Christianity is participatory. Jesus sacrificed Himself to save us, and now we must surrender completely to Him. He said, “those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples” (Luke 14:33). So how do you start walking the narrow path of discipleship?
Read the Bible. Immediately begin reading God’s Word daily. Get a full Bible, which includes the Old and New Testaments, in an easy-to-read translation. (This web page uses the New International Version [NIV]). Start with Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.
Pray. Immediately begin speaking with God throughout each day. Whether you pray aloud or in silence, He hears you. Talk simply to Him with honesty and respect. The best way to learn prayer is from the Bible (e.g., 1 Kings 3:7–9 , Psalm 51:10–12, Matthew 6:5-15, Ephesians 1:15–23, and Colossians 1:9–14).
Attend church. Immediately begin attending a church which believes 1) There is one true God, the Lord; 2) Jesus is God’s only Son and our only Savior, and He died for our wrongdoings and rose three days later; and 3) The Bible is God’s Word, our one authoritative source of spiritual truth.
Apply what you learn. Immediately begin applying Biblical lessons to your life. As James said, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22). Understand that you are always a Christian, not just on Sundays or when others watch.
Endure in the faith. Persevere in your faith no matter what happens. When you have a spiritual question, ask a pastor or a mature fellow believer. When you sin, admit it and ask God for forgiveness. If you stop taking the steps of faith, then start again. Just don’t give up. The Lord will help you, so keep exercising your faith.
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