Now what? What is the next step?
Congratulations! As a new believer, you have received the gift of eternal life (John 3:16; 10:10) and you are saved from eternal death (hell), which means when you die, you will step into Heaven with God and the angels forever. Your sins have been forgiven and you have been given a fresh start (Romans 4:7) and you have begun your relationship with God’s Son, Jesus Christ.
In addition to the wonderful blessing of going to Heaven one day, here are some important ‘next steps’ in developing your relationship with God.
First, as a new Christian, begin reading the Bible. There are many helpful translations. I recommend NIV, New International Version. But if you want a really easy-to read Bible, I highly recommend the New Living Translation and The Passion Translation and also The Message. To sample some of today’s translations, you can go to websites such as BibleGateway.com or YouVersion.com. I recommend that you begin your reading the Gospel of Luke to read for yourself what God’s Son, Jesus Christ taught and did during His time on earth.
Second, as a new Christian, begin praying. Prayer is simply talking with God. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that prayer is like magic that can grant wishes, as if God was like a genie in the sky. Prayer is simply sharing your thoughts and feelings with your Heavenly Father. If we desire to know God more deeply, we must communicate with Him regularly. Throughout each day, give thanks to God, ask Him to help you when you’re worried or upset or confused, and pray for others, asking for God’s best to happen to others and yourself.
Third, as a new Christian, be baptized. Water baptism symbolizes your new life in Christ and demonstrated that you are now following Jesus’ teachings. Even Jesus was baptized (Luke 3:1-22), and He calls His followers to also be baptized. Baptism was practiced by the very first followers of Jesus in Acts 2:41. If you come to our church, Antioch United Methodist Church, we would be glad to baptize you, either by sprinkling, pouring, or full immersion in a pool or lake.
Fourth, as a new Christian, worship God in with other Christians. Come to church and worship God, that helps to keep God first, celebrate your faith, and fill your heart and mind with God’s light and truth. Jesus began with 12 disciples or students, and that grew into the largest religion in the world, with billions of Christians. We welcome you to join us at Antioch United Methodist Church at 8:30 or 11:00 a.m. on Sundays at 3614 N. State Highway H in Springfield. The Church is a family of believers who will support you and encourage you and be your friends.
You can also learn more about God and being a Christian on my YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWxpvC2JwuJ1hvDWKshANjQ
And our Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/antiochunitedmethodistchurch
Fifth, as a new Christian, help others. Jesus tells us in the Bible to love one another, serve one another, encourage one another, etc. The more of God’s love you have in your heart, the more you will want to help others. The Holy Spirit will lead you in ways to help. You might serve the poor in your community, assist a neighbor with yard work, or visit a sick friend in the hospital. The Spirit will inspire you in your heart to show God’s love (1 John 3:17-18). In our church, we package food for the needy at Ozarks Food Harvest and we give out food on the first Friday of each month. We also have opportunities to serve God in our church.
Sixth, as a new Christian, tell someone about your faith. Becoming a child of God is not a secret; it’s a celebration! Tell someone that you have become a believer, that you got saved, that God lives in you. In some cases, other people will come to faith in Jesus through the example you share. Christians are supposed to share the hope within us with others (1 Peter 3:15-16).
Remember, these are simply helpful tips on how to grow in your new faith; they are not a list of requirements to become a Christian or go to Heaven. You have been saved by a gift of God called grace, that you received when you prayed to begin your relationship with God. You are now a child of God, a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven. (Ephesians 2:8-9). We would love to meet you. Join us Sunday at Antioch United Methodist Church at 8:30 or 11:00 a.m. at 3614 N. State Highway H in Springfield.
