Books You Should Read: Transformed

Lance Mosher’s Transformed: a Spiritual Journey (originally Conformed, Reborn, Transformed: a Spiritual Journey) is the autobiographical account of one man’s journey from being lost in sin to coming into contact with the saving blood of Christ and his ever-growing walk with his Savior. If you do not want to know anything more before reading the book itself, I highly recommend you click the link at the beginning of this paragraph and either order a copy of the book to read as soon as possible or buy the audiobook and begin listening immediately. None of the links present are affiliate links of any kind; the book is worth buying, full stop.

About the Author

My perception of Transformed is going to be at least somewhat biased because I happen to know Lance. He was the associate intern preacher for the Finger, TN Church of Christ from 2010-2012. I was a member at Finger during his entire tenure there, and I became his successor at Finger upon his departure into mission work in New Zealand, where he still serves today. Lance also runs the website TopicalBibleStudies.com, a website devoted to producing videos considering a wide variety of topics (YouTube link here, if you prefer).

What has always been striking about Lance’s work is the thoughtfulness and compassion that seem to permeate everything he does. He never comes across as condescending, and everything I’ve ever witnessed him do has been for one purpose: to save souls. These characteristics are present throughout his first book, Transformed.

1 Peter 2:9: a Test Case

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

Lance describes in the preface what his readers are about to read by saying Transformed is his “spiritual autobiography” (p. ii of the preface). This is an accurate description of the pages that follow, and thus a fulfillment of the purpose bestowed upon Christians in 1 Peter 2:9 - tell people about Jesus and what he has done for you. Transformed may very well be the best modern expression of this purpose in written form. The writing is clear and straightforward, and the aforementioned thoughtfulness and compassion is on full display here. Lance manages to focus on and address his own shortcomings throughout his journey without ever coming across as condescending to anyone else around him. This is not a book about other people’s heretical beliefs; this is a book about how one person who was far from God came to know his Savior and live accordingly.

My copy is, well, kind of beat up, so here’s the stock image from the World Video Bible School product page.

Evaluation

While every single person who picks up Transformed stands to gain something from its pages, there are two audiences that might particularly benefit from Lance’s spiritual autobiography. First, people who are searching for the truth will benefit immensely from reading Transformed. The abstract for the book here even mentions that the book is meant to be used as a tool for evangelism. The humility with which the book is written makes the book accessible to those who would otherwise be turned away by the slightest hint of self-righteousness. The engaging style will appeal to virtually everyone who reads. Congregations should consider picking up copies of this book and using them in helping to evangelize those lost souls around them.

There is also a second audience for the book that, as far as I can tell, is never addressed directly in the book or any related material: those of us who have “grown-up” in the church. I, like some of you who are reading this, have always felt at home within the church. There are many different ways I have been blessed because of this, but I struggle, at times, to empathize with people who come from a different background; a struggle which can lead to difficulty connecting with the lost if left unchecked. In this regard, Transformed provides grounds for connection. Obviously, specific contexts will vary from individual to individual - no two souls truly have the same story - but having an honest, straightforward account of a person whose journey to faith started outside the walls of the local Church of Christ’s building has done immeasurable good for my ability to connect with the lost. If you “grew-up” in the church, I cannot recommend this book enough. You should read Transformed.

(World Video Bible School Publishing, 2015; 238 pages)