies changed when he put his faith in God.
https://www.movieguide.org/news-articles/stephen-baldwin-grateful-for-freedom-in-christ-me jesus.html#:~:text=Baldwin%20became%20a%20Christian%20after,I'd%20ever%20seen%20before.
https://www.movieguide.org/news-articles/actor-stephen-baldwin-shares-how-he-first-encountered-christ.html
https://www.beliefnet.com/entertainment/celebrities/how-actor-stephen-baldwin-found-god.aspx
https://hollywood-elsewhere.com/restore-stephen/
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Faith Hill
Faith was born on September 21, 1967 Ridgeland, MS.
Speaking about their Soul tour in 2018, Faith Hill shared a sweet pre-performance tradition. “Tim and I share a quick quiet moment together before hitting the stage,” Faith told People magazine. “Always praying”.
Audrey Faith Perry was born in Ridgeland, Mississippi, north of Jackson, Mississippi. She was adopted as an infant and named Audrey Faith Perry. She was raised in the nearby town of Star, 20 miles southeast of Jackson by her adoptive parents, Edna and Ted Perry, with their two biological sons in a devout Christian environment.
She began singing at Star Baptist Church at age 3. Hill's vocal talent was apparent early, and she had her first public performance, at a 4-H luncheon, when she was seven. In 1976, a few days before her 9th birthday, she attended a concert by Elvis Presley at the State Fair Coliseum in Jackson, which deeply impressed her.
During her teenage years, she became a member of the Steele Family gospel quartet and performed regularly with them at area churches of all denominations.
At 17, Hill formed a band that played at local rodeos. She graduated from McLaurin Attendance Center in 1986, then briefly attended Hinds Junior College (now Hinds Community College) in Raymond, Mississippi. At times, she sang for prisoners at the Hinds County Jail, her song of choice being "Amazing Grace".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZGIB4lTwEo
https://www.ranker.com/list/celebrities-who-are-born-again-christians/celebrity-lists
https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/tv/features/faith-hill-interview-1883-paramount-plus-b2115378.html
https://www.christianpost.com/news/country-stars-tim-mcgraw-faith-hill-say-always-praying-together-has-kept-21-year-marriage-strong.html
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Kirk Cameron
Born on October 10, 1970 in Panorama City, California
There may have been no 1980s and 90s television actor more loved and adored than Kirk Cameron. The Growing Pains star was young, All American, and good looking — and an atheist. For those familiar with Cameron now, that last characteristic likely comes as a bit of a shock.
Kirk Cameron became a born-again Christian when he was 17 years old. He has left mainstream Hollywood behind him, as he now focuses his energy and talent on Christian projects. He has said, "Put your nose into the Bible every day. It is your spiritual food. And then share it. Make a vow not to be a lukewarm Christian”.
After Cameron converted to Christianity as a teenager, he is now a widely known evangelist. He has written a number of Christian books. He’s also produced multiple Christian films, including three based on the popular Left Behind series.
https://www.ranker.com/list/celebrities-who-are-born-again-christians/celebrity-lists
HOW KIRK CAMERON CAME TO CHRIST: ‘MOST IMPORTANT DECISION’
He was invited to church by a young girl from the set of GROWING PAINS. He sat in the back row and heard the pastor talk about how God is holy and righteous, which helped Cameron start to understand the Gospel.
“Even though I heard it, I didn’t believe it. But it certainly got me thinking,” Cameron shared in a YouTube video.
Intellectually, Cameron struggled to understand God. He was given the book More than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell.
“I finished the book and came out convinced that Jesus really was who he said he was,” Cameron said. “Intellectually I had to admit that I believed in God or that I had a hidden agenda to not believe in God.”
Finally, Cameron found himself in his sports car with the decision to make. He knew he didn’t have forever to wait and knew that if heaven was real, he would not be going there.
“I didn’t how to pray, but I did. It was probably the clumsiest prayer ever prayed,” Cameron reflected. “But I closed my eyes and said, ‘God, if you’re there, I want to know. If you’re real, would you please show me? Would you forgive me for the things that I’ve done that are wrong, that have been offensive to you? I don’t know anything about you, but would you show me the way and make me the person you created me to be? If you’re listening.’”
After, Cameron told a friend about his experience, and his friend invited him to church and gave him a Bible. As Cameron read the Bible, he learned more about God and himself.
