Dr Paul Allen

We should take notice of what Jesus did not say in the Great Commission. He did not say, "Go therefore and make converts of as many people as possible." All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matt. 28:18-20) One of the most exciting times of my life was when I was first converted to Christ. I was filled with a zeal for evangelism. However, much to my consternation, when I told my friends about my conversion to Christ, they thought I was crazy. They were tragically amused, remaining unconvinced despite my sharing the gospel with them. Finally, they asked me, "Why don't you start a class and teach us what you have learned about Jesus?" They were serious. I was elated. We scheduled a time to meet, and I got ...

Over the years I’ve seen that one of the most powerful moments in a new believer’s life is the realization that there is such a thing as a false convert. The sudden realization that salvation is not dependent on a prayer, a baptism or family history propels true believers to a whole other dimension in their walk with Christ . They begin to examine themselves properly ( 2 Cor 13:5), they become more evangelistic, they care more about theology and they appreciate being at church so much more. Understanding the fact that false converts are a reality is so important for those who call themselves Christians. There are few things more disappointing than when someone from our church walks away from the Lord. Especially when you’ve spent countless hours not only teaching and disciplining that person, but you have shared a myriad of hours of ministry with him. Maybe at some point in the grieving process, you will wonder why you weren’t able to tell that he was a false convert. M...