Welcome to your new journey of Faith in Christ!

First, find and start regularly attending a local Bible teaching church. Here are a few “requirements” to look for: The Church must believe in the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) and that Jesus Christ was both fully man and fully God. He willingly died for our sins and rose from the grave on the 3rd day. Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone. They should also believe in repentance. This is not done overnight nor is it done on our own power, but by the Holy Spirit through the Sanctification process. 

They must believe and teach that 100% of the Bible was inspired by God, True, without error, and the final authority in all matters.

     There are many different denominations to choose from. They may believe in different secondary issues that don’t determine salvation. Some examples may include music styles, dietary matters, spiritual gifts. We’ve personally attended a non-denominational Church which is also fine.

     The most important thing is that you avoid religious cults (which are not Christian, even if they claim to be) such as Mormon, Church of Latter Day Saints, 7th day adventists, Jehovah’s Witness, Catholic, Quakers, Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP), Scientology, Unitarian, etc.  The common theme is their faith is in their good works and not what Christ did for us. They are trying to “earn” their way to Heaven (which is impossible). Christ alone, not Christ plus something else.

Find a Church: https://www.churchfinder.com

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 

Ephesians 2:8-9 

      Attend a Bible teaching Church 4 weeks in row before deciding if it is a good fit.  Immediately get involved by serving (volunteering). Step out of your comfort zone, I promise you won’t regret it! Talk to other believers at Church and volunteer opportunities. If you’re an introvert, just remember that you are now in God’s family and your fellowship with other Christians is a Gift from God. Other Christians want fellowship and they care about you. 

Getting baptized is a public proclamation that you have been born again into a new creation, a disciple of Christ. You can be baptized by any fellow Christian. This does not need to be done by a Pastor, Minister, or Preacher. The new believer shall go below water and immediately be raised up. Any water source is sufficient. It should be noted that baptism is not a requirement for salvation but it is an important act of obedience. Read Acts 8:26-40

Jesus said to his disciples just before he ascended into Heaven, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19

What does it mean to be a disciple of Christ? It means to be a close follower and student of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

Jesus gave the greatest and most widely known Sermon of all time called the “Sermon on the Mount” to his disciples. In the Sermon, Jesus explains how Christians should live, obey, and trust in Him.

Read Matthew 5:1 through 7:29.

Also:

Daily reading of the Bible. The Bible is God’s word.  It’s how we grow closer to Him and learn. 

Start at the beginning in Genesis. Read one book before moving on to the next.  Read at least 1 chapter each day.  

Find a free Bible Here: https://seedtime.com/free-bible/

Jesus Promises Another Helper

15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. John 14:15-17

The Apostles Commissioned after the Resurrection 

19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you!As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

John 20:19-23

Paul explains the Holy Spirit

13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.  Ephesians 1:13-14

Believer’s have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us which is a down payment guarantee of our future inheritance. 

Watch/Listen to the following sermon to learn more about the Holy Spirit:

https://youtu.be/zbKXkpiLcfk?si=X7MAlJ235IkGAvBr

Jesus said, “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:32

In Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus explains that those who don’t repent from their sinful ways will not see the Kingdom of Heaven- even if they profess to be a Christian. 

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

You are a new creation and your old sinful self has died. 

Romans 6:1-7 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin.

Watch the following Sermons:

Part 1:

https://youtu.be/Ye781ln_iIk?si=2EXuJOBs8-dkgRrP

Part 2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZuhua6jCh8

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
    fools despise wisdom and instruction.  Proverbs 1:7

Watch the following Sermon:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T2tKj7zdqQ

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation." Mark 16:15

This is the command that our Lord Jesus Christ spoke about just before being taken up into Heaven (called The Great Commission).  

This command applies to all Christians. The gospel is the story of how Jesus Christ lived a sinless life and was the perfect sacrifice to die for our sins.  There are many methods and ways to proclaim the gospel and can be spoken, written, through songs (music).

It might help a new Believer to use written form to build confidence if he/she is lacking. Find more ideas here: Evangelism tools