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<transcy>Conversion (La conversion)</transcy>

Comment Dieu se forme un peuple

Michael Lawrence
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HOW DOES OUR UNDERSTANDING OF CONVERSION SHAPES OUR MINISTRY?

How a church functions speaks volumes about its understanding of conversion. When a church clings to the Bible's teachings about conversion, it calls people to repentance and faith, rather than one-off decisions, therapeutic healings, or moral lifestyle choices.

This little book was written to help churches understand the impact of the doctrine of conversion on teaching, evangelism, discipleship, member selection, and all other facets of life of a local Church.

Author

MICHAEL LAWRENCE (Ph.D., University of Cambridge; M. Div., Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary) serves as Senior Pastor at Hinson Baptist Church in Portland, Oregon. He is also a board member of The Gospel Coalition. He and his wife, Adrienne, have five children.
Recommendations
“We are living in a happy time of digital growth and the planting of new churches. In an effort to help us keep a healthy and righteous view of our mission, Lawrence reminds us that the new birth is entirely God's work. There is no way we can produce genuine conversions by our programs, our techniques, or even our calls to pray a particular prayer. Lawrence cautions us against the cruelty of giving false assurance to those who do not truly follow the Lord, and then shows us how important it is for the Church to encourage and recognize genuine fruit. The stakes are high: nothing less than the credibility of the Gospel in our generation and the glory of God who gives grace. I highly recommend this book. Its impact on your ministry will be lasting. "
–TREVOR HARRIS, pastor of the Evangelical Protestant Church of La Garenne-Colombes; co-responsible for the association Preaches the Word; professor at the Biblical Institute of Geneva

"At a time when the French-speaking evangelical world is growing, the danger would be to see the development of a purely cultural Christianity. In this context, a sound doctrine of conversion is vital. I am grateful for the translation of this book by Michael Lawrence which will enable Christians to understand what true conversion is. Beyond doctrine, the author gives practical applications for individual and community life, especially with regard to evangelization and hospitality in the Church. It is a real encouragement to develop a culture of conversion within our local Churches. »
–PHILIPPE MONNERY, director of France Evangelization; secretary general of the FEF Network

"Unfortunately, too many churches are content with a vaguely biblical understanding of what the new birth is, and their leaders sometimes have difficulty recognizing real children of God in the assembly. If conversion is not well understood, it often reflects a misunderstanding of the fundamental truths of grace and of new life in Christ. This little book is therefore very useful: it clarifies what the new birth is in the Bible. I recommend it because it is simple enough to be read by a young Christian and robust enough for leaders to use to strengthen the Church. "
–RAPHAËL CHARRIER, pastor of the Evangelical Christian Church of Grenoble; blogger on toutpoursagloire.com

“Conversion is essential, but it is poorly understood. Lawrence exposes this reality to us and explains in a simple and compelling way what the Bible teaches about it. This little book is a great gift.
–MARK DEVER, pastor of Capital Hill Baptist Church, Washington, D.C.; 9Marks President

"This resource on discipleship is sure to be a success; it is clear, brief and practical, pastoral, relevant and faithful to the Scriptures. Each line in each chapter encourages deep discussions about what the Word teaches about evangelism, conversion, and the Church. I am so grateful that Michael Lawrence wrote this book. I will refer to it often. "
–GLORIA FURMAN, co-author of the book The feminine ministry centered on the Word

" Down to earth, clear, practical, unambiguous, this book offers a compelling and biblical summary of the nature and necessity of conversion. It’s an excellent book. »
–DAVID F. WELLS, Emeritus Research Professor at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and author of the book The Courage to Be Protestant: Truth Lovers, Marketers, and Emergents in the Postmodern World

“This book is biblical and extremely relevant to pastors and their sheep. Michael Lawrence hits the nail on the head when it comes to the conversion experience. Being born again is not the result of superficial, emotional, human-motivated prayer. This book calls us to re-examine the scriptures to see that conversion is a divine work from start to finish, which should be evident in how true disciples live in obedience to Christ out of love; in their desire to belong to a local Church where they are accountable; and in the way they live the gospel in holiness and take part in evangelism. Conversion requires repentance, and repentance requires the work of the Holy Spirit. I am delighted that this book was published in a time like this. "
–MIGUEL NÚÑEZ, Senior Pastor of the International Baptist Church in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; President of Wisdom & Integrity Ministries