“The most important decision I could ever make would be to humble myself and trust Jesus Christ as the Lord of my life—to rely and depend upon him like I do with the air that I breathe and trust God’s word to guide me into the future,” Cameron said.
“Nothing compares to the joy of knowing Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior,” Cameron concluded.
https://www.movieguide.org/news-articles/how-kirk-cameron-came-to-christ-most-important decision.html#:~:text=He%20was%20invited%20to%20church,I%20didn't%20believe%20it.
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Niki Taylor
Born on March 5, 1975 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Former supermodel Niki Taylor was one of the most famous names and faces of the 1990s. At the height of her career, she had already been named one of People magazines most Beautiful People at age 16! She led campaigns for Covergirl, Versace, L’Oreal, Gap, and Pantene. She appeared in magazines like Allure, Vogue, ELLE, Marie Claire, and Sports Illustrated’s famous swimsuit edition.
In 2001, Taylor was riding passenger in a car when it struck a utility pole. Unbelievably, Taylor survived the ordeal, despite the 56 operations it took to repair a collapsed lung, serious liver damage, head trauma, and severe spinal damage. This extreme experience led Taylor to become a born-again Christian shortly after the accident. She attends the Calvary Chapel Brentwood in Nashville.
https://www.ranker.com/list/celebrities-who-are-born-again-christians/celebrity-lists
Niki Taylor:
Faith and Recovery from a Car Accident
After surviving a serious car accident, supermodel Niki Taylor had to stay in the ICU for months—but she always kept her family in her prayers.
I don’t remember the impact. That part of the car accident is a blank. I was in Atlanta that weekend in late April, up from Fort Lauderdale visiting friends. Next thing I knew I was crawling from the car. A single thought was in my head: Am I okay? Then, right on top of that came the thought any mother would have: I need to be okay for my kids.
To read the rest of how she described her accident and how if affected her life, family, and faith...please click on this link her article in Guideposts.
https://guideposts.org/positive-living/entertainment/niki-taylor-faith-and-recovery-from-a-car-accident/
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Dennis Quaid
Born in 1975 in Houston, Texas.
Christianity has overlapped with Quaid's acting and musical career. In 2018, he starred in I Can Only Imagine, based on the true story of MercyMe's song of the same name which lead singer Bart Millard wrote after losing his abusive father to cancer. Quaid plays Millard's father who is transformed by faith after his diagnosis.
In an exclusive with People Magazine, the 69-year-old recounted what he called "his white light experience" when he checked himself into rehab, or what he referred to as "cocaine school."
"I remember going home and having kind of a white light experience that I saw myself either dead or in jail or losing everything I had, and I didn't want that," he said.
"I was in a band," he adds, "and we got a record gig… They broke up the night they got it, and they broke up because of me because I was not reliable," Quaid noted.
A native of Houston, Texas, the actor told People that what ultimately saved him from himself was returning to his Christian roots.
Addiction forces people "to fill a hole inside us," Quaid explained. "When you're done with the addiction, you need something to fill that hole, something that really works, right?"
As CBN News reported in November of 2021, he was working on a new gospel album that he said would feature "spiritual songs I grew up with in church."
On Friday, Quaid released his debut album titled Fallen: A Gospel Record For Sinners.
Actor Dennis Quaid is revealing more about his past struggles with addiction and how he found his Christian faith.
After God helped him turn his life around, the actor also turned away from movies with unbiblical content. He has since starred in faith-based films like I Can Only Imagine, which was released in 2018. He wrote the single, On My Way to Heaven in 1990, and the song was featured on the film's soundtrack.
Quaid told CBN News that the song was written as a tribute to his mother for her 91st birthday.
"I wrote it for my mom because my mom has always been there, her faith is unquestionable, so solid," he said at the time. "So I wrote it for her, but I guess it's my story."
Billy Ray Cyrus joins Quaid on the new song, Fallen. Tanya Tucker and Kris Kristofferson are also featured on a new version of On My Way to Heaven.
He grew up attending church in Texas and was baptized, along with his brother, when they were kids. But Quaid said he didn't really start searching for God and reading the Bible until his 20s.
"I've always been spiritual. I grew up in a Southern Baptist church, became disillusioned with it as a teenager. I turned to Eastern religions and philosophies," Quaid told the Chicago Sun-Times
"I read the Bible twice, read the Koran, went to India nine times. Along the way, I came back to Christianity, and well, finding that it's really the same all throughout the world," he added. "People are people with the same sort of yearnings. We're all spiritual beings whether we know it or not. So that's what I speak to, one's relationship with God or non-relationship with God."
