Moving Forward–What to Do as a New Christian

Now What?

So if you’re reading this page, you have probably gone through the Romans Road and have Defined worship in your life. Maybe you’re wanting to dive in more to either or both of these topics. I hope to give you some tools to consider as you further your walk with Christ.

We want to explore what options we have found, as well as get feedback from you as to what tools work for you. We’ll start with the basics: what Bibles to use, what church to go to, and what it means to serve.

What Bible Should I Use as a New Christian?

This is not an easy question to answer. However, there are LOTS of options that could be right ones for you. As a new Christian, having the right Bible can help you grow in your faith more effectively.There a few things to know starting out in your search. Of course, this list isn’t exhaustive, but it gives you a starting point, at least.

• Study Bibles–These are Bibles that have additional insights or information in the margins that help you understand the material better. They have references to related scripture to help you dig in, and clarifying insights that help put things in perspective. These may things that you originally gloss over, too. For example, in my Quest Study Bible, in Genesis 1:5, the scripture says “…And there was evening, and there was morning–the first day.” In the margin, the question is asked, “Why measure a day from evening to morning?” In reading the commentary there, I learn that the Hebrew calendar calculates days from sunset to sunset. I would have never thought about this! Of course, there are deeper, more meaningful additions, too, that make study Bibles very valuable.
• Translations–There are SO MANY TRANSLATIONS of the Bible! Which ones work for “newbies” of the faith? Honestly, one of the reasons I stayed away from reading the Bible, myself, for so long is my fear of the “thees and thous.” But, not all Bibles are spoken in the older English like that. There are many accurate translations of the Bible that are written in more modern English. In another page, I’ll talk about these in further detail. A great place to start is to match what translation your church uses. Not part of a church? Keep reading below
• Devotional Bibles–There a Bibles that also have built-in devotionals. If you look up “Devotional” in a dictionary, the noun definition says something about a “short religious service.” However, when it comes to devotionals in written form, the word devotional means something a little different. What I’m referring to here is a group of writings designed to help you grow in your faith. They can be short studies of scripture and different ways to look at them (like an analogy of French Fries to tithing or something) that usually gets a light bulb to go off. There are Bibles that have these built in, but getting a separate one for different stages of your life can work better for some.
• Geared to your situation–There are Bibles of many translations that are customized for your group. For instance, there are Teen Study Bibles, Bibles for Soldiers, and even Bibles for Couples.

Of course, you can get a Teen Devotional Study Bible if you want, or any combination of the above. There are so many options. Let me know what you found in comments below and I’ll spread the word!

What Church should I go to?

In this section, we will explore characteristics of a healthy church. If you’re new to worship, it’s, unfortunately, easy to be misled down a path that isn’t truly Biblical. However, we should all seek a church home to share in the Body of Christ (I’ll explain what this means). You should take the time to visit churches until you find one that fits your personality, but also is firmly grounded in Biblical truth. Here are a few things to consider up front:

• Does the church believe in the total authority of the Bible? There are churches out there that think that the Bible is merely a suggestion and that the ideas of Love and Reverence for Christ are optional. Don’t go there! Instead, the church should believe in the Trinity of the God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. They should also have full belief in the birth, life, death, resurrection,and the eventual return of Jesus Christ.
• Do you feel welcome? The fruit of the church should always be Love. If you don’t see that displayed or shared at the church, this may not be the church for you. I am reminded of the song “If We are the Body” by Casting Crowns when I think of an unloving church. Unfortunately, the world views Christians as hateful people. People truly seeking after Christ are the most loving people you can find on this earth.
• Are there opportunities to serve? Serving one another is a true mark of a healthy Christian life. Christ Himself served His disciples. He even went as far as washing their feet (which was the lowest of low jobs at that time). Serving, through, isn’t a low thing. In fact, it is the process of lifting one another up. If the church doesn’t have opportunities to serve, you will be lacking the opportunity to lift others up and grow in y our faith at the same time.
• Other things. Yeah. Very descriptive I know! But I can go on and on here. Since this is an introductory list, I want to limit it to four things! Read our next pages to see what other things to watch out for, and things to welcome!

What does it mean to serve?

Speaking of serving, what does this word mean? For some, it can be scary or intimidating. However, when you look at it in the right light, it is very rewarding. I serve every week by using my musical abilities to lead worship. Others may serve communion or welcome new members. Others may simply use their financial gifts to bless the church with their money. I view serving as giving of your time, your talent, and your treasure. There are things that each of us excels at or enjoy doing. Serving when it comes to the global church means using those gifts and talents for the sake of Christ. In this section, we will explore different methods and opportunities of serving in the Church.

Suggestions?

We would LOVE to have your comments. This is an introductory page, so feedback is very helpful when trying to develop the connected content. What would you like to see here? What would you like clarified? What wisdom can you add?