You already have a relationship with Jesus – that’s awesome! Here are a few thoughts to help you continue to grow deeper in this most important relationship.
Discipleship (being a Jesus-follower) can basically be boiled down to three things:
• Love Jesus
• Read the Word (the Bible)
• Do what it says
If we do those three things, remembering that the love relationship with Jesus comes first, we will live as He wants us to and our lives will start to look more like His life. We want to become like the One we love, Jesus.
There are a few non-negotiables in following Jesus:
• Get connected to other Christian believers
Find a Bible-believing church near you and get involved. You are part of the worldwide Church, the body of Christ. You are meant to do this in relationship with other believers. There can be no lone ranger Christians.
• Pray
Talk to Jesus and learn to hear His voice, because He speaks to His followers (John 10:27). Prayer is a two-way conversation.
• Read God’s Word, the Bible
The Bible is the primary way that God communicates with us. It has final authority in our lives, because it comes straight from God. We would recommend finding a translation that is easy for you to read (we like NIV, NLT, NASB). We love having a paper Bible, but it’s also handy to have a Bible app on your phone. YouVersion is a popular, easy to use app.
• Find somewhere to serve
This Christian life is not lived for ourselves. It is Jesus living through us, for others. (Philippians 2:3-4)
• Share your story
Others need to hear about and see evidence of this life-changing relationship with Jesus. The more you find healing, companionship and love with Jesus, the more you will be compelled to share that with others, so they can experience it too! Hearing someone’s personal story of transformation is powerful.
The key is this: if you get connected to a solid, Bible-believing church, they will help you to learn and grow in these important areas. Contact us if you need help finding a church in your area or have questions about how to grow deeper with Jesus, we’re glad to help!
Email us at jim@diaspora.church. We are praying for each one of you who took this journey.