Have you just made that all-important decision to accept God's plan of salvation through Jesus Christ?

Here are some key steps in the right direction:

Study the Bible

Who is God? What does He expect from me? What changes now that I am a Christian? The Bible will help you to answer these questions! Within the pages of the Bible you will discover not only God’s plan for the world but for your life and also practical steps to experiencing the abundant life He promises in the Bible. Inspired by God and written over an extended period by various authors, the Bible is a remarkably consistent account of relationship—our relationship with God and with each other.

Bible study methods are as varied as the people who adopt them. Some choose a reading plan that provides them with guidelines to read a portion (New Testament, Old Testament, Psalms, Proverbs) or the complete Bible in a specific amount of time. Others will benefit from a daily devotional such as Faith's Check Book which is available in both the printed or online format. However and whenever you read and study the Word of God, the essential element is that you are daily measuring yourself against its wisdom while catching a glimpse of the extravagance of God’s love for you. Remember that His Spirit will both reveal the verses meanings and empower you to live in a way that blesses you and pleases Him.

Pray

In every relationship, there are a variety of methods of communication. The same is true for your relationship with God. As you come to learn more about God and His delight in you, your prayer may be guided by examples from the Bible like the Lord's Prayer or as simple as reviewing the day’s events with Him. Prayer is just the word used for talking to God—communication between you and your heavenly Father. Whether written or spoken, shouted or whispered, individual or corporate, prayer is your connection to God.

There will be times you will feel like kneeling before His presence as you pray and times when your most authentic communication with God will be as you drive. You can take time alone to pray through a section of Scripture or spontaneously thank Him for the beauty of the day. Prayer does not have to be formal or informal, kneeling, standing, or lying before Him. As you will discover, prayer reflects your concerns, your gratitude, your challenges—it reflects you and your desire for God to provide you with the strength and wisdom to live a life that pleases Him.

God created you as you are, and He wants to spend time communicating with you. Prayer is your asking Him for guidance. As you open your Bible each day, ask Jesus to open your eyes and heart to see and hear what His Spirit says to you.

Share your faith

Sharing your faith, evangelizing, witnessing . . . These are potentially unfamiliar words for activities that can appear mysterious, but take a moment to think about it.

Sharing your faith is simple. Whether it is the latest movie, food, family members, sports or politics, you just naturally talk about the things that matter to you. Why should your newfound relationship with Christ be any different?

Evangelism is derived from the Greek word for “good news.” To your friends, family members, co-workers, and neighbors, the news that the God of the Bible is real, loves them, and that He longs to have a relationship with them certainly qualifies as “good news.” In a legal proceeding, a witness is asked to recount what they have seen or heard for themselves. You have a story about your experience of God’s love and you are in a unique position to serve as a witness to what you have experienced.

As God provides you with opportunities to talk about your relationship with Him, questions may come up. Questions you might not know how to answer right there but don't be disappointed! Look at the Bible, ask mature christians or a pastor or listen a teaching about that topic through the internet.

Be in fellowship

Fellowship is just your interaction with other Christians as part of your recognition that you are a part of a larger community. The Christian life was never intended for you to do alone and Calvary Chapel provides a range of opportunities for fellowship such as Bible studies, Prayer meetings, Men's-, Women's-, Kid's- and Youth events to experience the glorious diversity that is the body of Christ.

It’s vital to your walk with Christ to surround yourself with mature Christians as well as friends who are on the same stage of the spiritual journey as you. When you begin to share and pray together, whether over a cup of coffee, in a classroom, or at your workplace, your growth and maturity in Christ will continue to develop.

Come and be in fellowship with us at Calvary Chapel to grow in your faith and have a deeper fellowship with God!

We hope to see you soon at our services!