This booklet is designed to help you get started on your personal journey with Jesus Christ. As you read, many of your questions will be answered. However, you might need to seek advice from a pastor or Christian friend if you have additional questions.

Hear The Good News

You probably received this booklet after hearing the Gospel presented at an event. “Gospel” is another word for “good news.” The good news is that God loves you and has a plan for your life. You will also hear God’s Word through sermons and Bible studies with your church. You can see the Gospel drawn out simply in The Bridge to Life in the front of this booklet. Pages 16-17 of this booklet also provide some simple ways to understand how to pray and respond to God’s Word.

Read God’s Word

The Bible is God’s Word. This means that through the Bible, God speaks into your your life. Through it, we learn the differences between good and evil, right and wrong. The Bible reveals God’s character and teaches us His principles. Those principles are important to our living the life He intends. As we begin to trust His Word, our character begins to look more like His.

A simple and practical way to begin to let God’s Word change our lives is to memorize it. Think of Scripture memorization like panting a seed. The truth of God’s Word takes root in your heart and then bears fruit in your thoughts, attitudes, and actions day-to-day. A list of suggested Scriptures is provided on pages 18-19 of this booklet, organized by topics, to help you get started with truths that are most meaningful to you at this point in your life.

In case you don’t yet have a Bible, included in this booklet is the gospel of Mark. Begin reading it according to the plan on the following pages. Over the next four weeks you will read the entire gospel. It will help you understand Jesus’ life, ministry, and love for you.

After you finish reading the gospel of Mark, below are some suggestions for what to read next.

• Keep up the new habit of reading Scripture! Several different Bible reading plans are available from NavPress and Discipleship Journal online at www.navpress.com/dj
• Read through the book of Psalms in the Old Testament. This book will help you understand more about God’s character. The psalms are also a great example of how honest we can be about our thoughts and feelings with a God who loves us unconditionally.
• Read through Proverbs in the Old Testament. There are thirty-one chapters in the book of Proverbs, so reading one each day for a month is easy to do. The book of Proverbs will help you gain wisdom and apply it to everyday life. It will strengthen your relationships with others and help you understand God’s perspective on life.
• Read through the gospel of John. John’s gospel has some of the same information as Mark’s gospel but the narratives often include more details. This gospel also includes several unique stories of Jesus’ miracles or conversations emphasizing the great love of God for all people. John makes clear that Jesus was more than just a great teacher or miracle-worker; He is the Son of God who gives abundant life to all who put their trust in Him.
• Read the book of Acts in the New Testament. This book tells the story of the first disciples and how they spread the news about Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Their lives and ours are no different in that we all rely on God’s Spirit to guide us and empower us to boldly share the life-changing truth of Jesus Christ.
• Read some of the letters contained in the New Testament. They begin with the book of Romans and continue through the book of 3 John. These letters were written to people like us who were just beginning their journeys with Christ. The books of Philippians (major theme of joy in any circumstance), James (major theme of putting our beliefs into practical action), and 1 John (major theme of God’s love in our relationships with Him and with people) are popular options.
• Get a copy of a chronological Bible and begin reading the Old Testament in its historical order. The Old Testament tells stories about the creation of the world, how a good world went bad (the problem of sin), how God begins to show people their need for Him to set things right again, and countless adventures of everyday heroes and villains. The stories are fascinating and set the background for the New Testament.

Study The Scripture

The Bible contains sixty-six books written over several centuries. Each book reflects the circumstances that faced people or groups of people at a specific time in history. But studying Scripture should not be treated like an academic study for only educational purposes. Digging into God’s Word reveals life-changing truth about God and about your own nature. 11 The key for a healthy approach to studying Scripture is to look for more than just facts you can learn; look for why those truths matter in your daily life. As you study the Bible, you need to look for and make note of certain things:

• A command to obey — What does the Bible say you should do?
• A truth to comprehend — What foundational truth is behind what the Bible says?
• A prayer to pray — Based on what you read, what do you need to talk with God about?
• A sin to avoid — Is a specific sin addressed in this passage? If so, is that sin present in your life?
• A blessing to share — With whom can you share the truth that you learned?

Depend On The Holy Spirit

In the Bible, we see God as three distinct persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In John 14:16-17, Jesus said, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” The “Helper” is the Holy Spirit. He is alive in every believer and wants to guide every aspect of your life. He will help you understand God’s Word and help you know how to apply it to your life. In John 14:26, Jesus said, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

God wants to empower you to live the Christian life. Following Christ isn’t something you can do in your own strength by simply trying hard enough. You must be willing to give Him control of your life every day. You must surrender your thoughts and actions to Him daily. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will be able to live our lives according to God’s plan.

Find A Church To Attend Regularly

Part of being a Christian involves the relationships you develop with other believers. The best place to find other believers is in a local church. It doesn’t matter what you’ve thought about going to church in the past; it can now become a rich and dynamic part of your spiritual growth process. Here are some of the things you can expect to happen when you attend a Bible-believing church:

• You will grow in your understanding of God’s Word because you will hear it preached and taught.
• You will have the opportunity to talk to others about the Bible and ask questions.
• You will discover what it means to worship God. You’ll realize that worship is a way of life, not an event we attend.
• As you worship God, you will reflect on your life and become more aware of God’s provisions for you each day. This will cause you to be more grateful.
• As you learn from and serve alongside other believers, you will develop lifelong friendships that will continue to affect your spiritual development.

Serve Others

When Jesus was asked to identify the greatest commandment, He responded with a life principle. He summed up all of the Old Testament commands by encouraging His followers to simply love God and love other people. This is a key part of the Christian life and though it is simple, that doesn’t always mean it is easy. As you serve others, you will grow closer to God and to other believers. Ask your pastor or a leader in your church about opportunities to participate in and volunteer for ministry. Paul put it this way: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

Deal With Your Doubts

Doubts are part of life. There may come a time in the future when you’ll wonder if you are really a believer. You might question your decision or wonder why God would allow you into heaven. Those are natural thoughts if you…

• make a mistake and fail God.
• think about things you know you shouldn’t be thinking about.
• are bothered by sin you haven’t confessed to God.
• aren’t spending regular time reading the Bible and praying.

Sometimes you may not be able to identify any particular sin or failure, but you struggle to wrap your mind around some of the incredible truths of God. It is OK to recognize that a relationship with an infinite God goes well beyond our limited human understanding. Be honest about any questions with God. He is not afraid of your questions and wants to help you experience the joy and hope of trusting Him completely.

If you experience doubts, return to the beginning of this book and work through the section about salvation and assurance of salvation. If you responded to the Gospel in faith, trusting your life to Jesus as personal Lord and Savior, He will never leave you.

Tell Others About Your Relationship With Jesus

You already know the difference God is making in your life. It is exciting to tell others what He is doing! Witnessing is simply telling your side of the story. So, as you live each day, be aware of the moments in which you know God is at work. Your story will encourage someone else.