What now?
What you do now depends on who you are and what you’ve decided to do so far.
I've decided to trust Jesus
I want to know more about Jesus and Christianity before I decide
I've got some specific questions
“I’ve decided to trust Jesus.”
You’ve decided you want to become a Christian and have talked to God about it, but are wondering what to do now and how you can get help to live following Jesus. One of the key ways God helps us is by providing other Christians to encourage us and teach us. But it can be hard for some people to find other Christians. If you’d like to meet with another Christian person, we’d like to help. No matter where you are in the world, give us a little bit of time and there is a good chance we could find somebody near you who would be happy to get together to talk with and encourage you about living God’s new way. And if we can’t, well we’re certainly happy to find somebody who will support and encourage you by email. Contact us.
A note about finding other Christians to meet with
The Christian life is a team game. In becoming Christians, we instantly join a worldwide family of brothers and sisters who all submit to Jesus Christ as their Lord, and put their trust in him for forgiveness. It’s vitally important that you get in touch with this family—not only so that they can encourage and support you in embarking on the Christian life, but also so that you can do the same for them. There are lots of churches around the world, and no doubt there is more than one in your local area. Sadly, not every church is as focused on the core message of Christianity as it should be. After 2000 years of history, it’s probably no surprise that some streams of Christianity have wandered somewhat from the original teaching of Jesus and his apostles.
To find a really good church that will encourage you and help you get established in the Christian faith, here are four brief pointers.
- Look for a Protestant church—that is, a church with the label Anglican, Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, and so on, or a Protestant church that doesn’t belong to one of these denominations (sometimes referred to as ‘independent’ or ‘community’ churches). If you’re not sure if they are Protestant, ask them.
- In the church meeting itself, watch carefully to see if the Bible is opened and read, and if the sermon is based on explaining what a particular Bible passage says.
- In the church meeting, and as you chat to people, take note of how often they talk about the death of Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins, and his rising to life as the Lord of all. Churches that are passionately focused on these core aspects of the Christian gospel are likely to be good churches.
- Jesus says that his disciples are known by their love for one another. Look for a church where the people display love for one another, both practically and in the way they talk to each other.
Here are some excellent books about the basics of living as a Christian:
Here are some excellent books about the basics of living as a Christian:
Just Starting Out
As you start out in the Christian life, what do you need to know? These seven letters will help you get going.
Right Side Up
A stirring book about what life is for and what it's like to live the Christian life.
The Book of Books
An introduction to the Bible for anyone who wants to read it, but especially for those who have never read it before.
“I want to know more about Jesus and Christianity before I can decide.”
You are looking for a more detailed explanation of what it means to be a Christian. Two Ways to Live was interesting; but you need a bit more flesh put on the bare bones before you’re willing to make the ‘choice’.
- Read the Bible for yourself. Obtain a modern translation and start with one of the four Gospels in the New Testament section: Matthew, Mark, Luke or John. Luke is a good one to read if you’ve never read a Gospel before. You can even read the Bible online these days: the Gospel of Luke. Or, to read Luke with a bit of help in understanding it all, try our book Simply Christianity: A modern guide to the ancient faith (AU store | US store).
- Do a short course. Many churches now offer courses that explain the Christian message, often by reading through the Bible and helping people to understand it themselves for the first time.
If you would like to be put in touch with a church offering one of these courses, please email us.
- Browse around a website that gives you a bit more explanation and answers common questions. We recommend christianity.net.au/questions
- Get together with someone who knows a bit more, and ask questions. Again, no matter where you are in the world, give us a little bit of time and there is a good chance we could find somebody near you who would be happy to get together to talk with you, answer some of your questions, and perhaps read part of the Bible with you so you can understand Jesus Christ’s teaching for yourself. And if we can’t, well we’re certainly happy to find somebody who will discuss things with you by email. Contact us.
A Fresh Start
What a Christian is, how to become a Christian and how to begin a new life through Jesus.
Simply Christianity
This book takes the reader through the Gospel of Luke highlighting key themes and implications.
Naked God
Is there a God? And perhaps more to the point, if there is a God, what real difference will it make to my life?
“I’ve got some specific questions.”
You have some questions which you need answers to. That’s fair enough—you need to know that what the Bible is saying is true and trustworthy, and that it makes sense of the world. There are some good answers to common questions people ask about Christianity at christianity.net.au/questions. There are also a range of good books on a wide variety of questions. Here’s just a sample:
If there is a question you are struggling to find an answer to, please feel free to email us, and we’ll do our best to either answer the question, or point you in the right direction.