The first step in anyone's spiritual journey is choosing to follow Jesus. The Bible explains this step clearly:

Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. - Acts 2:38

⁹ If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. - Romans 10:9-10

These verses show us that the first step in following Jesus is turning from sin (repent) and declaring that Jesus is Lord. When you choose to do that, you are made right with God, your sins are forgiven, and you are given new life through Jesus.

If you have made this decision today, we would love to know. Letting us know allows us to celebrate with you and come alongside you as you take your next steps in following Jesus.

Being baptized is the first step of obedience for those who have chosen to follow Jesus. Baptism is not what makes us a follower of Jesus, but every follower of Jesus is commanded to be baptized.

In Acts 2:38, Peter says:
“Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The Bible gives us several reasons why we are baptized:
(1) Jesus was baptized and set the example for us. (Mark 1:9)
(2) Jesus commands us to be baptized as part of following Him. (Matthew 28:19-20)
(3) Baptism publicly declares that we are followers of Jesus. (Acts 18:8, 1 John 2:3)

Baptism is a significant next step because it outwardly demonstrates what Jesus has already done in our hearts. When Jesus died on the cross and rose again, He made forgiveness and new life possible for everyone. When we are baptized, we are identifying with His death and resurrection, our old life is gone, and we are raised to new life in Christ.

Baptism is meant to be a moment of joy and celebration, and we would love to celebrate this step with you. If you are interested in being baptized, let let us know.

Growing in your faith is similar to growing in any relationship. It takes time, intention, and consistency. If daily devotions have never been part of your regular rhythm, it can be hard to know where to begin.

If you would like to grow in your faith, we invite you to select the button below to explore the available resources. These are designed to help you build simple, meaningful rhythms that draw you closer to Jesus.

Life is full of different seasons, and we were never meant to navigate them alone. We all need people who will celebrate with us in the highs and walk with us through the lows. That is why community is such an important next step in following Jesus.

At Family Life, we believe community is lived out in two key ways: Community Groups and Serving.

As you take this step, you can begin by joining a community group or serving on a team, or you can choose to do both. However you start, taking this step will help you grow your faith and build meaningful relationships along the way.

Sharing the gospel can feel intimidating and overwhelming at times. Many of us worry about saying the right words or knowing how to begin. But we do not have to look any further than Jesus to learn how to share the good news with others.

In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus tells us to:
"Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Throughout His ministry, Jesus showed us what this looks like. He did not rely on pressure or persuasion. Instead, he cared deeply for people, spoke the truth in love, and invited others into a life-changing relationship with God.

If you are interested in learning how to share Jesus with others, we invite you to explore the resources below. They are designed to help you live on mission in natural, relational, and faithful ways.