Becoming a Christian

Who is Jesus?

You've likely heard about Jesus.  Maybe you already have an opinion of him.  Some say Jesus was a con man - a fake who deceived the gullible.  Other say he was perhaps mentally deranged.  Many the world over say he is a great moral teacher or prophetic leader, similar to Gandhi or Martin Luther King Jr.

Jesus said he is God.  When asked by his followers, Philip, to show him the Father (God) Jesus replied, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? (John 14:9)"

Not only does Jesus claim to be God in the flesh, he said that he came to show us the way to be reconciled with the Father.  Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)"  This may sound like a very exclusive statement.  It's actually incredibly inclusive.  No matter who you are or what you’ve done, no matter where you were born or the color of your skin, Jesus is the way for you to have a relationship with God.  Everyone is invited. Everyone is included. Everyone is important.

And if you think you are an exception, you're wrong. Jesus loves you too.

 

How do I become a Christian?

There's no magic formula or prayer that makes someone a Christian.  Becoming a Christian is a matter of the heart.  It's a choice we make to follow Jesus as Lord for the rest of our lives.  Here is an example from the Bible:

"if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)"

That's it.  Confess Jesus as Lord - that means agreeing that he is the King to whom we owe our allegiance and obedience.  Believe in your heart - that Jesus is who he claims to be, proven by his victory over the grave.  This is the beginning of a relationship with God where he forgives your sins and welcomes you into his family.

 

Don't I need to become a better person?

No, that's a recipe for failure.  We don't change in order to gain God's love.  We change as we experience his love. When you begin to follow Jesus as Lord, God gradually begins to change you from the inside out.  You start doing the things God desires for you, not because you have to, but because you want to.  And you come to trust that what God wants for you is truly best. When you commit your life to Jesus, it will never be the same.  It's the first step on the greatest journey of your life. If you are ready to make that commitment, we'd love to hear about it and send you some materials to help you continue to grow, so let us know!

Alpha

Alpha is a series of conversations about things we all question in life: Why do bad things happen to good people? What's the purpose of life? What's next? We’ve found Alpha not only to be a great way to introduce people to Jesus and the answers he provides, but to also help new Christians become more established in their faith.

You can watch the videos below on your own and get a lot out of them, but to get the most out of Alpha we recommend watching them with others and spending time discussing what you learn.

Talking to God

So you want to get to know God. But how? Great question. Start talking (prayer)!

You can't have a close relationship with someone you never talk to.  So begin spending part of your day just talking to God, and he promises to listen.  And don't just talk, but also have time to be silent and see if God has anything to say.  Prayer should be a two-way conversation.  In time you'll learn to hear God's still, small voice. You can also hear God speak to you through the Bible.  It will help you come to understand who God is and what he wants to do in your life.

If you don't have a Bible, you can download the YouVersion Bible app for free for your phone or tablet. Then start reading. Begin with 5 or 10 minutes a day and let it grow from there. We suggest starting with The Gospel of John and then reading Romans.  Pick a translation that is easy to understand like the New Revised Standard or New International Version.

Getting Baptized

Baptism is how we publicly declare that we have become followers of Jesus.  Going under the water and coming back up symbolizes a new reality in our life - that our old life is dead and buried, and our new life with Jesus has begun! Even if you were baptized as an infant, we believe it is important to be baptized as an adult, because this time it is your choice. If you'd like more information about baptism or to schedule a day to be baptized, please complete the form below and we'll get in touch.