Changed Lives
Evidence That Speaks to the Heart
The world dismisses the resurrection of Jesus and denies sin exists by claiming there is no God to Whom we’re accountable. Yet the consequences of sin are visible everywhere – broken families, addictions, violence, pride, despair, societal dysfunction and fear. Some may be convinced by historical, scientific or prophetic evidence but others are moved when they see how Jesus affected real lives. These examples from Scripture, history and modern times show how encountering Jesus changes lives.
affected Lives in the Early Days of the Church
Peter – formerly Simon and one of Jesus’ closest disciples – denied knowing Jesus three times during His trial. After Jesus forgave him and he received the Holy Spirit, Peter was one of the NT’s boldest leaders. Legend says he was eventually crucified upside down because he did not consider himself worthy to die in the same manner as his Lord.
The thief on the cross confessed his own sin, acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah and asked to be remembered by Him. Jesus assured him of salvation. This event is further evidence that salvation comes by faith and not works.
Cornelius, a Roman centurion who worshipped God, was led to Christ by Peter along with his entire household. This further revealed that Gentiles were included in the new faith.
The Ethiopian eunuch met Philip on the road where Philip explained Isaiah chapter 53 to him. He accepted Jesus as his Savior and was baptized. He likely carried his testimony back to Ethiopia where he served in the royal court.
The Roman jailer was led to Christ and baptized after God miraculously freed Peter from prison, demonstrating once again how God uses dramatic circumstances to bring people to salvation.
Saul of Tarsus – a highly trained Pharisee and fierce persecutor of Christians – was struck blind by Jesus Himself. He repented, became a believer and was renamed Paul. He wrote nearly half of the NT, mentored young Timothy, endured imprisonment and beatings and was ultimately martyred in Rome at roughly the same time as Peter. He said this:
1 Timothy 1:12–14
the Early Church and Historical Figures
Early Church martyrs included John the Baptist, Stephen, James (John’s brother), James (Jesus’ brother), all the apostles except maybe John and then later Ignatius, Polycarp, Justin Martyr and others. Execution methods included: stoning, feeding to lions, pulling apart by wild animals, cruxifixion, beheading and burning alive. Their faith even unto death strongly reinforced the early Church.
Clement of Alexandria, raised by pagan parents, became a disciple of Jesus and boldly witnessed to pagans and Gnostics. He was one of the most influential Church fathers and helped with sound Christian doctrine during the early years of the Church.
Augustine of Hippo, with a pagan father and a Christian mother, lived a decadent early life and followed Gnosticism before becoming a Christian at the age of 33. His Confessions describes his sinful youth and The City of God strengthened believers.
Thomas Aquinas dealt with self-identity but became a very influential Christian philosopher and argued against Greek atheistic philosophy. In Summa Theologica, he asserted that truth ultimately comes through faith in God.
Menno Simons argued against the doctrine of transubstantiation – the communion elements becoming the literal body and blood of Christ. He left the Roman Church, preached Anabaptist doctrine and his followers are the Mennonites.
Martin Luther was a pious man but was tormented by the belief that salvation depended on his own righteousness. His greatest opposition was to the selling of indulgences which were meant to shorten time in purgatory. In 1517, he published his 95 Theses which began the Protestant Reformation. This verse convicted him:
Romans 1:17
Blaise Pascal was a child prodigy who experienced a powerful vision of the crucifixion of Christ and was born again. His Les Provinciales challenged the Jesuits and called for a return to divine grace and moral accountability.
Jonathan Edwards, though socially awkward and intense, preached justification by faith in 1734. His preaching helped spark a revival that led to the First Great Awakening.
John Wesley, an Anglican chaplain, realized his faith was shallow during a violent storm at sea. He learned that true faith removes fear of death and experienced conversion at age 35. Working alongside George Whitefield, Wesley organized believers into small groups. His methods eventually led to the Methodist movement.
more recent influencers of the christian faith
Billy Sunday, raised in extreme poverty, became a professional baseball player. After accepting Christ at age 24, he gave up sports and became a very influential evangelist in the late 1800s and led an estimated 300,000 to Christ.
John Newton went to sea as a teenager, deserted the Royal Navy, joined the slave trade and lived a morally corrupt life. During a violent storm at sea, he cried out to God and accepted Christ. He later became an abolitionist and co-wrote Amazing Grace.
Frances Jane (Fanny) Crosby was blinded as a baby but believed God could use her anyway. She memorized large portions of Scripture, mastered multiple instruments and wrote hymns such as Blessed Assurance, Praise Him and To God Be the Glory.
