Common Growth Questions

I don’t know how to have a relationship with Jesus. Where do I start?

The good news is that entering into a relationship with Jesus is actually quite simple. The process of developing that relationship and living a life in total surrender to Him will be a life long journey. To enter a relationship with Jesus involves a few simple steps:

1. Acknowledging you’re a sinner.

2. Believe that Jesus died and rose again to take care of your sin. God loved us and took care of our sin by sending His only Son Jesus to pay the price for our sin by dying on the cross and raising from the dead to forgive us of our sin. (Romans 5:8, John 3:16).

3. Confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior. After you acknowledge your sin and your need for Jesus to forgive you, you simply to confess (agree you are a sinner) and ask Jesus to forgive you and surrender your life to Him to begin a relationship with Him. (Romans 10:9,10)
If you need help walking through this decision, please contact us and we would count it a privilege to help you.

I’m new to studying the Bible. How/Where do I begin?

The quick answer, the gospel of John. Actually, any of the gospels in the New Testament would be the perfect place to start as they tell the story of Jesus and reveal the plan of God for every person on the planet.

Important note: Don’t try to read a lot at one sitting. The best way is to take a small portion of the Bible (10 to 20 verses), read, think about it, and write what you learn and what God is showing you. Don’t rush the process. The Bible is the living Word of God and He speaks to you as you read.

What is the purpose of prayer, and how should I pray?

Prayer is a sign of dependence. Prayer is necessary because it changes your posture from being independent of God to dependent on God. Prayer directs your mind, heart, and motives to become aligned with God. Jesus’ prayer life was so powerful, His disciples asked Him if He would teach them to pray. He responded by teaching them the Lord’s Prayer. The Lord’s Prayer was never meant to be recited but rather to be used as a pattern to pray. Here is the pattern:

P – begin your prayers by praising God, helping you to know who you are talking to
R – Repent of any sin in your life that is blocking your relationship with Him
A – Ask Him to help you with needs, struggles, fears, worries
Y – Yield to His will for your life, daily surrendering to Him

Prayer is having a conversation with God. There aren’t any secret formulas or special words, only a sincere expression of your heart.

I’m scared to share my faith (and/or) I don’t really know the best ways to share my faith. How can I overcome these obstacles so that I can be effective on mission?

Try starting with this simple idea of B.L.E.S.S.

B – Be always in Prayer – God desires that everyone know Him. Pray all the time that God would show you ‘who’ He wants you to talk with and then pray that you will be ready to share when the opportunity presents itself.
L – Listen. Work on being a good listener. In time, you will learn how and when God wants you to speak about Him.
E – Eat. Enjoy spending time eating together and developing a relationship with the person God wants you to share Him with.
S – Serve them. Everyone has needs. Demonstrate how you care for them by helping meet the needs that they have.
S – Share Jesus. Ultimately there will come a time when the opportunity presents itself to share Jesus. Give them the good news.

I want to serve as a volunteer at Journey, but I don’t know how/where I can be useful. Where do I start?

Serving others or, as we like to say, giving your life away for others, is a tremendous way to grow. There are countless opportunities at Journey and you can learn about how to jump in and where to jump in by clicking here.

I have tried to read the Bible but I just don’t understand it. Is there a ‘trick’ to understanding the Bible? I need help.

The Bible is unlike any other book on the planet. It can be hard to understand but we have a personal teacher that helps us, the Holy Spirit. If you have started a relationship with Jesus (see first question above if you haven’t), then you have the Spirit of God inside of you that is a personal teacher that will help you. You simply need to ask Him to help you. In addition here are a few helpful hints to understanding what you are reading.

Hint #1

Hint #2

Hint #3

Hint #4

Hint #5

Where can I find online resources that will help me grow?

Here are just a few resources that will get you started:

Bible.com

GotQuestions.org

BibleGateway.org