I Just Became a Christian…Now What?

Be honest, nobody really told you what to do after you gave your life to Jesus, did they? You had this moment when you met the Lord. It was real, and it meant something. Now, you’re sitting there thinking, “Okay, now what?”

If that’s you, you’re not alone, and you’re not behind.

Salvation is the Starting Line

I am going to tell you something that might just shift your thinking. When you accept Christ and become a Christian, it’s not the finish line; you’re just getting started. That’s an exciting thought, isn’t it? You have this whole life on earth in front of you, and then there is eternity. Let that sink in for just a moment. You have your entire life to worship God.

Often, people get saved and then… nothing. They go no further in their faith. They are under the false pretense that once you accept Jesus, there is nothing more to do. That could not be further from the truth.

Jesus wants to build a relationship with you. We should want to know Him intimately. That is what you do with the rest of this earthly life. You spend it getting to know Jesus and becoming more like Him.

Here comes a big church word: you are going through, or should be going through, a process called sanctification. Sanctification means that you are becoming more Christlike every day. It is something you should aspire to every day. You’re going to fail, make no mistake. We all fail in our service to Christ. Don’t quit! I am going to give you three simple steps to get you started.

This is the beginning of a new life, not the end of a checklist.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 (ESV)

Step 1: Start Reading the Bible

So, I just talked about the relationship that God wants to have with you. How do you go about forging a relationship with Jesus? You read His book. Jesus is in the Bible from cover to cover. There is no better way to get to know Him. You will not find a better way to get to know Jesus than by reading His story. I know you will not believe it now, but you will hear Him in those pages.

The Bible is huge! Where do I start? I have good news for you. I have an answer. You’re going to start in the book of John. John is one of the four Gospels found right after the books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Why John?

The first, and best, reason to start with John is how straightforward and to the point the book is. The thesis of the whole book is found in John 20:31, which says, “But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” In this verse, John tells us exactly why he wrote the book. The first reason is so that you can believe. Second, it is so you can have life in His name. Wow! There is so much more in that verse, but for now, that is the takeaway I want you to see.

John clearly lets you know who Jesus is. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” There it is, right there in the first verse. Jesus is the Word, and the Word is God. Right away, John lets us know that Jesus was not just some wise teacher or a prophet. He is God. Period. Some people will try to muddy the waters, so it is important that you know exactly who Jesus is from the start.

The book of John is relational. This is important for building a foundation in Christ. You will see that He is relational, and that shows how relational He will be for you. You will see in John 3 Jesus’s interaction with Nicodemus; in John 4, Jesus’s interaction with the woman at the well; and in John 10, Jesus as the good shepherd. Jesus interacts with real people, which means He will interact with you. Read the Gospel of John, it’s waiting for you!

Start simple. Start with ten minutes a day. Remember, at this point you’re not trying to master the Bible, you’re trying to meet Jesus in it.

Step 2: Start Talking to God

Talk to God? Yes, talk to God. It is what we call praying. However, if I had said, "Start praying,” you would have started sweating and feeling anxious. Prayer is nothing more than a conversation with God.

You’re probably thinking that if God is all-knowing and all-seeing (and He is), why do I need to talk to Him, because He already knows. Well, you know how I have been talking about relationships? Would you go out, make a friend, and never talk to them again? I would hope not! He wants to hear from you. Here’s something else that is going to surprise you. If you are quiet, you will hear from Him in your prayers. Again, if you had a friend, you wouldn’t walk up to them, start talking, and then walk away when you’re finished. That would be the height of rudeness. It is the same way with God. Believe me, He can handle anything you throw at Him.

Prayer doesn’t have to be hard. In fact, it is easy. Find some time to get alone so you can have a conversation with God. For me, it is early morning. I have always been a morning person, but you do what works for you. Go to God with what you are feeling. Confess to Him what you are confused about. Tell Him where you struggle. We ALL struggle.

This isn’t performance art, and God isn’t looking for that. He is looking for you to be honest with Him and yourself.

Step 3: Find Community

We were never meant to be on this journey alone. God doesn’t want us to do it alone. So, find some like-minded people that you can walk out your faith with. Get involved with a church that is Bible-believing and Bible-teaching.

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV)

Some of you may get anxious at the mention of interacting with a church. Let me say this, the church IS NOT the building, it is the people. People are the church. It is not required that you meet in a big building, with a big steeple, and “CHURCH” emblazoned across the front door. Find a home church. Read up on the early church in the book of Acts; they met wherever they could. This may sound strange coming from me because I am part of the staff at a church! However, I am also a big proponent of meeting people where they are. I love Jesus, and I want others to love Him too!

It is important to be spiritually formed through a personal relationship with Jesus, but it is equally important to become spiritually formed within a community of like-minded believers. Your growth will happen so much faster when other saints surround you (you are a saint now, by the way, Paul says it many times throughout the New Testament. How cool is that).

What NOT to Stress About

When I was newly saved, I had the idea that I had to read the Bible cover to cover to be a good Christian. You don’t need to do that all at one time. You can read it all the way through; in fact, I recommend doing just that. It just doesn’t all need to be done in a week! Trust me, if you read the Bible slowly and soak it in, you will learn so much more. There are times when my plan is to read a whole book, and I will get two verses in and find something that needs further meditation. It’s okay to stop and do that.

You WILL NOT be perfect, and don’t try to be because you cannot do it. There, I said it. I often say that Christianity is the easiest and the hardest thing I have ever done. I say that because it is true. You have your whole earthly life for sanctification (becoming more like Christ); it does not have to be done in a week. You can’t do it in a week, month, or year. If you accomplish it in that short a time, that’s great news because you’re with Jesus!

God is patient. He is not rushing you. He is walking with you.

Conclusion

I know that is a lot! I am trying to give you the things I wish I had known when I came back to faith. Take these steps and make them your own. This is just the way I have found that works for me.

God bless, and have a great rest of your day.