Talking with People about the songs on his new album, Quaid said, "The songs are self-reflective and self-examining, not churchy. All of us have a relationship with God, whether you're a Christian or not."
The actor has been married to Laura Savoie, 30, for the past three years. He told the outlet he's the happiest he's ever been.
Quaid leveled with People about his struggles with addiction but said he finally realized the "joy of life" that everyone is looking for is a "relationship with God."
"It's a struggle," he told the outlet. "We're all looking for the joy of life, and drugs give that to you, and alcohol and whatever it is for anybody give that to you really quick. Then they're fun and then they're fun with problems, and then they're just problems after a while. That's really what we're looking for, the joy of life, which is our gift, actually, the relationship with God that we all have. It's at the bottom of it, the joy of being alive."
Achieving sobriety, he adds, "was about getting back to that."
Steve Warren is a senior multimedia producer for CBN News
https://www.ranker.com/list/celebrities-who-are-born-again-christians/celebrity-lists
https://www.movieguide.org/news-articles/how-jesus-transformed-dennis-quaids-life-after-addiction.html#:~:text=This%20time%2C%20instead%20of%20turning,Jesus%20Christ%2C”%20he%20revealed.
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/dennis-quaid-says-faith-saved-132214257.html
https://cbn.com/news/entertainment/dennis-quaid-reveals-white-light-experience-led-his-salvation-through-christ
https://people.com/dennis-quaid-on-faith-addiction-love-and-his-hollywood-journey-7565430
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Candace Cameron-Bure
Born on April 6, 1976 in Panorama City, CA
Photo: Toglenn / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
Like her brother Kirk Cameron, Candace Cameron is also a born-again Christian. She has said, "I will only do family-friendly films or television. They don't have to necessarily be Christian films, but I want to be in things that I'm comfortable having my children and husband watch. They come first in my life, not the film industry".
Testimony
Many people think I grew up in a Christian home, but I didn’t. I grew up in a moral home, a home that stressed the importance of living by the golden rule but not a home that talked about Jesus. It wasn’t until my parents hit a hard place in their marriage that the four of us kids found ourselves in church. I was twelve when I accepted Jesus and was baptized.
My teenage years were busy, and going to church wasn’t a priority. I remember thinking that since He lived inside my heart, I could talk to God anytime, so I really didn’t need to go to church. Instead of a relationship with Jesus, my faith became more like a help line.
Even so, I was still a responsible, good kid, and I liked pleasing my parents. I wasn’t the typical child star — no addictions or alcohol abuse or trouble with the law. When I looked around to see what other people my age were doing, my life seemed tame in comparison.
Whenever I felt a twinge of conviction for something I’d done, I would focus on the good things I was doing, things I thought could balance the scales in my favor. I remember thinking, Is this really how God works? Can I really just do whatever I want and then ask for forgiveness?
But I finally learned that God’s standard of goodness is different from the world’s standard, and for the first time I saw myself as a sinner. I really understood that I broke the law, that Jesus paid my fine, and that there was no love greater than that. He rescued me, He saved me, He delivered me, and knowing those truths led me to real repentance and change. Out of gratitude for what Jesus did for me, I started to live a life of service to Him, and my deepest desire is to hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
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Official Biography
Candace Cameron Bure is an actress, producer, and New York Times bestselling author. She is beloved by millions worldwide for her roles as DJ Tanner in the iconic family sitcoms Full Houseand Fuller House, in romantic comedies, mysteries and Christmas movies, as former cohost of The View, and as a Dancing with the Stars season 18 finalist. Candace is both outspoken and passionate about her family and faith. She is the CEO of CandyRock Entertainment and the Chief Content Officer at Great American Media. Candace and her husband Val have been married for more than 26 years. They have three grown children and live in California.
https://candacecbure.com/about#:~:text=I%20was%20twelve%20when%20I,need%20to%20go%20to%20church
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Bubba Watson
Born on November 5, 1978 in Bagdad, Florida
Golf legend Bubba Watson (he was born Gerry Lester Watson, Jr.) is a multiple majors champion and has been ranked as high as second in the Official World Golf Ranking. He’s also one of the most famous Christian converts. In 2004, Watson became a born-again Christian. The experience, he says, “It was my true time of becoming a Christian and shaping me into the man I am today.”
https://www.ranker.com/list/celebrities-who-are-born-again-christians/celebrity-lists
By Christine Thomasos, Christian Post Reporter Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Bubba Watson, first-time winner of a Masters Tournament who earned his green jacket on Easter Sunday, recently spoke about tweeting for God, the PGA Bible study he took part in and his newly adopted son.
