First of all, congratulations on your decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior! As a new Christian, you are now a vital member of the family of God. Whether you accepted Christ during a church service or the Holy Spirit drew you into a relationship with Christ while you were at your home or in your vehicle, this is an exciting time in your life. Once you’ve made the decision to become a follower of Jesus, you are beginning a new life in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). This is a fresh start for you and a chance to begin a totally new existence that focuses more on the eternal than the temporary.
However, it can be difficult to know what to do next. Ideally, your church will have some sort of discipleship program targeted at helping new believers navigate these uncharted waters in their mission to live their lives according to the will of God. If the church you’re attending doesn’t offer that sort of program or if you haven’t decided on which church you will attend, it can be a little overwhelming while you try to decide what to do next. While this new chapter provides a great deal of excitement, it’s important that you understand exactly what you should do after you’ve made the decision to become a disciple of Christ.
Connect with a Local Church
God’s ability to save your soul and forgive you of your sins isn’t contingent on your presence in a church. There are countless examples in the Bible of Christ revealing Himself to people exactly where they were and offering them the free gift of salvation. If you accepted Christ at a traditional church service, you may want to start attending the church you were at during your conversion. However, you may also want to find a church that works better for you. This need becomes even more apparent if you were saved outside of a traditional church setting.
The church that you attend isn’t as important as the fact that you find a church to connect with. The author of the Book of Hebrews worded it like this:
Hebrews 10:25 (TPT)
This is not the time to pull away and neglect meeting together, as some have formed the habit of doing. In fact, we should come together even more frequently, eager to encourage and urge each other onward as we anticipate that day dawning
Find a local church that preaches and teaches the Word of God in its entirety. Tragically, there are some groups that have corrupted the Word of God and may try to lead people astray. If you have friends or family members who attend a church in your area, consider going with them to see if their church is a good fit for you. Establishing a connection with a local body of believers is vital for your new life in Christ.
Getting Baptized
Baptism does not earn your salvation, but it is a necessary first step in your new walk with Christ. In 1 Peter 3:21, Peter said that baptism is the “answer of a good conscience toward God.” Essentially, getting baptized shows God that you are fully committed to your new relationship with Him. In the same way that a bride and groom exchange rings during a wedding ceremony, baptism serves as an outward showing of an inward commitment.
Additionally, making the decision to be baptized serves as a way to show your family and friends that you are making a change in your life and have committed to being a disciple of Christ. Different churches have different methods of baptism. Some denominations choose to sprinkle water over the head of new believers while other congregations will have you stand in the water and be fully submerged. The method isn’t nearly as important as the act itself.
While Jesus spent much of the first 30 years of His life in near anonymity, He was baptized when He began His public ministry (Matthew 3:13-17). The baptism of Christ by John the Baptist served two purposes. First, it showed everyone who was in attendance that Jesus was fully submitting His own will to the Will of His Father. Secondly, it served as a beautiful example of how we should handle the public declaration of our own faith.
Many people are hesitant to get baptized due to a fear of water. However, ask God to give you the courage to push through this fear so you can take part in this beautiful act. The day of your baptism is a wonderful opportunity for you and the people in your life to celebrate your new life in Christ. Talk to the leader of the church that you’re attending about baptism and try to schedule your baptism as soon as possible.
Committing to Bible Study
The Bible is 66 individual books written by dozens of authors over the span of thousands of years. However, it is the written copy of God’s Word and God’s will for His people. It can be difficult to know where to start when you’re trying to tackle the best selling book in the history of the world. But committing yourself to daily time in God’s Word is a must for new believers.
Many people are hesitant to approach Bible study because they say that the Bible is too hard to understand. While it’s true that some translations are much more difficult to understand than others, we’re blessed to live in a time where there are dozens of translations readily available at your local book store and even on your phone or mobile device.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (TPT)
God has transmitted his very substance into every Scripture, for it is God-breathed. it will empower you by its instruction and correction, giving you the strength to take the right direction and lead you deeper into the path of godliness. Then you will be God’s servant, fully mature and perfectly prepared to fulfill any assignment God gives you.
The Bible is divinely inspired by God and serves to help us fully embrace His plan for each of us. If you’re not sure where to start, consider beginning your Bible reading with the Gospels (the first four books of the New Testament) before going into other books.
Spend Time in Prayer
Any relationship in your life is contingent on communication and your new relationship with Christ is no different. While God’s Word serves a way for Him to speak to you, prayer is your opportunity to speak to Him. It may sound strange, but the God of All Creation wants to hear from you. God’s desire for His people to approach Him in prayer is emphasized throughout the Bible.
Spending regular time in prayer gives you the opportunity to better develop your relationship with Christ. If you’re worried about not knowing how to pray, you can go ahead and let that fear go. There isn’t a right way or a wrong way to pray. It’s not about the words that you use. Instead, God wants us to approach Him exactly as we are.
If something is worrying you, God wants you to talk to Him about it. You don’t have to be intimidated by the fact that you’re talking to King of Kings. Instead, you can simply talk to Him like you would your closest friend. The important thing is that you spend regular time praying and communicating with God.
God has an incredible future planned for you and you’ve already taken the first step in accepting His plan for your life when you accepted His Son as your Savior. None of the works that you perform will earn God’s forgiveness, that’s not how any of this works. However, there are things that we should do once we’ve entered into a relationship with Jesus Christ.
A Closing Prayer:
God, thank You for saving me. Your grace, mercy and forgiveness have opened up an entirely new life for me and I’m excited for it to begin. Help me to grow in Your Word and in the plans that You have for me. I fully submit my will to Yours. Help me to find a church to connect with, give me a hunger for Your Word and show me opportunities in my daily life to come to You in prayer. In Christ’s name, Amen!