What does conversion mean?

What is a conversion experience?

Knowing God through Conversion

• To define conversion• To describe examples

of religious conversion• To explain how

conversion can change someone’s life

ConversionConversion literally means – to radically change your life because of something you saw or realised. Which of these experiences could lead to a conversion – a radical change ?

You realise you are actually quite intelligent.

You suddenly realise you are gifted with an amazing voice or football dribbling skills.

You realise you really

like girls/ boys

You suddenly realise

that being good at

English/ Maths is

going to get you your

dream job.

You realise this government is actually wrong and you have a much clearer political ideas about how people should live.

You suddenly realise this world is on the brink

of ecological disaster and you have to do

something about it.

1. Write a definition of what “Conversion” means.

2. Describe something you realised that has made a real difference to your life

You realise that people find you physically attractive

Religious ConversionIs life changing because you suddenly realise that God is real and very close to you.

How could this realisation change someone? Mindmap the ways.

**Is a religious conversion more life changing than other kinds of “conversion” ? Compare with another example of conversion.

Try not to sin

Spend more time in prayer

Spend more time thinking about what God could want from you

Spend more time reading the Bible/ learning RE, to get to know this God

Try to follow Jesus’ teachings more carefully

Try and use your time in a good way

Try to please God in behaving & serving others

Go to the Sacraments more often

1. At what point did Peter realise that the Lord was very close and real to him?

2. Why did Peter feel unable to react joyfully to this realisation?

3. What did Peter get to understand about God through his conversion experience?

**How do you think Peter’s conversion changed his life? Think about the points on your previous mindmap.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”(D)

5 Simon answered, “Master,(E) we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything.(F

) But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.(G) 7 So they signalled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”(H) 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid;(I) from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.(J)

Watch the video. At what point does St Peter “become converted” to the Lord ?

Knowing God through Conversion

HW The Conversion of St Paul• Read Acts 9:1- 19 . 1. Summarise the story of St Paul’s

Conversion on the Road to Damascus2. Explain how the experience changed

his life – how did he change?3. Illustrate it with a picture from one

part of the story.(or you can do a story board but with

detailed labels about what is happening)

Is Conversion a good way of knowing God? What can it tell you about God?

Conversion Traffic Lights

If you don’t know what conversion means or can’t think of an example

If you can explain what religions conversion is, and describe an example

If you can explain how religious conversion can change someone’s life

A conversion story. Marli wan’t a bad person to start with, but she was changed after seeing what Mother Teresa did. Her experience made her more dedicated to God and to the poor.

HW Research a conversion story on the internet, where someone was inspired to change their way of life to be more like God.

1. Copy/ paste the story in your book. Give the web address you got it from (for copyright)

2. Explain at what moment the person becomes converted and why.

3. Explain how the conversion makes them change their lives.

Life-changing