First steps
How does someone become a Christian?
Not a formula to perform, but the pattern the New Testament shows again and again.
When people in the book of Acts asked what they should do, they got a straight answer. Nobody was handed a membership form or asked to wait for a feeling. What follows is that same answer, laid out step by step, with the passages, so you can check it for yourself.
The pattern
Five steps, straight from the text
Step 1: Hear the good news
Faith doesn't appear from nowhere. It comes from hearing about who Jesus is and what he has done. That's why we keep opening the Bible: it's where the message lives.
“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Romans 10:17 Step 2: Believe it
Not merely agreeing that Jesus existed, but trusting that he is the Son of God, that he died for your sins and rose again, and staking your life on it.
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is.”
Hebrews 11:6 Step 3: Repent
Repentance is a change of mind that turns into a change of direction. It isn't about cleaning yourself up first: it's deciding that Jesus, not you, sets the course from here.
“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.”
Acts 3:19 Step 4: Confess him
Say out loud what you believe. Christianity has never been a private arrangement; it starts with an open confession that Jesus is Lord.
“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Romans 10:9 Step 5: Be baptised
Buried with Christ in the water and raised to a new life. In Acts it happens immediately: the same hour of the night, on the side of a road, wherever there is water. If you're ready, we are.
“Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.””
Acts 2:38
Honest questions
Things people ask at this point
Do I need to have it all figured out first?
No. You need to know who Jesus is and that you want to follow him. Understanding grows for the rest of your life: it isn't a prerequisite.
I was baptised as a baby. Does that count?
Every baptism in the New Testament follows a personal decision to believe and repent, which an infant can't make. It's worth studying together: bring your questions and we'll look at the passages side by side.
What if I mess it up afterwards?
You will, and so do we. That's what confession, forgiveness and a church family are for. Following Jesus is a life, not a performance.
How soon can this happen?
As soon as you're ready. Someone is always available after a service, and you can reach us any time through the contact page.
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Ready to talk?
You don't have to do this on your own
Sit down with someone, ask everything you want to ask, take as long as you need. There's no cost and nobody is counting.