becoming a christian

Asked about his conversion and if he found Christians he admired, Tim Keller responds very interestingly,

I saw a small group of people. They seemed thoughtful. You have to have a group of people who embody the kind of Christian you would be if you became a Christian. You say, "These are people like me, or people I would like to be like," and, "I see how their Christianity plays a role in their life so I can start to envy that role and maybe I would like to have it too.

I find that a fascinating insight - and an important one for the church. Of course, it's not a rule. But I do think it's a helpful observation.