Matthew Mead guides Christians who wish to know whether they have taken the spiritual and emotional steps necessary to attain conversion to the faith. Mead takes a multi-faceted approach to conversion; the journey of Christians varies in length, some must walk far and do much to enter the faith. Many must try for successive years, held back by personal circumstances or persistent shortfalls of character. What keeps a person 'almost Christian' is discussed at length, with examples given of those who frequently come close, but do not quite make it and become true believers in the Lord. The central pillar of Christian belief is the admission that Christ is the keystone to all salvation; there can be no half-measures in this. Another common pitfall is refusing to accept aspects of Christ's divinity, or his prophecies or his being the Son of God. Refusing to give up a sin, be it one of pride, lust or weak will, is another trait that keeps a believer 'almost Christian'. Writing in the mid-17th century, Mead was part of the Puritan movement, working as an educator and lecturer on religious topics. He worked at multiple churches in England and in Holland, and was affiliated to the east London borough of Stepney for most of his life.
