Important Christian Converts No One Talks About

Shutterstock.com

Christianity was built on converts. Without the many conversions it has enjoyed over the years, Christianity would have died out long ago. Today, there are many people who are born to Christian parents and then raised Christian. There are also, however, a steady stream of converts to Christianity from other religions. Christians are also encouraged to attempt to convert others through evangelism and discussions about faith.

Given that converts hold such an important place in Christianity, it is not surprising that many Christian blogs and worship services focus on converts. The Bible stories that tell of people coming to believe in Christ both before and after his death are always popular, and conversion testimonies are ever present at Christian events. Despite this emphasis on converts, though, some important converts to Christianity get limited attention in worship services and discussions of Christian history. They are, simply, left out of the discussion. In fact, some people may forget that these converts existed in the first place. Given how important they were to Christianity’s survival and growth, it seems unfair that modern Christians ignore them and their stories. Here are some important converts to Christianity that no one talks about.

The Faithful Canaanite Woman

Public Domain

Christ saved both gentiles and Jews, but He did not initially reach out to the gentiles. His original preaching was directed only toward the Jews. That did not, however, stop gentiles from noticing the strange Jewish man who preached such radical ideas and did such incredible miracles. One of those gentiles was a Canaanite woman who was never named. She appears in Matthew 15 when she begged Jesus to free her daughter from the demons who were possessing her. Initially, Christ did not answer her, but when she would not stop following Him and calling for His help, He told her He “was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel…[and] it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” The woman, however, was not deterred by Jesus’ refusal. Instead, she said, “Yes it is [wrong to do so,] Lord, [but] even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Christ responded by praising her faith and healing her daughter.

Saving the Canaanite woman’s daughter was one of Jesus’ many miracles, but it is not one that is normally given much focus. The tale, however, is more important than many people realize. The story of the faithful Canaanite woman is the beginning of a shift in the Bible where Jesus slowly focuses less on the Jews and more on reaching out to the gentiles. It was through healing the Canaanite woman’s daughter that the conversion of the gentiles began.

The Penitent Thief

Public Domain

When Jesus was crucified, there were two men who were crucified beside Him. One of them mocked Jesus and claimed that He should be able to save all three of them if He was the Messiah. The second man, however, rebuked the first. “’Don’t you fear God,’ he said, ‘since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in paradise.’”

The man who appealed to Jesus on the cross is often called the Penitent Thief. He was likely not a thief at all, but a rebellious slave or political agitator given that crucifixion was most commonly applied to those seen as acting against Rome. Regardless of his crime, the Gospel of Luke shows that the Penitent Thief was the last person Christ saved as a human being. In fact, Luke suggests that the Penitent Thief was the final person Christ spoke to before His death.

Cornelius the Centurion

Public Domain

According to the Acts of the Apostles, Cornelius was a Roman centurion from the Italian Regiment. He had a vision one day and was told by an angel to “send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter.” Cornelius did as he was told and convinced Peter to come to his house. There, Peter spoke of how “God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears Him and does what is right.” Peter then baptized Cornelius and his family.

The baptism and conversion of Cornelius stand out because Peter so clearly states that God’s grace is meant for both gentiles and Jews. Until then, Peter had continued to favor the Jews in his ministry. It is also notable that Cornelius is a Roman centurion. Not only did Cornelius serve in the army, he was a professional officer and authorized to discipline Roman citizens. Centurions were highly trained even by the standards of the Roman army and were known for their “size, strength and dexterity in throwing [their] missile weapons and for [their] skill in the use of [their] sword and shield; in short for [their] expertness in all the exercises” as well as, unusually, their literacy. No man could become a centurion without letters of recommendation from other soldiers and officers.

Cornelius, in short, was the exact sort of man that had been hunting the Apostles, killed Jesus and shattered multiple Jewish rebellions. He was the image of the enemy of both the Jews and Christians. Yet, when Cornelius believed, Peter treated him no differently than any other convert. Cornelius was judged by his heart and soul, not his profession and nationality.

Lydia of Thyatira

Berthold Werner/Wikicommons

Lydia of Thyatira appears in chapter 16 of the Acts of the Apostles. She was a Greek Macedonia living in a Roman settlement in what is now the western part of modern Turkey. She was a merchant who sold purple cloth or dye, a rare and valuable commodity in the ancient world. When Paul and his companions arrived in Philippi, Lydia insisted on offering them hospitality. To modern readers, the fact that Lydia offered a group of foreigners a place to stay does not seem all that unusual. After all, the Bible is filled with tales of people giving the Apostles a place to rest even though the disciples were strangers. Lydia’s tale, however, would have been astounding in ancient times given that Lydia did not need or ask for a man’s consent before opening her hope to a group of men. She was the head of the household and owner of her own home. That Paul and the other men accepted such a bold offer from this newly converted woman shows the radical approach early Christians took toward equality. Most men would have balked at dealing with a woman of such social power or at least questioned her about her husband, brother, father or son given that it should be a man making the offer. Paul and his companions, however, appear to simply have accepted it as perfectly normal that a woman could have such control over her own life and household.

Priscilla

Welcome Collection

Priscilla does not get nearly enough interest or attention given how important she was to the growth and survival of Christianity. She and her husband, Aquila, appear repeatedly in the New Testament. They are referenced first in Acts 18 and later in Romans, 1 Corinthians and 2 Timothy. In 2 Timothy, Priscilla is written as “Prisca.” Prisca is the more formal version of Priscilla.

According to Paul’s own words, Priscilla and Aquila saved his life at risk to their own. Had they not intervened, Paul would have died long before his mission was complete. The couple are also believed to have assisted in founding the church in Corinth.

Though both Priscilla and Aquila played a vital role in the Bible, Priscilla is of special interest for a variety of reasons. First, Priscilla had incredible power and independence for a woman of the time. According to ancient tradition, she should have been little more than the property of her husband. Instead, she was his partner in ministry, and half of the mentions of the couple have Priscilla’s name written first. Furthermore, Priscilla is believed to have been the author of the Book of Hebrews. Hebrews is the only book in the New Testament to be without a named author. Some believe that this was done deliberately to keep the epistle from being suppressed due to its female authorship.

Clement of Alexandria

Public Domain

Clement of Alexandria was one of the early Church fathers and one of the most significant. He was born in roughly 150 A.D. There is debate whether his birthplace was Alexandria in Egypt or in Athens in Greece. Regardless of where he was born, he grew up in a pagan household and was taught his parent’s pagan religion. As a religious insider, he was intimately familiar as an adult with both pagan mythology and the secrets of the pagan mystery religions. Following his conversion to Christianity, he used that extensive and intimate knowledge of pagan religions to his advantage. He converted other pagans to Christianity and used his pagan background in his writings. Unusual for such ancient documents, Clement’s three major works—“Protrepticus,” “Paedagogus” and “Stromata”—survived to this day intact as did “Who is the Rich Man Who is Saved?” an extensive meditation on the implications of Mark 10:25.