Karl Barth, once a highly trained but liberal theologian, turned away from that “soft” theology and returned to a Christ-centered faith. His work profoundly influenced modern Christian theology.
T.S. Eliot, frail as a youth and deeply affected by the devastation of World War I, rejected Bertrand Russell’s humanism and embraced Christian faith. He wrote Murder in the Cathedral, a play based on Christian martyrdom.
C.S. Lewis’ mother died when he was 10 and he concluded God was cruel. He became an atheist and then a theist before finally accepting Christ. Encouraged by Christian friends like J.R. Tolkien, he became one of recent Christianity’s most influential authors, writing Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters and The Chronicles of Narnia.
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was raised in a God-fearing family but adopted Marxism and atheism. After criticizing Stalin during World War II, he was imprisoned in a Soviet gulag. While nearing death, he accepted Christ. After his release, he wrote extensively against Marxism, global atheism and moral decay in the West.
Modern Public Figures with amazing testimonies
Alice Cooper claimed he was a “prodigal child” and struggled with severe drug and alcohol addiction. He almost lost his wife before he committed his life to Christ. He immediately gave up substance abuse and rebuilt his family and life.
Amir Tsarfati, a Messianic Israeli Jew, once contemplated suicide. After seeing The Jesus Film, he accepted Yeshua (Jesus) as the Messiah. He began Behold Israel, a global ministry with hundreds of thousands of followers which connects worldwide via his Telegram and Instagram channels. He hosts frequent international conferences.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali, once Muslim, became an atheist but accepted Jesus after reading Bertrand Russell’s Why I Am Not a Christian. She says Christianity equips people to confront suffering, evil and the realities of the world.
Bob Marley followed Rastafarianism and believed Haile Selassie I was the Messiah. Later in life, he accepted Christ and was baptized prior to his death from cancer. It is reported that his final words were “Take me, Jesus.”
Carlos Santana achieved global fame as a musician but led a life of infidelity, drug use, alcohol abuse, cult involvement, broken marriages and suicide attempts. After surrendering his life to Christ, he testifies to finding peace and purpose beyond fame.
Chris Tucker rose to fame through stand-up comedy and blockbuster films but recognized that success and lewd entertainment didn’t bring fulfillment. He abandoned crude comedy routines and adjusted his career to reflect his faith in Jesus.
Dennis Quaid became addicted to cocaine during his Hollywood career, which contributed to the collapse of his marriage. After a frightening vision of his own death, he entered rehabilitation and later committed his life to Jesus Christ.
Denzel Washington drifted away from faith for a period, flunked out of college and struggled personally. After recommitting to Christ, he became outspoken about his faith, was ordained as a pastor and supports Christian causes worldwide.
Donna Summer, known as the “Disco Queen” of the 1970s, was on the brink of suicide despite fame and success. At the last moment, she cried out to God, was saved and returned to the Christian faith of her childhood.
George Foreman, a former heavyweight boxing champion, lost his final fight at age 46. Although he believed in God, a direct encounter with Jesus transformed his life. He openly shared his faith for years until his recent death.
authors, atheists and Scientists
Alister McGrath, Irish scientist and theologian, was once a staunch atheist. During undergraduate study at Oxford, he began to question his atheism and eventually became a Christian. He holds 3 doctorates from Oxford – one in molecular biophysics – and is now a strong Christian apologist.
Dr. Erez Soref, raised in a secular Jewish family in Israel, accepted Jesus after young Christians shared OT scriptures with him. He shares testimonies and the Gospel with Jewish people worldwide with One for Israel.
Dr. James Tour, a professor of chemistry at Rice University, was raised in a Jewish family in New York City. Though highly accomplished academically, he did not understand Christianity until college, where he was saved after reading Isaiah 53. His testimony can be found at jesusandscience.org.
Erwin Raphael McManus was labeled “retarded” in El Salvador but – after accepting Christ and earning a theology degree – he became pastor of Mosaic Church in Los Angeles, now a large multi-campus ministry.
J. Warner Wallace, former atheist and LA cold-case homicide detective, tried to disprove Christianity by examining the Gospel accounts as eyewitness testimony. Instead, the evidence convinced him that the resurrection was true. He became a Christian and authored Cold Case Christianity.
John Lennox, from Ireland, studied under C.S. Lewis at Cambridge University. His early theological doubts gave way to a strong faith in Christ. He is an Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at Oxford University and debates atheists like Richard Dawkins.