“In this crucial book, Michael Lawrence paints a clear picture of biblical theology of conversion. The point here is not to say that conversion makes people nice, since you can be nice without being converted. On the other hand, since it is possible to feel converted and not to be, conversion is not subjective. Lawrence asserts that conversion begins with God (regeneration) and bears fruit in man (repentance and faith). This overabundance of divine grace enables us not only to repent and believe, but also to join the people God created in Jesus Christ. In short, conversion culminates in belonging to a local Church. I warmly recommend this book. "
–JONAS MADUREIRA, Senior Pastor of the Reformed Baptist Church in São Paulo, Brazil

" True conversion is not an appearance of 'kindness', it does not depend not a decision taken years ago either. True conversion is nothing less than rebirth, new creation, and new life in Christ. This book offers a clear and persuasive account of conversion according to the scriptures. It demonstrates how essential it is for every believer and every church to have a righteous understanding of it. I highly recommend it. "
–CONSTANTINE R. CAMPBELL, Associate Professor of the New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

" With theological precision and simple, accessible language, Michael Lawrence guides us to through the scriptures and help us understand what a true conversion is and what are the fruits that attest to it. This is a book that I would like to put back into the hands of every member of our Church. "
–SUGEL MICHELEN, pastor of the Iglesia Bíblica del Señor Jesucristo in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

" If there is a subject where Satan has tried to sow confusion is that of the nature of true conversion. What would be the best way to condemn religious people to hell if not to make them mistakenly believe that they are converted? Michael Lawrence clarifies this point for us based on the often forgotten truth of regeneration, which is the foundation of conversion. He ends by presenting the practical implications of this truth when viewed from a biblical perspective. His pen is that of a gifted writer providing pastoral advice. I strongly recommend that anyone who knows they are truly converted read this excellent book in order to avoid leading others astray. "
–CONRAD MBEWE, pastor of Kabwata Baptist Church in Lusaka, Zambia and honorary president of African Christian University in Lusaka, Zambia
Table of contents

Preface to the
Preface to the French edition
Introduction

1. BORN AGAIN, NOT KIND - The Need for Regeneration
2. SAVED, NOT SINCERE - God's Work, Not Ours
3. DISCIPLES, NOT DECISIONS - The Nature of Our Response
4. SAINTS, NOT HEALED - Implications for the Christian Life
5. DIFFERENT, NOT INFLUENCED BY MODES - Implications for the Collective Life of the Church
6. CALL, DO NOT SELL - The Implications for Our Evangelism
7. EVALUATE BEFORE YOU RECOGNIZE - The Implications for Ministry
8. CHARITABLE, NOT DRIVING - The dangers of a too pure Church

Conclusion
Notes
Index of subjects
Index of biblical references

Details
Original title : Conversion
Author : Michael Lawrence
Publisher: Cruciforme
Publication : March 2019
Pages : 176
ISBN : 978-2-924595-52-7
Dimensions : 5 "x 7 "
Format : paperback
Weight : 166 g
Related resources

Read an extract

Blog articles

The Necessity to Be Born Again - Returning to the Gospel
The Doctrine of Regeneration: Its Importance for Christians and Churches - Returning to the Gospel
Saved by the Grace of God - Returning to the Gospel
Conversion Requires Faith - Returning to the Gospel
To be holy means to be put leaves for a new master - Returning to the Gospel
Do I believe? Please tell me - Return to the Gospel
A sacrificial love - Return to the Gospel
True repentance - Return to the Gospel

Customer Reviews

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D
Danny
Une agréable surprise

