Whether you’re just getting started in your faith or you’ve been a believer for a long time and you’re stepping back into it, God wants to do transformative work in your life. Our goal? To help you take your next step closer to God.
The Next Step in Your Faith Starts Here
Participant Guide Whether you’re just getting started in your faith or you’ve been a believer for a long time and you’re stepping back into it, God wants to do transformative work in your life. Our goal? To help you take your next step closer to God.
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Part 1: Transformation
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17
What changes when you put your faith in Christ?
1. You receive God’s
.
* Key Scripture: 1 John 1:9
2. You are
into God’s Family.
* Key Scripture: Romans 8:14-17
3. You receive the promise of
.
* Key Scripture: John 3:16
4. You receive the promise of the
.
* Key Scripture: Romans 8:11
To describe this major change, we use the word,
.
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The Trinity | Three equal persons in one essence:
•
•
•
When you choose to follow Jesus, it’s not just about eternity someday— it’s also about what God wants to do in your life today!
The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. John 10:10
: The process of learning from Jesus, becoming
more like him, and living the way Jesus did.
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Old Life vs. New Life
* Key Scripture: Galatians 5:16-26
New Life/Spirit-Filled Life
Old Life/Sin-Filled Life
A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.
Matthew 12:35
The process of discipleship and spiritual growth takes time, and it’s not
. It’s
. God will show up, but it
requires obedience and intentionality on our part, too.
Table Discussion: 1. Talk about your story of coming to know Jesus. What part of your old life was/is hardest to let go of? 2. What’s something that used to define you that no longer does? How did your faith in Jesus impact that? 3. Is there an area of your life right now where you’re asking God to work?
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Part 2: Where are we going, and how do we get there?
Four Circles of Transformation:
The four circles help us identify where
we
, where we
, and where we
in the spiritual transformation process.
The first circle represents people who are
.
Types of Explorers:
1. The
-churched
2. The
-churched
3. The
-churched
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The
of salvation.
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9
Exploring
The second circle represents people who are
.
New believers are learning all about Jesus, the Bible, prayer, church, what it’s like to follow Jesus, and how it impacts us personally.
The third circle represents people who are
.
These believers are engaging their faith by taking next steps and putting their faith into action. They start serving, join a group, give, and become an active part of the Christian community and church.
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Growing
Exploring
New
Eventually, believers will hit a “wall” of
.
What are some of my “self” tendencies?
The cross of
.
The first cross is the cross of SALVATION, where we DIE TO as the master of our lives.
The second cross is the cross of SURRENDER, where we DIE TO
.
Then he [Jesus] said to the crowd, “If any of you want to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23
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The fourth and last circle represents people who are truly
.
New
Growing
Exploring
Christ-centered people realize that the more they become like Jesus, the more their focus is on other people rather than their own needs and preferences.
Transformation is a
, not a destination.
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5 Values
* Key Scripture: Acts 2:42-47
We want to become people who:
•
•
•
•
•
These 5 Values are ways to create space in our lives to learn from Jesus, become more like him, and live like he did.
Table Discussion: 1. Looking back, what kind of explorer were you: Never-churched, been-churched, or go-to-churched? 2. Which of the 4 circles do you think you are in and why? 3. Is there anyone in your life who models Christ-centered living well? What do you notice about them? 4. Which of the 5 Values feels most natural to you? Which sounds most difficult?
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Part 3: Spend Time with God
The two most important ways to spend time with God are through
and . What is the Bible, and how do I read it?
Bible Facts: •
The Bible is a library or a collection of 66 books
• These 66 books tell the story of God’s work in the world
• The books are separated into two parts—the Old Testament and the New Testament
• These 66 books include poetry, law, letters, biography, and history
• The Bible was written in 3 original languages: Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic • The Bible spans over a period of 1500 years and is written by 40 different authors
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All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 5 Principles:
1. Choose a translation you
.
2. Make a
.
•
Use a reading plan.
•
Choose a time.
•
Choose a place.
3. Understand the
.
4. Read slowly and
.
5.
what God shows you.
* Key Scripture: James 1:22-25
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What is prayer, and how should I pray?
At its most basic level, prayer is a
with God.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Philippians 4:6.
The first aspect of prayer involves
.
PRAY: •
: Praise God for who he is, and thank him
for what he’s done for you.
•
: Tell God about any sin in your life. Be specific
and ask for forgiveness.
•
: Ask God for the things you or others need,
physically, emotionally, or spiritually.
•
: Let God know that you trust his plan for
the situation you are praying about.
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The second aspect of prayer involves
.
What are some ways you can hear from God?
The third aspect of prayer involves
.
