10 Things Every New (and Old) Believer Should Know and Do
Recently, a twenty-something friend became a Christian, and he
asked me, “What are the TOP 10 THINGS for a new Christian to
learn within the first year?”
This is a wise question because if you are off by a few degrees at
the start and you travel that path for a while, you will be off by miles
later. I know that from experience. I have been a Christian for over
twenty-five years, and God has had to redirect me on multiple things
because of what I mistakenly believed early on about being a Christian.
And it is better to learn sooner than later.
So here are the 10 THINGS (not in any particular order) that I
thought my new Christian friend should sink down deep into his
heart, head, and hands as he travels his first year with Jesus:
The one thing that the Bible emphasizes more than us loving God
and people is that God loves us. He loves us first and most. God
isn’t in heaven plucking a daisy saying, “I love you” when you obey
and “I love you not” when you sin. He cannot not love you (Rom.
5:8 and 1 Jn. 4:16).
• Your motivation for and the purpose of learning, serving,
worshipping, giving, reaching, reading, praying, etc.is to grow
relationally more in love with God and people (Mt. 22:36-40).
• You not only are saved by grace, but you grow by it, too. A
common trap for new and growing Christians is trying to clean up
their lives without God’s help. This is a false equation: The less you
sin = the less you need God’s grace. You can’t sin less and love more
without the strength of God’s grace.
• Don’t trample all over the Great Commandment(love God, love
people) trying to obey the Great Commission (go and make
disciples). New and enthusiastic Christians often do this. Instead,
lead people to Jesus by loving people to Jesus (1 Cor. 13:1-3). If they
ask you why live the way you do, humbly and simply share with
them why you put your hope in Jesus.
• Love your neighbors—your literal neighbors—the ones you
worshipping, giving, reaching, reading, praying, etc.is to grow
relationally more in love with God and people (Mt. 22:36-40).
• You not only are saved by grace, but you grow by it, too. A
common trap for new and growing Christians is trying to clean up
their lives without God’s help. This is a false equation: The less you
sin = the less you need God’s grace. You can’t sin less and love more
without the strength of God’s grace.
• Don’t trample all over the Great Commandment(love God, love
people) trying to obey the Great Commission (go and make
disciples). New and enthusiastic Christians often do this. Instead,
lead people to Jesus by loving people to Jesus (1 Cor. 13:1-3). If they
ask you why live the way you do, humbly and simply share with
them why you put your hope in Jesus.
• Love your neighbors—your literal neighbors—the ones you
worshipping, giving, reaching, reading, praying, etc.is to grow
relationally more in love with God and people (Mt. 22:36-40).
• You not only are saved by grace, but you grow by it, too. A
common trap for new and growing Christians is trying to clean up
their lives without God’s help. This is a false equation: The less you
sin = the less you need God’s grace. You can’t sin less and love more
without the strength of God’s grace.
• Don’t trample all over the Great Commandment(love God, love
people) trying to obey the Great Commission (go and make
disciples). New and enthusiastic Christians often do this. Instead,
lead people to Jesus by loving people to Jesus (1 Cor. 13:1-3). If they
ask you why live the way you do, humbly and simply share with
them why you put your hope in Jesus.
• Love your neighbors—your literal neighbors—the ones you
relationally more in love with God and people (Mt. 22:36-40).
• You not only are saved by grace, but you grow by it, too. A
common trap for new and growing Christians is trying to clean up
their lives without God’s help. This is a false equation: The less you
sin = the less you need God’s grace. You can’t sin less and love more
without the strength of God’s grace.
• Don’t trample all over the Great Commandment(love God, love
people) trying to obey the Great Commission (go and make
disciples). New and enthusiastic Christians often do this. Instead,
lead people to Jesus by loving people to Jesus (1 Cor. 13:1-3). If they
ask you why live the way you do, humbly and simply share with
them why you put your hope in Jesus.
• Love your neighbors—your literal neighbors—the ones you
have, not the ones you wish you had. Do this because you are a
Christian, not just because you want them to be Christians.
Christian, not just because you want them to be Christians.
Focus on Jesus, His cross, His resurrection, and His kingdom. When
you confessed Jesus as the living Lord and Messiah, you never said—and
will never say—anything more meaningful. Jesus is God with skin. No
other “religious leader” (Moses, Buddha, Muhammad) is His equal. They
were mere men; Jesus is God who became a man. He is the center and
circumference—the hub and rim of all of life and creation. All of the
world’s greatest gifts—love, life, truth, grace, etc.—have a name. Jesus.
