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Grow in Your Faith
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The basics of the Christian faith is very important to understand. The following resources will help you understand some of these:
Ten First Steps for the New Christian
How to Live a Christian Life
How You Can Be Filled with The Holy Spirit
New Christian Resources
Anchor Your Life
Next it is very important to do what the Bible says to do. Jesus said, "If you love me, you will obey what I command." (John 14:15). Here are a few of the important commands that Jesus gave:
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your mind and with all your soul. This is the first and greatest commandment." (Matthew 22:37)
"Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35)
"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." (Luke 9:23)
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)
Finally, an important step that a maturing Christian should make is the practice
of spiritual disciplines. These disciplines allow you to get closer to God and
keep your relationship with him strong.
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Do you not know that in a race all
the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to
get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.
They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown
that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly;
I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make
it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not
be disqualified for the prize. 1 Cor. 9:24-27
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The following are some of the key spiritual disciplines:
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Share Your Faith
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What does it mean to share your faith? It is simply sharing with others the Good News of the Gospel. It is telling others about what Jesus has done in your life and about your relationship with God. It is letting them know how they can have that relationship too. It is not about quoting Bible verses at people or telling them they are going to hell or else if they don't believe.
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Then Jesus came to them and said, "All
authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and
make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything
I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end
of the age." Matthew 28:18-20
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God is at work around us in many different situations and in all kinds of people.
How You Can Change Your World
How to Share the Gospel clearly
Web Evangelism
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Understanding Your
Faith
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It is so important to be able to understand what you believe and why. This realm of questions covers apologetics (defending your faith) and Bible study. The Bible holds the key to understanding our faith in Christ. We have the Holy Spirit as the Counselor who will guide us into all truth.
10 Reasons to Believe... -- excellent resource on reasons to believe
Christian Think-Tank -- a very philosophical and highly educated look at faith
Answers in Action -- providing answers about the Bible, God, etc.
Christian Answers -- many excellent answers on the Bible, religion, and life
Doctrine of The Trinity -- understanding this doctrine
Links to Trinity and Deity of Christ Articles
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Missions
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If we just cared about ourselves and our own personal growth, then that would be self-centered. But God wants us to love one another. When some hear the word "missions" they think of a missionary in a far off land. In the Bible's views, missions is reaching everyone with the good news of the gospel. It's about sharing your faith and impacting your world with the Kingdom of God. You can "do missions" right where you are at, or you can go to another city, state, or country. What is most important is you go where God calls you.
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10:14-15 InterCristo -- can help you find Christian work in U.S.
Operation Mobilisation -- help evangelize and plant churches across world
Wycliffe -- translating the Bible into all world languages
Go Ye -- provides opportunities for missions work at home or abroad
Alternative Missions -- want to be a creative missionary?
Check out many other opportunities on our Missions category in Christian Organizations.
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Understanding
Cults & Religions
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In the Bible, it says "For false Christs and false prophets will appear
and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect -- if that were
possible...." (Matt 24:24). In the 20th century, more cults (religions
that bear a resemblance to Christianity but change one or more of the basic
beliefs of Christianity) have been formed than ever before. It is good
to understand what other religions say as well as what the cults say. Almost
all of them come down to their belief in Jesus Christ. They either do not believe
he is God or they do not believe what he did on the cross was a sufficient payment
for the penalty of our sins.
| For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 2 Timothy 4:3 |
| Atheism -- answering an atheist |
| Bahai -- understanding why they are not Christian |
| Buddhism -- what Does Buddhism teach, and how does it differ from Christianity? |
| Hinduism -- read a Christian perspective on this religion |
| Horoscopes -- should Christians follow them? |
| Islam -- a look into Islam and what it teaches...especially useful to direct a Muslim to |
| Jehovah Witnesses -- answers to JWs |
| Jehovah Witnesses -- understand what they believe |
| Mormonism -- find out why Mormonism is not Christian |
| New Age Movement - understanding of this "religion" |
| Scientology -- learn more about the mis-information of Dianetics and L. Ron Hubbard |
| Secular Humanism -- understand this dominant worldview |
| Unification Church -- Rev. Moon and his Moonies, mass weddings...what's going on? |
| Wicca -- understanding it and how Christian should respond |