I got baptized this morning. Where to go from here?

[TheRisingSun]

OK, so you read the title. You know that as a Christian, I got baptized this morning at my church; Beginning of the 1st Sunday service. I've been going to this non-denominational church since September 2024 (so for 3 months). Before I begin, here's the church's doctrine.

• The Bible is God's Word to humanity; It is accurate, authoritative, and applicable to our everyday lives.
• God is an eternal being, and not a created thing, but the Creator of all things.
• God exists in three Persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AKA, the Trinity.
• We are all sinners and fall short of God's glory; Sin also separates us from God and His purpose for our lives.
• Hell is a perfect and just punishment for sin.
• Jesus Christ is both God and man, and the only one who can reconcile us to God.
• Jesus Christ is the only person who can earn His way into Heaven; He lived a sinless life.
• He died on the cross as a substitute for sinners; He rose from the dead 3 days later.
• To be saved from Hell and be forgiven by God, all we must do is repent and accept Christ as the only thing that can save us.
• It is important for believers to meet regularly for fellowship, prayer, and holy communion.
• Our destination is our choice: Eternal damnation by rejecting Christ, or salvation by accepting Christ.
• Jesus Christ will eventually return to this world, as He promised.
• Marriage is a gift from God, meant only for 1 man and 1 woman; Homo/bisexuality is a sin against God.
• Sex outside of marriage is a sin.
• Both men and women are able to fill all roles in the church (this church is egalitarian).

Anyway, now, I've become a member of this church, I've been baptized, I own my own Bible (NIV). At the end of the first sermon, I bought three pamphlets for microchurches planted in my city, so that I can gather in-person for worship, discussion, and fellowship with a small group of fellow Christians. The pamphlets were for young adults (18-30 singles, co-ed), men (all ages), and all ages (Bible study, co-ed). I haven't really made any friends at my church, so this is a good opportunity to make some.



I was also given the book, "Fresh Start with God", by John Siebling. Something to note is that I'm a Yu-Gi-Oh player, and beforehand, I've thought of going to tournaments. If you do well enough, you can travel to other states and even other countries. Which meant if I did well enough, I could preach the good news to people I'm playing with and against. Yu-Gi-Oh isn't exactly popular with Christians--which is understandable, given that it started out exploring occult and pagan themes--and there are more than 10,000 cards in the game, so I saw a big opportunity.


If anyone has any advice, what would you recommend?

 

[rebornfree]

Great that you've come to know the Lord and been baptized. Welcome to the world-wide family of God.

It's good to have fellowship with other Christians so joining one of the groups you found is a really good idea. I would pray about which one the Lord wants you to attend. I would think the younger age group may be best unless you feel that they are too young for you. It's also important to pray and read your Bible regularly. Most people recommend trying to do it the same time every day, so it becomes part of your routine. As you are new to Christianity I suggest about 20 minutes a day. If you want to do longer great, but I think it's more important to have a manageable time and keep going with it rather than to aim for too much and then give up. It's something you will grow into.

Regarding Bible reading I would suggest starting with one of the gospels: Mark might be the best as it's the shortest and is a good introduction to Jesus's life and ministry, but it doesn't include His birth. Matthew and Luke cover some of the same ground and more; Matthew explaining how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies and Luke (the only non-Jewish gospel writer) researching the Lord's life thoroughly and providing a detailed account of it. John is a bit different: a lovely gospel but I would recommend reading one of the others first. There used to be booklets called "Daily Bread" and "Every Day with Jesus" (including one for new believers) which had a Bible passage and commentary for each day. I don't know if they are still around, or if there are online versions, but that could be a good idea instead. If you find anything else just check that the publisher is a genuine Christian one. The beliefs your Church has are pretty sound so use that as a guide or check with a church member before using it. I don't know the book you were given. That may have daily Bible readings in it.

As for prayer, the Lord taught us how to do so in Matthew 6 v 9-13, so you could pray the Lord's prayer. It is a good idea to commit each day to the Lord and ask for His guidance and also pray for any issues you have, for your loved ones and anything your Church has asked the members to pray for. Remember praying is talking to your Heavenly Father; just open your heart to Him. We need to respect that He is Lord of all the universe, but there is no need to be unduly formal. Also it's best to find somewhere private. Obviously we should try not to sin, but if we do God will forgive us when we repent. I think it's best to keep short accounts with God i.e. repent as soon as possible.

A website which may be helpful is Impact Video Ministries. They cover various aspects of the Christian faith and I think that they are aimed at young adults, although I've watched several videos and I'm in my seventies! (Just make sure that it is the correct website as they have had people trying to impersonate them.)

Impact Video Ministries

USING OUR VIDEOS: IVM gives permission for its videos to be played, downloaded, and shared by other Christian churches, organizations, and religious affiliates for the purposes of instruction and education. We believe Christian education should always be free. However, all impersonations will be...

www.youtube.com

I would keep away from the occult but as I know nothing about gaming I am going to leave others to advise you on that.

I hope your Church can give you advice. Do they have a discipleship course or anything else for new believers? I would prayerfully consider all we say on this thread and may God bless you. You are starting on an amazing journey!

 

[timf]

It can be useful to consider that being placed into the body of Christ and thus having eternal life is not the last step, but the beginning of your Christian life. This is a process of slowly becoming more like Jesus.

Eph 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Eph 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

This is accomplished by walking by the Spirit more than the flesh (Galatians chapter five). Essentially this process is a transition from selfishness (we are all born selfish and ignorant) to the selflessness of love (1Cor 13:4-7).

The path of Christian maturity requires an active participation. For example discernment is accomplished through exercise (Heb 5:14). Prayer for wisdom, understanding, and knowledge is also useful. May do not appreciate that the bible has a supernatural effect that makes it more than just a textbook (Is 55:10-11).

Many fail to appreciate the value of questioning. Some denominations present themselves as having the final complete truth such that questioning is unwelcome. However, questioning borne out of curiosity rather than a critical spirit can be very useful.

" I am embarrassed by what I thought five years ago. I hope to be embarrassed five years from now by what I know today." - A person growing in faith and knowledge.

You are at the beginning of what can be a very rewarding journey. You may want to read the fictional book "Pilgrim's Progress" as it describes a journey of a Christian and describes some of the encounters with the flesh and the world that can cause difficulty for the unwary.