Confused about faith, Christianity and the intricacies of church life? Discover what it means to be a Christian and more curly questions facing those new to faith.
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Like people themselves, everyone’s faith journey is unique. It’s not always clear and there’s often questions. Read on and find the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions. We’d love to hear from you if you have any other outstanding questions.
What does it mean to be a Christian?
It’s the opportunity to be made whole and to have new life through personally knowing Jesus Christ. It means believing that Jesus Christ is God, and is able to transform us through His love, forgiveness and power. Being a Christian means surrendering to Jesus as the Lord of our lives, so that He can help us grow to become more like Him. It’s living with a new perspective because He gives us the strength to overcome troubles and trials.
When Jesus Christ died on a cross and was raised to life, He made a way for us to be forgiven of our sinfulness and directly connected to Him in personal relationship. When we believe and accept these things about Jesus, He is able to give us a new life now and everlasting life for eternity.
Romans 10:9 says: “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Have you made the decision to follow Christ?
If you would like to invite Jesus Christ into your life or rededicate your life to Him, you can choose to follow Him by praying a prayer of surrender right now. Prayer is simply a conversation with Jesus in your own words, that you can say out loud or in your head. A prayer of surrender is simply telling Jesus that you believe in Him, that you accept His gift of forgiveness offered through His death and resurrection, and that you want Him to be Lord of your life and to lead you every day.
”Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” Psalm 51:10-12
What does it mean to go to church?
On one level, going to church simply means turning up to a specific location at a particular time and participating in a service of worship. The service may include music and congregational singing; preaching by a nominated speaker; prayer; and an opportunity to give to the work of the church or another special cause. Going to church can also include studying the Bible in a small group, eating a meal together and meeting new people. Each congregation has its own culture and style, so going to church may mean dressing up or dressing down; singing hymns or contemporary worship songs; or kneeling down or standing up for prayer.
At a deeper level, attending church also means being part of a vibrant, growing community of people who believe in the same God and who want to strengthen their faith together.
“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:27
This passage in 1 Corinthians explains that Christians are all connected as the body of Christ and that it’s not possible for us to survive without each other. When you walk into our congregations, you will find communities who are journeying together, as we aim to imitate Jesus Christ’s example and live more like Him. We’re here to encourage one another in our Christian walks and support each other during times of hardship.
So, going to church means coming together to worship our God, hear from His Word and share in this faith journey together. God never intended for us to take this journey alone. We hope you’ll join us.
Contact us if you have any questions about our congregations, your faith journey or if you have made a recent decision to follow Jesus.