What are my Next Steps?
The hardest task for anyone in their spiritual journey is to figure out where to go next. Luckily, God is very clear on how He wants us to live our lives. While not definitive, we here follow a nine-step next-step process to help people gauge their progress and get an idea on where to go next.
STEP 1: Salvation
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8)
The first step in anyone’s spiritual journey is to properly align themselves with God. The Bible is very clear on the process in Romans 10:9-10 — confess that Jesus is Lord of your life (giving Him authority over your life), and believe in your heart the God raised Him from the dead (acknowledging that only He can overcome sin and death), then you will be saved. Along with this is also the confession of Jesus as master of our lives, is the acknowledgment of our own shortcomings (Rom 3:23). Fortunately, God is quick to forgive and forget our sins and restore us back to Him (1 John 1:5-10). If you do not have Christ as the Lord or your life and want to live for Him, speak to the Pastor, or any one of the leaders in our church for your next steps.
STEP 2: Baptism
“And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38)
Baptism does not save us from our sins. It is an outward, public expression of the change that is in our hearts. If we are truly sorry for our sins, and make Jesus the Master of our lives, then we are completely changed and become a new person (Eze 11:19, 2 Cor 5:17). Baptism is the symbolism where we state publicly that our old self is gone and buried with Christ in baptism, then we are raised to a new life in Him. It is not a ritual to be taken lightly, since that could potentially mock the Lord’s death, nor does it need to be repeated if you have already been baptized, since that could indicate that Christ has to die again for our sins. If you want to be baptized, or if you have already been baptized and need to re-align yourself with God, speak with the Pastor for the next steps.
STEP 3: Bible Study
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim 3:16-17)
We start with the belief that the Word of God is alive and powerful (Heb 4:12) and completely accurate. While versions of the Bible might change the terminology for a better understanding, the Word itself remains as true today as when it was written (Prov 30:5). We believe that science and history do not contradict the Bible, but serves to further illustrate the truth of God’s Word (1 Tim 6:20). The more we dive deep into the Bible, the more glorious and real it becomes in our lives. If you are ready to go deeper, join one of our Bibles or speak with the pastor about your next steps.