Tips to start praying: •
Make a plan—pick a time and a place
•
Start small
•
Pray on the spot as needs arise
•
Ask others how you can be praying for them
Table Discussion: 1. What have been your past experiences or feelings about reading the Bible? 2. What challenges have kept you from reading the Bible or praying? What might help you overcome them? 3. How does the PRAY model (Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield) help you think differently about how to pray? 4. What’s one thing from what you just heard that challenged or encouraged you the most?
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What’s NEXT?
Identify a time and a place that you could spend with God every day this week:
•
Time:
•
Place:
Pick a plan. The Bible Reading Plan on the next page is a great place to start!
Connect in Community by joining a 5 Values Group. Scan the QR code to browse available groups and to sign up.
•
Group Details:
Consider getting baptized! Baptism is a way to publicly declare your faith in Jesus and follow his example. Turn to page 19 to learn more about baptism and how to sign up!
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Bible Reading Plan:
1. Choose a translation you can understand.
•
We recommend the NIV, NLT, or ESV.
2. Make a plan.
• Choose a time and place. Get it on the calendar. Make it a daily habit—and do your best to stick to it.
3. Understand the context.
• Who wrote it? To whom was it written? Why and when was it written? A Study Bible can help.
4. Read slowly and ask questions.
• For example: “What does this verse or chapter tell me about God?” “What is God trying to teach me?”
5. Apply what God shows you.
•
What do you want me to do, Lord?
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This Bible Reading Plan takes you through the New Testament in 44 weeks. Tear this page out and keep it in your Bible for easy access!
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Other Recommended Reading: •
After I Believe: Everyday Practices for a Vibrant Faith by James Emery White
•
Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning
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Considering Baptism?
What saves a person? Faith in Christ. Period. We’ve all sinned and deserve judgment—but Jesus, who was sinless, chose to die in our place. He took the punishment we deserved so we could be forgiven. You aren’t saved by being good, being religious, or getting baptized. The Bible is crystal clear that there is only one way to be saved: It’s by putting your faith in Jesus Christ. Why should I get baptized?
If you have already received Christ, your salvation is secure, but that doesn’t make baptism optional; in fact, it’s a command found throughout Scripture. So why should I get baptized? Here are a few reasons:
It’s an act of obedience. Throughout Scripture, we are taught to live a life of obedience—to back up our faith with actions—so that we grow closer in our relationship with God and live a life that points others to him. Jesus himself was baptized. He hadn’t sinned, yet he humbled himself in obedience to identify with us and give us an example to follow. All true Christ-followers should want to obey Jesus by doing what he said. Baptism is the first step for those who choose to follow Christ.
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It’s a public declaration of internal transformation.
We all have stories of how Jesus has changed our lives. Marriages are restored, addictions are broken, strength is renewed, purpose is rediscovered, emotions are healed, and so much more. And as we have already discussed, transformation continues throughout our lives. Again, baptism itself does not save or transform a person’s heart, but it declares to others that you are a follower of Jesus and is the act of publicly cementing and celebrating what God has done and will continue to do in your life.
It’s a stake-in-the-ground moment to leave sin behind, declare a fresh start, and move towards a better future .
Look what Paul says in Romans 6:3-4: “ Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” Baptism is symbolic of what Jesus provides for us in faith. When we place our faith in Jesus, what was and is his is now ours. When we are submerged or immersed in the water, it’s symbolic of how our sin is buried by his death. We can leave that sin behind. When raised up out of the water, our sins are symbolically washed clean by that water. As we wipe water from our eyes, God declares a fresh start and leads us to a better future. Not because we are good. Not because we will never sin. But because of Jesus. He gave us HIS righteousness for OUR sin and paid the penalty we deserve. Through his death, burial, and resurrection, we can leave the power of our sin behind, start clean with a fresh start, and be raised to a better future.
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Infant Baptism One of the reasons some don’t go through with baptism is that they were baptized as an infant. But rather than letting your infant baptism be a hindrance, be grateful! Your parents cared enough about you to want you to have faith in God. However, even if you were baptized as an infant, the Bible makes clear you should still be baptized as an adult. Why? Three quick reasons:
1. Infants were never baptized in Scripture. It was a practice introduced by the Church in the 3rd century.
2. Every time someone was baptized in Scripture, it was after they made the personal decision to follow Christ. So, they were old enough to make a mind and heart decision.
But because of these three reasons, even if you’ve been baptized as an infant, be grateful! But don’t skip this important step because you’re worried about ruining your infant baptism experience or disrespecting your family. 3. The word used for “baptize” is the Greek word “baptizo,” which means to immerse, submerge, or dip. There’s a spiritual reality of baptism that involves a willing person being fully immersed or dunked in water. To be clear: God also knows there are times physical limitations prevent a full immersion. And, the good news is, God is okay with that. God is bigger than our physical limitations.
Baptism is essential in laying the groundwork for spiritual growth.
If you are ready to take this step of baptism, visit eaglebrookchurch.com/baptism for upcoming baptism services and to register.
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