Your decision to receive Christ as Savior is the most important decision you'll ever make. There is no greater joy in the world than to know Jesus personally, to know your sins are forgiven and to have peace in your soul. You are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) and now for the first time, you are considered a child of God and Heaven is your eternal home.
Although your decision to become a Christian is great and important, it is not all; It is the beginning. As a new believer, you are called to grow in your spiritual walk with God (1 Peter 3:18). We've laid out some practical and essential steps for you to take as you begin this new adventure as a Christian.
be baptized
Baptism is the first step of obedience for a new Christian. The first public act in the ministry of Jesus was His baptism by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:13-17). The New Testament teaches that baptism is an outward sign of an inward change (Romans 6:4). It is a public confession and testimony of what has already taken place in your life and your heart.
Baptism is about a burial and resurrection. We are buried with Christ (immersed in water) in the likeness of His death, and we are raised with Christ in the likeness of His resurrection. Not only does baptism picture the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, it also pictures the death of the old sinful life and the resurrection of a new life in Christ.
As a believer, you should be baptized because you are saved, not in order to achieve salvation (Acts 8:35-40). It is a witness of your faith in Jesus.
Pray Every Day
Jesus said, "...men ought always to pray..." (Luke 18:1) and the Scriptures also teach, "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). You should form the habit of praying daily for definite people and specific things.
A prayer list may provide help in making your prayers more meaningful. There is nothing too great and nothing too small to take to the Lord in prayer. Thank God for all He has done for you. Ask Him for the strength and help you need to live for Jesus.
Daily Bible Reading
Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). Just as you need physical food in order to sustain life, you need spiritual food (the Bible) to maintain spiritual life.
We suggest you begin in the New Testament by reading the Gospel of John or Mark. Follow this with the book of Acts. Next, read Paul's Epistle of the Romans.
Set aside a few moments at the beginning of the day for Bible study. Look for promises to claim, commandments to obey, for examples to follow and sins to avoid. Memorize key verses such as John 3:16. Your growth as a Christian will be directly related to your personal application of the Word of God.
Witness For Christ
The greatest work in the world is soul winning and every Christian can, and should, bring others to Christ (Acts 1:8). Try to speak naturally and cheerfully everyday to someone about Christ. The Bible says, "He that winneth souls is wise" (Proverbs 11:30).
Remember you are a witness by what you do as well as by what you say. At home, work or school, there should be something about you that is different: love, patience, understanding. Then tell someone about Jesus who made the difference.
Tithe Your Income
Tithing (giving a tenth) of your income is the Biblical method of supporting God's work (1 Corinthians 16:2). God says to bring the tithe into the "storehouse," meaning the local church. Your church is your storehouse of spiritual food, blessing and service, so this is the proper place to give your tithe.
"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse... and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of Heaven and pour out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." Malachi 3:10. The right use of money is a test of character. If you are dishonest to God in money matters, you cannot grow spiritually.
Attend Church Faithfully
The Christian life is not just our own private affair. It is to be a family affair in which we enjoy fellowship with our Heavenly Father and with each other. Every Christian should unite with a local, Bible-believing church and share its worship, its fellowship and its witness (Ephesians 5:25).
Every Christian, young and old, needs the inspiration and information gained in a church worship service. If you try to live the Christian life alone, failure will result. In unity, there is strength. Through the church, you can render service to a lost and dying world.
At Crossway, you can worship with us on Sundays at 9:30 or 11:00am. You can also join us for worship on Wednesday evenings at 6:30pm.