Christianity is a journey. It’s an adventure. It’s full of twists and turns, ups and downs. And as with anything, each person’s faith journey will be a bit unique to them. Even people from the same family have differences in their stories & experiences. This is what shapes us & makes us who we are.
With that being said, there are a few “mile markers” that show progress on this journey. There is a bit of a process that leads us from one mile marker to the next. Not everyone will take the same amount of time between certain markers, but each person will see a similar progression. Maybe you’re a brand new follower of Jesus and you’re wondering, “What now?”. Or maybe you’ve been following Jesus for some time, yet you feel as if you’re not progressing or growing & you’re becoming frustrated. It’s also possible that you’re reading this and you haven’t begun a Christian faith journey for any number of reasons. Wherever you fall on that spectrum, here are the 5 steps of Christianity:
1. Information
No one can really do much of anything without first having information. If you have tried something brand new without researching, asking for advice, reading the instructions, I’m sure you’ve found yourself lost & ready to quit quite quickly (look at that alliteration!). Before you take a vacation, you probably look around or at least go off the advice or experience of someone who has been there. If you’re buying a house, you want to know if that home meets your needs & you certainly scope out the neighborhood before signing anything.
It’s the same with starting a Christian faith journey. You have to be given some kind of information about what this is all about before making a decision about it. You could be given information at a church gathering, from your Christian neighbors, or from TV evangelists. You may have been given “reliable” information from any of these sources among others. Or it’s possible the information you gathered was “unreliable” – not a good representation of solid faith. This is why for people who profess to be Christ-followers & churches that claim to represent Jesus regularly check themselves for accuracy. Is the information we’re presenting what Jesus really intended? This is also why I’m a huge proponent of world missions. Everyone needs access to this information, and people who feel led to travel to foreign lands help to provide this opportunity.
2. Inspiration
Based on the information you receive about Christianity, you will become inspired to make a decision. If the information convinces you to begin a Christian faith journey, you’re on your way – away we go! This is where maybe at a church gathering you raise your hand or repeat a prayer after the minister. Or if you’re watching church online or on television, you call a number or click a link.
If you’ve been given “bad information” or are not convinced for whatever reason this Christian thing isn’t for you, you’re also inspired, but just in the totally opposite direction. For you, it seems the journey is over. The 5-step process ends at Step 2. Let me encourage you to give it another chance. Go gather some more information. If you visit a certain vacation destination based off online reviews & your experience was not at all what was advertised, do you quit vacationing? No, you simply find a different destination next time. Don’t give up so easily. Keep at it. Do more investigating.
3. Transformation
This is the next step for those who take that first step and begin their own Christian faith journey. It won’t take long to see the positive effects of putting faith in Jesus. You will sense peace like you’ve never known. You will sense freedom like you’ve never known. Maybe for the first time you will know what true love and acceptance feels like. You will feel like a completely new person because that’s exactly what you are (2 Corinthians 5:17)! This is probably the most enjoyable part of the journey because for the first time you understand what living is really meant to be! And not to be a Negative Nancy, but that is precisely why the next step is so important…
4. Dedication
This is the hard part. The excitement & euphoria of Step 3 will eventually wear off. Now don’t get wrong, following Jesus on your faith journey is always good and right. You can still live in the peace, joy, love, & acceptance you felt early on in the journey. But life has a funny way of trying to trip you up during the journey. Things happen. Kids get sick. Careers end. People hurt you. So, the key is to stay on the journey. Stick with it. Don’t lay down & die. Don’t try to find a different path. Keep journeying. Keep climbing. Purpose in your heart from the beginning of this journey that you’ll see it through to the end. There’s an old saying, “Anything worth doing will be difficult”. On dark days or seasons, hold onto scriptures like this or this. A bump in the road is not the end. You’re not finished, and God is not finished with you. Even when you make mistakes (and you will), keep your eyes forward and keep going onward & upward.
5. Replication
The true goal of a faith journey does not end with you. A successful faith journey includes you helping others to begin their journey and help them advance & see progress & growth in it. Jesus doesn’t just say, “Be disciples”. He says, “Make disciples.” Think about it: in some way, either directly or indirectly, someone on a faith journey helped you to begin yours. That’s what we are all to do. Think of yourself as a Spiritual Sherpa. You’re not the lead tour guide, but as you follow Him, you can help guide, direct, & encourage others.
We are hardwired for community. We were meant for relationships. We need others to help us on our journey and others will need us too. Let’s walk together. Let’s climb together. Let’s journey together.