So you’ve been listening to the “Share the Word Podcast”, you’ve understood the gospel message and made the decision to receive Jesus as your savior and turn your life toward following him . . . And now you’re thinking, “What comes next?” Congratulations on making the most important decision you’ll ever make by the way (!) and read on for some suggestions about where to go from here . . .
Remember from early in our series—Episode 3–Jesus used the terminology “born again” for this momentous personal decision. When we “believe into Him” it’s a spiritual “new birth”, He said. Realize that, not only does God see you as forgiven and righteous in His eyes now, but you are also now like his newborn child. So, what do babies need? What do infants require to grow up and grow strong?
Well, you need nourishment for one thing. So, #1. Keep listening to Share the Word! We have no deeper agenda than to help people discover the gospel, and for those who believe it, educate them in the New Testament’s “Big Ideas”, the concepts we need to understand in order to internalize what God has revealed to us.
The New Testament actually describes itself as both “milk” and “meat”. Milk is for babies, for new believers. Meat is for you as you mature. But the point is, what you need to take in to grow spiritually strong is in God’s Word. So #2, Get yourself a good study Bible in an easy to read but accurate translation.The New Living Translation, New International Version, and Christian Standard Bible, are all reliable translations and pretty easy to read. By “Study Bible” I mean one where biblical scholars provide background information and insightful notes. These are easy to find at any Christian bookstore, on Amazon, Christianbook.com, etc. If $$ is an issue, you can buy one used somewhere like eBay. Listening to people’s sermons or Bible studies online is helpful for sure, but you also want to have a copy of God’s Word you can check for yourself. If you have trouble reading or just prefer to listen, audio Bibles are available to listen to free on Bible Gateway’s website.
But what else would a spiritually young believer need? Well, very importantly, the local church is a major part of God’s design for your spiritual health and growth. It’s how you should get some spiritual protection, guidance, and modeling. Most of the NT, once past the gospels, is really written in the context of local churches. By “local church” I mean, “A body of believers that meets together regularly in a local community under spiritual authority for the purposes of evangelism and edification”.That’s my classroom definition! But the tricky part is, by this point in history there are SO MANY different organizations presenting themselves as Christian churches. Getting into the wrong group can be like being placed for adoption in a very wrong family, or assigned by a court to an abusive foster home. But finding the right local church will be the best thing you will ever do for your spiritual growth and health. Unfortunately, you can’t just assume a church in this or that denomination will be a good one. Churches are made up of people after all. First I suggest you explore their website to see what they believe and what’s offered through their ministry; and then visit in person to see if it feels right to you. Remember our episode about “A Truly Successful Church”? (Episode 83). You may want to listen again to that one! It’s not really about facilities or about the size of the congregation, it’s about finding a group of believers who worship God in spirit and in truth, that are committed to teaching you God’s Word, committed to sharing the Gospel in their community, and providing members with opportunities to connect in healthy, encouraging relationships. Also, as you begin to get rooted in your faith, your local church will be the primary place you’ll be able to use your abilities and some of your time to serve others. Biblical Christianity is not all about receiving. As Jesus said, “It’s better to give than to receive”. So, as you discover how God has gifted you, you want to be in a place where you can use your gifts effectively to benefit others. Good local churches will have many opportunities.
If you do an Internet search for your area, good search terms might be “evangelical churches near my location”. Today the adjective “evangelical” is often used by those who take the Bible seriously and take the Great Commission of Jesus to share the gospel seriously. It could be a non-denominational church, a Baptist church, a Calvary Chapel, or belong to a smaller denomination like Evangelical Free Churches, CMA, or Wesleyan, etc. There are many possibilities and that’s why some research and personal visits are important. But the bottom line is, God never expected us to do Christianity alone. A good local church is like a family and a resource center in one. If you email us at info@sharetheword.org with your zip code, we may be able to assist in pointing you toward a few local churches worth checking out in your area.
In the unusual case that you are somewhere such an organization does not exist, remember Jesus once said “Where two or three gather in my name, I will be there in their midst”. Find a handful of other believers and meet together. Read a section from the New Testament together, or listen to a podcast message together. Pray for each other. Encourage each other. Maybe even bust out in a worship song or two together! “Church” doesn’t need to be complicated, but we all need to be connected to a body of believers.
Another thing God wants for us is to share our faith. The public step of believer’s baptism is important. That’s kind of new believer’s initiation, your coming out party. Getting dunked in a tank of water or in the ocean does not change anything inside you, but it publicly affirms before others your decision to receive and follow Christ, so it’s like an important spiritual marker you can look back on. Once you connect to a good local church, I’d urge you to tell a leader there you want to be baptized. Then also, look for opportunities to share your faith with friends, family, co-workers, etc. Don’t be surprised if they are not jumping for joy at your newfound faith. Some may be, others probably not. But sharing our faith is what Jesus asks all His followers to do. You don’t need to be a Bible scholar to do this, you just need to tell them what God has done in your life, and why you felt the need to receive Christ. Keep in mind your life itself lived well before them is the best testimony.
Realize too, when you received Christ, God sent the Holy Spirit to live inside of you. The Holy Spirit will begin making some internal changes in you. You’ve probably already noticed. Cooperate with the Holy Spirit! You should see some new desires come and lose interest in some old wrong desires. But this does not mean you won’t mess up. Christians are not perfect, that’s for sure, but we are forgiven. When you realize you have disappointed God, confess any sins you’re aware of directly to Him in prayer. Ask for his strength to resist wrong temptations and to live a life pleasing to Him. Stay away from situations where you realize you are probably going to be tempted. Growing strong spiritually is a process, but with the Holy Spirit aiding you from within, along with the encouragement of Christian friends and your regular intake of God’s Word, you will keep moving in the right direction. You will grow into a more and more mature believer who understands and does the will of God.
So “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever, Amen”. (1 Peter 3:18)
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