Michael Lawrence's Conversion

 In his book Conversion, Michael Lawrence explores the biblical teaching on conversion and addresses common misconceptions. He argues that conversion is primarily and fundamentally God’s work in us, while also emphasizing that we have a role and responsibility in the process. He explains that conversion requires more than a mere decision, it demands a complete reorientation of the heart toward worship through repentance and faith. The latter parts of the book examine the implications of conversion for our individual lives, our churches, and our approach to evangelism.

On page 25, while discussing “Our Inability,” the author made a statement that deeply resonated with me: “Even when we do the right thing morally, we do it for the wrong reasons—to justify ourselves and bring ourselves glory… Like a dead person, we are incapable of loving God for God’s sake. This took me back to my own upbringing as a Christian. I obeyed my parents, submitted to leaders, attended church faithfully, and refrained from an indulgent lifestyle. Yet, deep down, I was not doing these things out of love for God but as the author mentioned, it was for self-glorification. In truth, I was incapable of loving Him. Sadly, many churches today seem more focused on making people nice rather than making them new.

On page 30, the author wrote something that sent chills down my spine: “When churches look more like the world than Christ, we effectively preach a different gospel. More than likely, it will be the gospel of nice.” This brought to mind the apostle Paul’s sobering warning: “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). A church may not openly proclaim false doctrine, but if our way of life resembles the world more than it reflects Christ, we are, in effect, declaring another gospel, a false one. That is a terrifying thought. As an aspiring pastor with a deep longing to plant a healthy church, I take this as a stern and personal warning, to be vigilant not only in what we preach from the pulpit, but also in how we, as a church community, live and represent Christ before a watching world.

Once again, the author reminds me of the importance of speaking with precision and listening with discernment especially when someone is sharing the gospel. On page 38, he writes: “Paul says that we are saved by grace through faith. Grace is what saves. Faith is the instrument, which means that we are not saved by faith. Rather, we are saved by grace, and faith receives that grace.” I have often heard people say, “We are saved by faith,” but this is a subtle yet significant departure from the language of Scripture. Yes, the Bible clearly teaches that we are justified by faith (Romans 5:1), but when it comes to the word “SAVE”, the Word of God says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8). This distinction has impressed upon me the need to use words carefully when sharing the gospel, so that we faithfully communicate the truth of Scripture. The danger of misplacing the emphasis is real. If people believe that faith itself saves us, then sincerity becomes the ultimate measure. Faith is then reduced to a one-time act, as the author mentions, a prayer prayed, a decision made, a card signed, a hand raised, rather than a whole-life posture of trust and dependence on Christ. And the tragic result is that people can never be certain if they were sincere enough.

On page 53, the author explains that Jesus called the Pharisees “whitewashed tombs”—clean on the outside but corrupt on the inside (Matthew 23:27). His point is sobering: it is not only “bad” people who are idolaters; good, moral, even religious people can be idolaters as well. The author further clarifies that repentance is not the same as moral resolve. Nor is it simply feeling guilty, because a person can feel guilt and yet still love their sin. True repentance is far deeper than mere emotion, it is a turning away from idols (sin) to God. As the author puts it, repentance is a change of worship. Moral determination without turning away from sin, and guilt without forsaking sin, are sadly common among nominal Christians. This insight has helped me not only to recognize these distinctions in my own understanding, but also to articulate them clearly when sharing the gospel, so that others may grasp the true nature of repentance.

As I continue reading this book, my conviction grows clearer, and the author is helping me to think and speak more precisely on the topic of conversion. On pages 67–68, under the section “Holy, Not Healed,” he clarifies what it truly means to say that Christians are holy. According to the author, a Christian is holy because he or she has been set apart for a new Master and given a new love. This truth corrects a common misconception among believers who assume that being holy means being morally superior to others, adopting a “holier-than-thou” attitude, or being strict rule-keepers. Such misunderstandings inevitably lead to moralism, which replaces the transforming grace of God with outward performance and self-righteousness.

In the chapter “Summon, Don’t Sell,” I was deeply drawn to a section titled “Communicate Honestly.” For the author, and I wholeheartedly agree, communicating honestly means telling people to count the cost of following Christ. He supports this with fitting Scripture references: 2 Corinthians 5:15; Mark 8:35 and Matthew 16:24. Yet in our contemporary, materialism-influenced Christianity, the cost of discipleship is often left out of our evangelism. We invite people to Christ without calling them to surrender to Him. This reminder challenges me to speak truthfully and biblically, ensuring that the call to follow Jesus is never separated from the call to take up the cross.

Finally, I would like to recommend this book to all Christians, especially to the youth from my former church. If possible, I would love to read through it together with them. In doing so, I can help them not only understand but also meaningfully explain what true conversion is, rooted in Scripture, centered on Christ, and transformative in life.