I can't help but smile when I think about the fact that I am in full-time ministry and 14 years ago I believed Jesus was nothing more than a figment of people's imagination.
Only He could write the story this way, and while there have been moments where I have wished my childhood had been steeped in Bible stories and flannel-board Sunday school lessons, I am also grateful to have an experience that I hope will speak to people who come to know the Lord as an adult.
I was 24 and a graduate student when I gave my life to Him, and I quickly found myself immersed in a world of lingo and expectations that were completely foreign to me. I have a vivid recollection of sitting in a girl's living room with about a dozen other people as she cried and asked us to pray for her "unspoken." Everyone nodded, so naturally, I did too.
Let's just say nodding became a second language to me.
I was totally overwhelmed by the Bible, and for all my well-meaning attempts, I simply could not get through it (read: Leviticus). But there was a hunger in me, and so many people fed that hunger with words and encouragement that forever altered the course of my faith.
I think many times we underestimate the role we play in the life of a new believer, and I'd love to share a few things that really blessed me in the hopes that you might keep them in mind when you're given the opportunity to be a part of those early days in someone else's journey.
Almost immediately, the first thing that comes to mind is the way I could tell who wanted me to know Jesus because they saw Him as Life and who was looking at me as a project. Obviously, that's not what we want people to feel. From my own experiences, here are a few things that made me want to embrace people's faith instead of seeing myself as one of their boxes to be checked.
1. They left room for me to ask questions, and they gave themselves permission to answer honestly.
Sometimes, that meant saying, "I don't know." Oftentimes Christians see those words as signs of weakness in their faith and worry that it will be translated as such to someone who is seeking, but that wasn't my experience. It gave me a safe place to file the things I was unsure of while still trusting the God who surely knew the answers.
2. They encouraged a love of the Word in me.
They gave me books and favorite passages in Scripture and never made me feel stupid because I didn't know the Old Testament from the New. In my early days as a Christian, I bought illustrated children's Bibles just to try and gain a better understanding of the story (and it helped a lot!).
3. They made me feel included and genuinely welcome.
Let's face it-stepping into a new church is every bit as scary as trying to find a seat in the middle-school cafeteria. They were happy I was there and made a point of finding time outside of church to connect. But what ministered to me so much was the way that several people would invite me to dinner or to their house and we didn't necessarily talk about issues directly related to Christianity. We talked about life. We talked about what I was passionate about and who I was. They wanted to know me, not because I was someone "on the way to conforming to a proper Christian," but because I was simply someone.
4. They told me their stories.
Nothing makes someone feel more welcome than letting them behind the scenes and giving them a glimpse of your life. Tell them about your own conversion, the hard times in your faith, and the way you study, pray, and experience the Lord. Make it clear that this isn't the only way to do those things, but that it's your way. This gives a frame of reference for areas that may be completely confusing to a new Christian.
5. They prayed for me.
I know it almost sounds trite, but it goes without saying that one of the most powerful things we can do for others is to intercede on their behalf. Years later I would find out specific requests that they had brought to God for me and I was able to see the way He honored them. Knowing that in the dark of night they were thinking of me and asking God to bless my life was one of the most humbling and moving parts of my early days as a Christian.
Ask God for an opportunity to have this role in another person's life; pray that He brings you a hungry, tender, fresh soul that needs to be cared for and nurtured. And as you simply convey your love for Him, pray they will be moved toward the Lord and His Word.
For those of you who did this for me, I am indebted to you beyond measure, and I can only hope my life and my passion convey my gratitude for your love and investment in me.
Learn More About Angie Smith's Bible Study
Seamless: In seven sessions, this study covers the people, places and promises of the Bible, tying them together into the greater story of Scripture. Participants will gain an overarching understanding of the fundamental layout and meaning of God's Word.
Seamless helps replace insecurity that holds participants back with clarity and helping them move forward with confidence in their understanding of Scripture. Each week of study features key information that ties all of Scripture together into the seamless truth of the gospel message and is accompanied by maps, general Bible facts and word studies.