Facing death to converting to Christ | with Steven Bishop

·34 min·3 clips

Stephen Bishop felt he would die if he didn't leave Utah, leading to a profound spiritual crisis and eventual rebirth.

The episode features Stephen Bishop discussing his non-traditional conversion to Christ. He starts by explaining how he felt compelled to leave Utah, moving to Chandler, Arizona, where he later returned to Utah after nine years. Stephen details a miraculous experience in April 2013 that led to his spiritual rebirth, which he documents in his book 'Putting on Christ'. He contrasts the journey to the church with the journey to knowing Christ personally. Stephen recounts three ER visits where he believed he was dying, which forced him to repent and make a 'heavenly wager' on Christ. He emphasizes that salvation comes from knowing God experientially, not just from testimonies or church ordinances. The host relates this to themes from General Conference about covenants as relationships. Stephen explains the difference between the gift of the Holy Ghost and the actual reception of the Holy Ghost, likening it to a Pentecostal outpouring. He discusses the need for broken-hearted repentance and being led into a 'dark and dreary waste' as part of spiritual rebirth. Stephen addresses how even young or righteous individuals need this rebirth, citing Bruce R. McConkie's writings. He describes the importance of crying out for mercy and relying wholly on Christ's merits. Stephen mentions using tools like Citation Index to research prophetic teachings on rebirth. He concludes by encouraging listeners to affirm willingness to give up all to know Christ, promising to provide scriptural citations for his claims.

As heard by us

A startling move leads into a searching conversation about testimony, sanctification, and spiritual rebirth.

Stephen Bishop's conversion story opens on an arresting spiritual warning: leave Utah or die. Saints Unscripted traces that move from Utah County to Chandler, Arizona, then follows Bishop into an account of rebirth, cleansing, and a theology of conversion that goes beyond…

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Why you'd press play

If a warning to leave Utah opens into a searching conversation about conversion, you have your doorway in.

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