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What does it mean to follow Christ?

<b>Our Sin</b><br>We are all born with a sin nature. Because of our sin, we are unable to have a relationship with God without forgiveness.<br><br>For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. - Romans 3:23 NLT<br><br><b>God's Gift</b><br>We can’t earn God’s forgiveness – it must be given. Jesus gave His life as a sacrifice so that we could be forgiven.<br><br><i>But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. - Romans 5:8 NLT</i><br><i>For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 6:23 NLT</i><br><br><b>Our Response</b><br>We must accept this free gift from God by committing our lives and heart to Jesus.<br><br><i>If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. - Romans 10:9 NLT</i><br><br><b>A Symbol of Your Faith</b><br>Baptism shows others that you have been made new. It represents your old sinful life being washed clean because of your faith in Jesus.<br><br><i>For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. - Romans 6:4 NLT</i><br><br><b>Celebrate Your Faith</b><br>If you’ve made the decision to follow Christ, baptism is one of the most meaningful next steps you can take. Baptism is a public celebration of your decision to follow Christ.<br>Contact your local campus pastor to schedule a time to be baptized.

What do followers of Christ Believe?

We believe in God as the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are all one God and are joined together into what we call the Trinity. As a fully devoted follower of Christ, you are a new creation made to live for Him.<br><br><b>God the Father</b><br>God is the creator of the world and calls us His children.<br><br><i>See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. - 1 John 3:1 NLT</i><br><br><b>The Son</b><br>Jesus is fully God and fully man and is alive today in Heaven.<br><br><i>See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. - 1 John 3:1 NLT</i><br><br><b>The Holy Spirit</b><br>The power of God is alive in us through the Holy Spirit.<br><br><i>And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. - Corinthians 2:12 NLT</i>

How do I grow my faith?

God wants to have a relationship with us and He’s given us ways to know Him better. As we get to know God, we better understand His plan for us and we can strive to be more like Jesus.<br><br><b>Read the Bible</b><br>The Bible is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs about living. It’s God’s Word written specifically to guide us through life.<br><br><i>Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. - Psalms 119:105 NLT</i><br><i>All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. - 2 Timothy 3:16 NLT</i><br><br><b>Make Prayer Part of Your Day</b><br>Prayer is talking to God, and there’s nothing more powerful than asking for God’s help.<br><br><i>Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. - Philippians 4:6 NLT</i><br><br><b>Listen</b><br>Talking to God isn’t a one-way street – He wants to talk to us, too. Take time to learn His voice and listen to His direction for you.<br><br><i>My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. - John 10:27 NLT</i><br><br><b>Worship</b><br>Any time we give God credit for His goodness, we are worshipping Him. When we pray, serve, or help others in their faith, we are following God’s will and showing our gratitude for who He is.<br><br><i>Honor the lord for the glory of his name. Worship the lord in the splendor of his holiness. - Psalms 29:2 NLT</i>

Step 1: What’s my next step?

Just like any other relationship, we need to invest time and effort into getting to know who God is and what He wants for us.<br><br><b>Connect</b><br>Life is better together. When we interact with other followers of Christ we find support and encouragement to continue in our faith.<br><br><i>All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. - Acts 2:42 NLT</i><br><br><b>Give</b><br>When we give our time, talents, or financial gifts, we give God the chance to prove His faithfulness.<br><br><i>Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! - Malachi 3:10 NLT</i><br><br><b>Share</b><br>When you experience something as good as God’s love, you want to share it with the people in your life! Talk about how God has changed your life, build relationships, and invite someone to come to church with you.<br><br><i>Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. - Matthew 28:19 NLT</i>

Step 2a: First Steps after a decision:

What to Study: A six week study on the six core teachings of a new believer. The Life Development Plan is a tool to help you radically evaluate and redirect your life toward total commitment to Christ. It's a new way of thinking YOUR blueprint to help you set goals<br><br>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSbNbgVNvEE

Step 2b: First Steps after a decision.

The third and fourth parts of the Life Development Plan are next. Click the link below.<br><br>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUpe0m7OgxU

Step 2c: First Steps after a Decision.

The fifth and sixth parts of the Life Development Plan are next. Click the link below.<br><br>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siYF48pu_3M

Step 3: Digging Deeper. Personal Study

•Session 1: Goals, Structure, and Key Characteristics of this Study<br>•Session 2: What is the Bible? Where did it come from?<br>•Session 3: The Value of Scripture and How We Approach<br><br>http://biblex.com

Step 4: Heavy-Duty Digging Deeper

Blue Letter Bible Institute: theological teaching for those ‘on the hunt for fully knowing God.’<br><br>http://blbi.org/