If you are a new believer, you probably have a lot of questions! What should you do next? How can you learn more? Where can you find answers?
At Harvest, we want to help you find the answers! This quick guide will focus on four important areas every new believer should practice daily: a) read your Bible, b) pray, c) spend time with other believers, and d) share your faith.
Reading Your Bible
Make a commitment to read your Bible every day! How much you read depends on you, but it is essential that you spend time reading and thinking about God’s Word.
Until you spend time with the Bible, everything you know about God and His plan for you will be second-hand. You will have to rely on other people for answers. Once you start reading the Bible, though, that will change. In time, you will learn more and more about the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and you will grow in understanding and spiritual maturity.
Of course, as you begin there will be some passages you read that you just don’t understand. As a matter of fact, some of those passages can only be understood as the Spirit gives wisdom. Still, there are a lot of things in the Bible you won’t understand simply because you are not accustom to reading it! So the more time you spend with God’s Word, the more you will comprehend. You’ll be surprised by how much progress you make once you commit to regular, meaningful reading.
Praying
In addition to reading your Bible every day, you should make a habit of daily prayer. In fact, you should always be in a state of prayer, communicating with God all the time. A formal stuffy, entreaty is not always needed or necessary! Talking to God is as easy as talking to a friend; in fact, it is easier, because God knows you so well.
Think of it: the all-powerful God of the universe wants to commune with you. He loves you so much that He takes daily interest in your life. Share your thoughts with him. Bring your needs before His throne. Trust Him to provide.
At Harvest, we are convinced that prayer changes everything, including you. As a believer, you can pray with confidence knowing that God is at work in your life and the lives of those for which you pray.
Spending Time with Christians
Believers join together for three important experiences: prayer, worship and fellowship. We pray because we need communion with God. To God, our prayers are vital invitations for God’s purposes and plans to be revealed in our everyday lives. We want Him to work in us and through us in this present evil world in which we live.
We worship God because He is so worthy of our praise. As Creator and Redeemer, He has made us and re-made us—and so we sing songs about Him, we listen as His Word is preached, and we give freely of our time, talents and resources to help the body of Christ.
We fellowship with one another because we know that it is important to surround ourselves with people who believe in Jesus and want to please and honor Him. In the world, there are many temptations, and it is sometimes difficult for new believers to break free of the sin that has habitually enslaved them. Surrounding yourself with other Christians and learning from their experience and example will help you grow!
In addition to our three worship services during the week, Harvest provides many opportunities for you to meet fellow Christians and spend time getting to know them. Get involved in activities like Sunday School, Choir, or our weekly visitation programs to make new friends!
Sharing Your Faith
As a Christian, you have the privilege of sharing the gospel with other people. It really is very easy to share your faith. All you have to do is think about what God has done for you, and then tell your story to someone else. We call this story your “testimony.”
The gospel is very simple. Here it is in a nutshell: “All men have broken God’s Laws (Ten Commandments), and the penalty of our failures is eternal separation from God in Hell. HOWEVER, God loved us so much that he gave us Jesus who paid the penalty for our failures on the cross. He was buried and rose again to prove that this forgiveness from God is real. So, if a person repents of his failures against God and confesses with his mouth that Christ is his Savior---God will be save him at that very moment!”
Who should you share your faith with? The answer is: everyone! If you are open, God will give you opportunities to tell your story to all kinds of people. Sometimes you may feel a little nervous, but remember: it’s not up to you to save people. Jesus has commanded us to proclaim the Good News, and the Holy Spirit uses our words to bring people to faith. Witnessing is not a burden—it’s a privilege we have because God has been so merciful and loving to us!