Beginning Well

This last week I wrote about conversion, and now I'd like to recommend a book on the topic. The book is Beginning Well, by Gordon T. Smith.

It is worth picking up this book for the chapter on second-generation Christians. A lot more energy has been devoted to reaching those outside the church than has been given to the conversion of the children of believers. There are clears rights of passage for those coming to faith from outside the church, but we often expect the children of believers to somehow slip onto the faith. Smith explores some positive ways we can help the children of believers navigate their own ownership of the faith. This chapter is very practical and a must read for parents, pastors, and anyone concerned with youth.

Beyond that, I highly recommend the rest of the book. Evangelicals value the transformational work of Christ. It is one of our defining beliefs. Yet, very little has been written on conversion lately. Smith believes that an incomplete understanding and exposition of conversion leads to incomplete transformation. I have found that current students coming from Christian backgrounds have a surprising small understanding of what a life of Christ brings with it. Their idea of conversion often begins and ends with an intellectual accept to God and a few moral principles. A clear idea of how God wants to work in their lives, an understanding that to follow Christ entails a personal commitment to change the world, or that conversion includes a solid, local commitment to the body of Christ.

Smith gives several biological sketches to demonstrate how prominent Christians, such as Augustine, Ignatius Loyola, John Wesley, and Dorothy Day, had more than one conversion (conversion, not salvation) experience that shaped their lives. He then gives us tools to examine our own spiritual autobiography to reflect on our growth and to see if we have embraced Christ in all parts of our lives.

The combination of strong theological content, historical observation, and personal insight make this an insightful and very helpful book.