Page 59 - Finding Jesus with Good News report A5 WEB

6. Encourage ‘ordinary’ Christians they can make a
difference.

Lots of people are becoming Christians with the help of friends, family members,
colleagues and volunteers. By being known as a Christian, showing their faith
through their character and being willing to journey with people, they help people
move closer to knowing Jesus.

7. Give people time.
Taking the step to follow Jesus is massive! People often wrestle with the changes
they know this will involve. They really value Christians spending time with them
and helping them in the journey, and they appreciate being given time to question
and wrestle without feeling hurried or pressured.

8. Help people learn how to read the Bible.

Most explorers don’t know what the Bible actually is, how to read it, or how to
connect it to their lives. Yet it’s such a powerful way God draws people to Himself.
Explorers value people and resources that help them get into God’s word.

9. Equip new Christians for mission.

Most new Christians want to show and share their faith effectively with those
around them. As they tell people about the journey they’ve been on, and as others
see the big change in them, they can be very effective evangelists. They need
support in knowing how to respond to negative reactions and answering difficult
questions, as well as encouragement to keep going.

10. Support new Christians in the messy
transitional phase.

Exploring faith and coming to faith is a messy process. It involves big lifestyle
changes, and they might experience strain or fractures in their existing
relationships. All of this is hard, so they need lots of patience, lots of understanding,
and a healthy, hospitable community around them as they navigate this season of
change.

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