Your Next Steps
FIRST STEP
To Know Him
You may be wondering what’s next on your journey. We want to help! Join us as we guide you toward the next steps in your walk with Christ. The Bible says in Romans 1:17, “The Good News shows how God makes people right with himself” (NCV). How does God make us right with himself?
This is called the Gospel, and there are three points.
First.
We can’t make ourselves righteous. Heaven is a perfect place. There’s no sin, sadness, evil, or injustice. But here’s the problem: We are imperfect, and God can’t let sinful people into heaven because then it would be full of sin, too.
Romans 3:20 says, “No one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are” (NLT).
The only people who think they can keep God’s laws are those that don’t know them because God’s laws are perfect, and none of us are perfect. We cannot be made right on our own.
Second.
God sent Jesus to pay for our sins so we could be declared righteous.
When you break man’s laws, you pay man’s penalty. When you break God’s laws, you pay God’s penalty, which is an eternity in hell. Somebody has to pay for all the things you’ve done in life that hurt other people, yourself, and God. But God has a plan. He says, “I’ll send my Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty. He will take your place so you don’t have to go to hell. You can be with me forever.”
Do you understand why the Gospel is called Good News? It means everything you’ve ever done or will ever do wrong in life has already been paid for by Jesus Christ on the cross. Through Jesus, you can be made right with God. “[God] saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy” (Titus 3:5 NLT).
Third.
We have to accept by faith what God did for us. To be made right with God, just believe and accept by faith that what Jesus did on the cross paid for your sins. Then, you are a part of God’s family. You can live the way he wants you to live now and then go to heaven in eternity. That is righteousness.
Romans 10:9-10 says, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 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” (NLT).
Hallelujah! We can all be saved no matter who we are, what we’ve done, or how long we’ve done it. Today is the day to settle this. If you aren’t sure if you’re going to heaven when you die, please pray and ask God to forgive you of your sins and come into your heart today. If you accepted Jesus click HERE for guidance to start your new life.
SECOND STEP
Water Baptism
As soon as you decide to believe in Christ, YOUR NEXT FAITH STEP IS BAPTISM! Baptism is a public declaration of your personal decision to follow Jesus. If you’ve never been baptized, we’d love to help you take that step! As your church, we would love to stand with you as you declare your choice to surrender your life to Jesus Christ.
Baptism is a symbol of your new life as a Christian. Following faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the new convert is commanded by the Word of God to be baptized in water in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Because of this we see baptism as an outward expression of an inward decision a believer has made to follow Jesus. (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12, 36-38; 10:47-48)
We bury the ‘old life’ and we rise to walk in a ‘new life’. Like a wedding ring, baptism it is the outward symbol of the commitment you made in your heart, a commitment that has to be followed through and lived out on a daily basis.
What’s Next?
The Next Step
Next Steps Class is a three-week environment for anyone who is new to Restoration Church, who wants to discover more about how they can get involved, or is looking to get connected with the right community.
For three consecutive sessions, we’ll provide an opportunity for you to connect with others as we talk about how to:
Follow.
Following Jesus makes your life better and makes you better at life. Session 1 is an online experience where we’ll discuss what it looks like to follow Jesus, and you will learn the heart, vision, and values of our church. It’s our desire to help you identify where you are on the journey and how we can partner with you.
Discover.
Curiosity is the fuel for growth. We’ll discuss the importance of being curious about God and the people around you and help you learn more about your gifts and how you’re wired.
Participate.
The church is more than a building. It’s a gathering—a family. We’ll discuss opportunities to help you find your place in the Restoration Church family.
At the conclusion of the Next Steps Class, you’ll have a customized plan personalized to who you are, where you are in your faith journey, and your specific need for community and connection right now.