Russell Brand: When Criminals Convert to Follow Jesus Christ

Russell Brand: When Criminals Convert to Follow Jesus Christ 2025-11-05T12:00:18+00:00

Can Jesus save notorious Criminals?
Can Jesus save notorious Criminals? Russell Brand

Russell Brand has interviewed his first Christian on his podcast. He chose the notorious Ex-Drug Smuggler, Michael Emmett, who is now a major part of the Prison Alpha movement. He was introduced to Holy Trinity Brompton whilst in prison via his wife’s friend Sam Fox.  His testimony features a falling of the Holy Spirit on a group of prisoners during what sounds like it was the time of the Toronto Blessing.  He describes encountering the power of the Holy Spirit which overwhelmed him with peace and healed his troubled mind.

It is an interesting choice for  Russell Brand to interview Michael Emmett, not least because as far as I am aware Russell Brand continues to be under investigation for claims (which he strongly denies) that he committed historic sex abuse crimes when he was a famously promiscuous celebrity.

One thing is for certain, Christians must never forget that Jesus is in the business of giving second chances to ANYONE no matter what they are accused of doing.  We must not allow cancel culture to warp us into cynics.  When we hear of a notorious conversion, it is understandable to want to wait and see what the impact of it is on the person’s life. Well with Michael Emmett there is no doubt that the impact has been huge for him and many other prisoners.

Russell Brand describes his guest as follows:

Michael Emmett grew up in London and Sins of Fathers is his first book. He was a career criminal, that made $17 million during his time as a drug smuggler…however Michael’s life was transformed during his time in prison. He credits his miraculous life-change to his faith in God. Since his release from prison, he has helped prisoners and ex-offenders. You can get his book Sins of the Fathers

Video Testimony

Podcast

READ MORE

Russell Brand Baptised a Christian to Leave His Sins Behind

Russell Brand: “No Material Thing Will Work for you EVER!”

Jesus Commands: Follow Me

A Relationship with the Risen Jesus: Christian Experience

What was the Toronto Blessing: Move of Holy Spirit or fraud?

Send a Resurrection: Revival in History and Today

Worship: Are Physical Expressions and Emotions Essential?

What is the Baptism in the Holy Spirit? Receiving Assurance

About Adrian Warnock
The resurrection of Jesus changes everything. Just not all at once. Healing takes time. Compassion and patience carry us over a lifetime of change.
These are the themes I explore in my books and in the articles I have written for Patheos since 2003.

My writing draws on my scientific training as a doctor and psychiatrist, my work in the UK's National Health Service and the pharmaceutical industry, alongside more than twenty-five years as a member of a growing church where I served on the leadership team offering pastoral care.

My perspective has also been shaped by chronic illness since 2017, when I developed life-threatening pneumonia that caused lasting damage to my body, triggered several further conditions, and uncovered a diagnosis of blood cancer. This was successfully treated, although doctors expect it to return in the future. Out of these experiences I founded Blood Cancer Uncensored, an online patient-led support community.

I am the author of the Transformed by Jesus: Spiritual Renewal series of books, which ask:

→ Is the Easter story true, and what does it mean?

Raised With Christ: How the Resurrection Changes Everything

→ Why is change so difficult? What causes the resistance?

The Traitor Within: Understanding and Healing Our Deceitful Hearts

→ How does transformation happen over time?

Amazing Grace: How Faith Grows in the Human Heart

→ What are the first steps on a journey of faith?

Hope Reborn: How to Become a Christian and Live for Jesus

These books bring together medical, psychological, social, and faith-based insights, advocating for a biopsychosocial–spiritual model of wellbeing. My qualifications and training reflect this integrated background:

→ British MB BS medical degree (equivalent to an MD in the USA)

→ Postgraduate qualifications in Psychiatry (MRCPsych) and Pharmaceutical Medicine (MFFM, DipPharmMed)

→ Theological training courses run by Newfrontiers


You can read more about the author here.
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