We’ve spent a lot of time talking about how to share our faith with everyone around us. As much as we’ve spent all of this time and effort, this is only the beginning! I’ve been running a poll online to discover what the next great subject will be for my blog.

Slightly edging out everything else is the subject of holiness. This will be our next great adventure. But I want you to know that working on your ability to share your faith has been valuable. You’ve worked hard to refine your skill in delivering the message of the gospel to people who desperately need to know Jesus.

Bask in the hope of your loved ones, your friends, your acquaintances, and even complete strangers coming to know Jesus like you do. The great hope of following Jesus and eternally living with him in heaven has always been our goal. And it’s in reach for them! That’s got you, his very best, on the front lines on their behalf.

The Bible tells us that when a person comes to faith, the whole of heaven rejoices (Luke 15:7, 10). This is an exciting time. Don’t forget to lavishly celebrate when people come to Jesus. The commitment to follow him will last all the rest of our days.

And that is, of course, the next step. The end of the journey to become one of Jesus’ followers is actually the beginning of our life in Christ. So there are a few goals you will want to leave with anyone who accepts Christ under your watch.

• Begin your prayer life. In the beginning, you won’t think you’re good at it. But prayer is not complicated. It’s simply talking to God. He’s always listening. Develop the discipline of going to him for everything. Every big decision, every moment of weakness, every temptation, every request, and just for this year pleasure of communing with him.
• Read the Bible every day. The Bible is God’s love letter and instruction to us. It is the roadmap he wants us to follow as we walk with him in this life. The more you read it, the more encouraged, challenged, and blessed you will become. No matter what comes your way, you will now how to apply his wisdom and will to your life. And beyond reading it, study it!
• Find and join a Bible-believing church. Hearing God’s word through sermons and Bible studies is essential to your growth and strength in the faith. There are many people around you in community that can help you grow. Tapping into God’s vibrant community and family is part of your privilege as one of his children.
• Get involved in a Christian small group. We are better when we live our faith out in a community of like-minded believers. There is an entire family of God’s people that want to see you succeed as they are. We need each other to grow, comfort one another, rejoice with one another, and live life together. God’s people are on your side. You’ll quickly discover that the world never has been.
• Find ways to serve. The community of faith and unbelievers around you are an excellent place for you to start giving out what you are taking in. Every disciple has the process of learning and growing, as well as offering to others what is offered to them. To avoid becoming stagnant in your faith, you must be applying it through doing acts of service for others. The Christian faith is not internal. It is about reaching others.

Diligence in each of these areas will certainly yield growth in the faith and in Jesus. God’s got a goal to make every believer conform to Jesus’ image (Romans 8:28). This new creature in Christ, one who has turned from the old life to the new, needs a support system. You are the first person in that system. But you also need to look them up with other people who are stronger in areas you are not yet strong.

Helping a person not only come to faith but also to grow in faith isn’t about you putting spiritual notches in your belt. It’s about making sure that new converts and even growing Christians don’t fall through the cracks or fall away from the faith. We are wired for relationship with others, no matter how introverted we may be. We need the community of faith.

Pledge along with me to be the kind of Christian to make sure no man is left behind. Fight for the people you lead to Jesus. Fight for them to grow in him. The battle is far from over, but the time is short.

I have thoroughly enjoyed taking you through the process of sharing your faith in a more effective way. I hope you have also learned something you can use as you read others to the Lord. As we transition from the series on sharing your faith to the series on holiness, I hope you will continue to follow my posts.

This series will not go away. It will be placed in a new section of the website under “More.” This resource will always be available. May God bless you as you continue to lead others to him and help them grow into the Christians Jesus wants them to be. Leave a comment and let me know if you’ve enjoyed this series. Until next Tuesday and our new series, keep the faith!