Watson, 33, spoke with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association after winning the 2012 Masters Tournament Sunday. The golfer who tearfully thanked his "Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" after the big win, said he utilizes his Twitter account to spread his Christian faith.
On Watson's Twitter biography, he describes himself as "Christian. Husband. Daddy. Pro Golfer." The Christian golfer said he has lost at least 100 followers for tweeting biblical messages.
The golfer also told a musician friend, saying he would like his followers to see God through him and I don’t want to be a celebrity. I don’t want to be a superstar. I just wants to be the middle man for you to see God through me”.
Watson maintained his Christian principles during the golf tournament by engaging in an hour-long Bible study with fellow golfers each week. He described the importance of being able to connect with both God and his peers.
"For me it's a way to get back connected with the Bible and with God and Jesus. Now you know other people you can talk to, ask questions to, tell them what you're thinking, tell them what's going on in your life," Watson said. "Getting more in the Word and realizing that golf is just an avenue for Jesus to use me to reach as many people as I can."
Watson, who recently adopted a one-month-old baby boy named Caleb with his former WNBA playing wife Angie Ball, also described his first church experience. According to Watson, twin girls from his neighborhood convinced him to attend.
"The girls asked me to go to church," Watson said. "And after a few times going I realized this is what I wanted to do. This is truth here. And I gave myself to the Lord."
After he began dating Ball, the couple decided to live for Christ. Watson decided to get baptized with his wife in 2004 as a student at the University of Georgia.
https://www.christianpost.com/news/bubba-watson-speaks-about-giving-his-life-to-jesus-pga-bible-study.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubba_Watson
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Carrie Underwood
Born on March 10, 1983 in Muskogee, Oklahoma,
Country music screams the famous Christian Carrie Underwood and her remarkable career. The golden-voiced star has always been vocal about her faith. The reason behind her return to God involved her multiple miscarriages. Because of this difficult experience, she told People Magazine about the first time she felt like actually talking to God. After that moment, she never looked back.
Today, Carrie is known for her faith-centered marriage and her adorable family! As she’s been vocal about her faith, she shares that the best moments in her life are those moments she surrendered to God.
Additionally, she incorporates her beliefs in her songs, wanting her fans to enjoy her songs no matter what they believe. For example, her song “Something in the Water” was a popular hit with fans and speaks on knowing God through the waters of baptism.
An advocate for several causes over the course of her life, Carrie strives to make it a cornerstone of her legacy. In an interview, she stated, “Everybody has the power to do something, to be a contributing force”. This star is an inspiration to all believers to always pursue and seek God in times of glory or worry.
https://www.beliefnet.com/entertainment/celebrities/5-godly-things-about-carrie-underwood.aspx
https://www.ranker.com/list/celebrities-who-are-born-again-christians/celebrity-lists
https://www.movieguide.org/news-articles/carrie-underwood-opens-up-about-how-her-faith-influences-her-music.html
https://tasteofcountry.com/carrie-underwood-worship-service-2024-singer/
https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2025/04/07/carrie-underwood-christianity-in-entertainment/82983959007/
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The important and even urgent issue for you is this...are you converted to Jesus Christ right now? If not, do you have a desire to be converted? If so, will you please write me or call me at my contact information below?
Please remember Hebrews 4:13 which states “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account (reckoning)”.
God sees and knows right now if you are converted or not. So be honest with God and yourself. Your eternal destiny depends upon it.
Thank you for tuning in again. Your time and attention and especially your feedback are truly appreciated.
Yours in Christ,
Gene
719-351-4380
gene@gobblefamily.com
Do you have some thoughts, feelings, or questions about what you read today in this specific devotional/commentary?
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Okay, Gene – I’ve just read the entire commentary. I had a pad and pen beside me to record comments, but I will just say that I learned some good God things about a goodly number of people that I didn’t know were Christians. And learned things about early Christian fathers. Some of the segments caused me to weep as I read. Thank you for this commentary – and the earlier ones, as well. You are special and I am so thankful for you and for re-connecting with you through the commentaries.