• God cares about your whole life, not just your “spiritual life.” It
is a mistake to think that God is only concerned about a section of
your life called “your soul” or “your spirit.” God cares about and is
to be Lord of all of your life—personal, emotional, social, familial,
financial, physical, vocational, sexual, intellectual, and so on.
• Love other Christians who go to different churches (or no
church at all) and who aren’t like you. Unfortunately, many
Christians and churches view their “brand” of Christianity as the
only true or most true type of Christianity. They may not think they
are the only Christians, but they do think they are the best or most
right ones. This is a prideful and sinful attitude that grieves Jesus and
dismembers His body. Strive for unity in the body of Christ by
praying humbly and thankfully for other Christians.
• Pray with your Bible open. There are many different spiritual
exercises (fasting, solitude, serving, etc.), but the two most important
ones are communicating and communing with God through prayer
and listening to and learning about God through the Scriptures.
Prayerfully read about Jesus (in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John).
Prayerfully read about the beginning of the church in a book called
Acts. Prayerfully read some letters written by Christians for
Christians—some good ones to start with are James, Philippians, and
Ephesians.
• Find a Christian mentor. You will need help and encouragement in
this journey with Jesus. Ask an older Christian (of the same gender
as you) to mentor you. Look for someone who displays the attitudes
and actions that were described above. Be a blessing to them in
return. Christianity is not a list, but a life; it’s not a chart, but a
charter. But new Christians will learn new things. Some of those things
will be true but not important. Some things will be off by degrees that can
lead them astray. Other things will be just plain wrong. Help new (and
some old) Christians learn to follow Jesus by Being Their Best at what
matters most to Him.
exercises (fasting, solitude, serving, etc.), but the two most important
ones are communicating and communing with God through prayer
and listening to and learning about God through the Scriptures.
Prayerfully read about Jesus (in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John).
Prayerfully read about the beginning of the church in a book called
Acts. Prayerfully read some letters written by Christians for
Christians—some good ones to start with are James, Philippians, and
Ephesians.
• Find a Christian mentor. You will need help and encouragement in
this journey with Jesus. Ask an older Christian (of the same gender
as you) to mentor you. Look for someone who displays the attitudes
and actions that were described above. Be a blessing to them in
return. Christianity is not a list, but a life; it’s not a chart, but a
charter. But new Christians will learn new things. Some of those things
will be true but not important. Some things will be off by degrees that can
lead them astray. Other things will be just plain wrong. Help new (and
some old) Christians learn to follow Jesus by Being Their Best at what
matters most to Him.
exercises (fasting, solitude, serving, etc.), but the two most important
ones are communicating and communing with God through prayer
and listening to and learning about God through the Scriptures.
Prayerfully read about Jesus (in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John).
Prayerfully read about the beginning of the church in a book called
Acts. Prayerfully read some letters written by Christians for
Christians—some good ones to start with are James, Philippians, and
Ephesians.
• Find a Christian mentor. You will need help and encouragement in
this journey with Jesus. Ask an older Christian (of the same gender
as you) to mentor you. Look for someone who displays the attitudes
and actions that were described above. Be a blessing to them in
return. Christianity is not a list, but a life; it’s not a chart, but a
charter. But new Christians will learn new things. Some of those things
will be true but not important. Some things will be off by degrees that can
lead them astray. Other things will be just plain wrong. Help new (and
some old) Christians learn to follow Jesus by Being Their Best at what
matters most to Him.
ones are communicating and communing with God through prayer
and listening to and learning about God through the Scriptures.
Prayerfully read about Jesus (in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John).
Prayerfully read about the beginning of the church in a book called
Acts. Prayerfully read some letters written by Christians for
Christians—some good ones to start with are James, Philippians, and
Ephesians.
• Find a Christian mentor. You will need help and encouragement in
this journey with Jesus. Ask an older Christian (of the same gender
as you) to mentor you. Look for someone who displays the attitudes
and actions that were described above. Be a blessing to them in
return. Christianity is not a list, but a life; it’s not a chart, but a
charter. But new Christians will learn new things. Some of those things
will be true but not important. Some things will be off by degrees that can
lead them astray. Other things will be just plain wrong. Help new (and
some old) Christians learn to follow Jesus by Being Their Best at what
matters most to Him.