La brièveté et la simplicité du titre de cet ouvrage sont trompeuses. On nous y donne la description de ce qu’est la conversion biblique et on nous relate des exemples des nom-breux mauvais plis pris par l’Église moderne dans l’évangélisation. Voici quelques cita-tions : « Ceci est à la fois un livre théorique et pratique (…) sur la conversion et sur l’Église. […] Montrez-moi votre doctrine de la conversion et je vous dirai à quoi res-semble votre Église. » (p. 24) « La vérité du renouvellement que Dieu opère dans nos vies a d’énormes répercussions sur la vie de l’Église. » (p. 37) Pour authentifier notre salut, « Paul ne nous dit pas d’examiner nos décisions passées ou si nous nous sentons spirituels. Il dit aux chrétiens d’examiner leurs vies présentes. » (p. 74) « Jésus nous a dit de faire des disciples. Pas des décisions, pas des convertis, mais des disciples. » (p. 76)

N
Nathanaël

Ce livre fait partie de la série Building Healthy Churches publiée par 9Marks (et traduite par Publication Chrétienne), dont j’ai lu la plupart des ouvrages, sur la discipline d’Eglise, les anciens, le discipulat, l’évangélisation, entre autre. Mais je dois dire que La conversion, de Michael Lawrence, est celui qui m’a le plus marqué. J’ai remarqué en discutant avec des frères que mon expérience était similaire à la leur : ils se sont tous, à un moment ou l’autre, reconnu dans ce que décrivait l’auteur sur l’expérience de conversion. Si vous vous dites chrétien et que vous lisez ce livre, il vous parlera certainement, que vous soyez sincère, ou hypocrite. Cela peut paraître provocateur mais je le dis volontairement, car c’est aussi dans cet esprit que le livre a été écrit. Nous savons très bien que dans toute Eglise locale il y a des chrétiens authentiques et des chrétiens imposteurs, et cela pour différentes raisons présentées dans ce livre.

J’ai apprécié la manière à la fois douce et ferme avec laquelle Michael Lawrence présente le problème grave des fausses conversions produites par un Evangile corrompu d’une manière ou d’une autre. Ses premiers chapitres sont construits autour du schéma "vérité/imposture". Cela permet d’abord de déconstruire les mauvaises conceptions de l’Evangile et de la conversion, avant d’aboutir aux implications que cela a pour notre vie chrétienne au sein et en dehors de l’Eglise, pour notre évangélisation, et pour le ministère.

Je crois que c’est par la manière sincère et directe avec laquelle l’auteur aborde ces thèmes que tout chrétien finit par se reconnaitre dans les lignes de ce livre. Je pense notamment à ceux qui ont grandit dans des familles chrétiennes, dans l’Eglise, entendant pendants des années des enseignements moralistes ou légalistes, croyant que c’était cela l’essence de l’Evangile et du christianisme, se rendant compte des années plus tard qu’il n’en était rien. Pour ceux qui sont dans cette situation et qui n'en ont pas encore pris conscience, ce livre peut les amener à réaliser qu'ils se trompent sur leur compréhension de l'Evangile et de leur conversion.

Une de mes craintes était que ce livre débouche sur la conception d’une Eglise absolument pure uniquement constituée de régénérés. Bien que je partage le désir tout à fait légitime et biblique de l’auteur de voir l'Eglise purifiée par le Saint Esprit à travers la Parole de Dieu, j’ai trouvé très pertinent et appréciable le fait qu’il conclue son livre par un chapitre dédié à ce risque en particuliers. Cela permet au lecteur de ne pas finir ces pages avec une vision irréaliste de l’Eglise dans l’attente du retour de Christ, en cherchant à dénicher tous les non-régénérés dans son assemblée et à les expluser. Comme le dit Michael Lawrence : "l'Eglise n'est pas pour ceux qui qui sont déjà arrivés au Paradis, mais pour ceux dont l'espoir et l'attente sont tournées vers celui-ci" et ailleurs "La communauté de l'Eglise est l'école de la foi, et non le panthéon de la foi".

En résumé, vous ressortirez de ce livre avec une bonne définition de l’Evangile et de la conversion authentique telle que la Bible les décrit, ainsi que des raisons pour lesquelles ce sujet est crucial pour la vie du chrétien et de l’Eglise du Christ.

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A lire absolument

Voici u livre bien conçu dans un français actuel et qui pose clairement les questions. N'oublions pas que nous sommes tous appelés à faire des disciples et donc d'etre bien au clair sur cette question.