Lee Strobel, former atheist journalist, tried to disprove Christianity after his agnostic wife came to faith. He accepted the Bible as truth and surrendered his life to Christ. He later wrote The Case for Christ and other books.
Jackie Hill Perry experienced a painful childhood and embraced same-sex relationships as a teen. After sensing God’s calling, she accepted Jesus Christ and now serves as an author, Bible teacher and spoken-word artist. She is married to Preston Perry.
Cultural Voices and Public Influencers
Jay Sekulow was raised in a Jewish family but attended a small Baptist college in Atlanta. During a NT class, he wrote a paper on Isaiah 53 which led him to become a Christian. He is now a constitutional attorney and defender of religious liberty.
Johnny Cash struggled with drug and alcohol addiction and nearly overdosed. Remembering the God of his youth, he recommitted his life to Christ, married June Carter and publicly proclaimed his faith until his death. He said:
Jonathan Cahn was raised Jewish but became an atheist at eight. After reading The Late Great Planet Earth, two near-death experiences and accepting Christ at twenty, he became a Christian pastor and wrote The Harbinger.
other well-known personalities
Jonathan Roumie (Jesus in The Chosen) was a struggling actor in Los Angeles at 40 and unable to pay his bills. After surrendering his life to God, he was contacted by Dallas Jenkins to play Jesus in this highly successful series.
Josh McDowell dismissed Christianity as “ineffective” in his youth. College friends challenged him to consider Jesus and he accepted Christ. His Evidence That Demands a Verdict and More Than a Carpenter reveal the truth of Jesus.
Kim Fields, child actress in Good Times, Diff’rent Strokes and The Facts of Life, found fame early but became angry with and doubted God. But, she remained faithful and her movie A Question of Faith and book Blessed Life testify to God’s grace.
Larry Kudlow, a respected television personality and economist, battled addiction to alcohol and cocaine despite professional success. He credits Jesus Christ for saving his life and restoring his purpose.
MC Hammer found fame and wealth with hip-hop but drifted from his Christian upbringing and fell into substance abuse. After recommitting his life to Christ, he pastored a church for a time and states that “MC” now stands for Man for Christ.
those from other faiths or no faith
Nabeel Qureshi, raised as a devout Muslim in the US, spent two years debating Christianity – specifically asking who Jesus was. Through careful study and personal struggle, he accepted Christ and later joined Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. His book Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus became a New York Times bestseller. He died from stomach cancer at the age of thirty-four.
Peter Hitchens, brother of outspoken atheist Christopher Hitchens, abandoned his childhood Christian beliefs and identified as an atheist for many years. A profound encounter with Rogier van der Weyden’s painting The Last Judgment deeply unsettled him. He eventually returned to faith and now publicly defends Christianity.
Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty was raised in poverty, lived a life of womanizing, drinking and drug abuse and deeply hurt his wife and family. After accepting Christ, he radically changed his life. His story is portrayed in the film The Blind, which emphasizes faith, repentance and restoration.
Preston Perry grew up in South Chicago and was into drugs and gangs. After witnessing the murder of a friend and later his uncle, he accepted Christ. He was discipled by believers from different backgrounds and now travels the US sharing the Gospel.
Ray Comfort, raised in a non-believing household in New Zealand, lived a carefree life until confronting his own mortality at age twenty. A Christian surfer introduced him to the reality that God could see his sinful heart. Ray accepted Christ and now leads Living Waters, an evangelistic ministry reaching people worldwide.
Rosalind Picard had no religious background and believed intelligent people did not need God. After reading the Bible and studying other religions, she accepted Christ and later described her former self as an “arrogant fool.” She is now a nationally recognized engineer and professor at MIT.
those from mixed backgrounds
Rosaria Butterfield claimed coming to Christ was a “train wreck.” She entered homosexuality in her late twenties and criticized Christianity. While researching the “Religious Right” and critiquing Promise Keepers, she investigated the Bible, humbled herself before God and accepted Jesus Christ. She wrote The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert and The Five Lies of an Anti-Christian Age, is married, has children and grandchildren and speaks openly about forgiveness through Christ.
Stephen Baldwin, youngest of the Baldwin brothers, struggled with pride and identity. His wife accepted Christ first and Stephen later surrendered his life to Jesus and shares Him worldwide.
NOTE: ALL OF THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE YOUTUBE VIDEOS THAT FURTHER DISCUSS THEIR JOURNEYS WITH JESUS.
JESUS’ INVITATION STILL STANDS FOR ANYONE WILLING TO HUMBLE THEMSELVES.