Discovering Jesus

Have you ever wondered who Jesus is or what it means to follow him? Many of us have asked that same question and discovered the good news that we’re invited into a living relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

At the heart of Christianity is the belief that God loves each of us and invites us to know him personally.

The Bible tell us that Jesus was born around 2000 years ago in Israel. He taught people about the love that God has for each and every one of us. How did he know? Because he was the Son of God! His first followers believed that, but the establishment rejected him. He was crucified, died and was buried. Yet God raised him from death into life – eternal life! And because of that, Christians believe that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Not our mistakes, not our failures, not our regrets, not our brokenness.

Jesus invites you to know the love of God and follow him. That means turning towards God and inviting him to be part of your daily life. This turning, which the Bible calls repentance, is about recognising where we’ve gone our own way, asking God for forgiveness and starting a new life with Jesus.

You can pray a simple prayer of commitment as a way of turning from your old ways and starting a new life with Jesus. The exact words don’t matter so much as the honest intention of your heart.

Loving God,
Thank you that you love me and want to know me
I’m sorry for going my own way
Help me to follow Jesus, one step at a time
Amen.

Becoming a Christian is not a one-off event, but the beginning of a journey with God. It’s like getting to know a new friend: it takes time, attention and a shared life together.

Here are a few simple practices that help you grow as a follower of Jesus:

Spend time in prayer: prayer is simply talking with God, and it’s something you can do anywhere, anytime. Read What is Prayer? to find out more.

Read the Bible: starting with the Gospels (the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) can help you know Jesus more. You can read the bible for free online or on your device at www.bible.com.

Ask questions: it’s normal to have doubts or moments of confusion as you grow. That’s part of learning and maturing in faith. Ask a Christian friend or explore the Christianity.org.uk website.

Connect with a local church: church is not just a building, but a community of believers who worship together, pray together, eat together and support one another through life’s ups and down. We have a directory of local churches on our website, and if you’d like help in connecting with a church, please contact us.

Every journey begins with a first step. Maybe that’s a quiet moment of prayer, opening a Bible for the first time, or walking through the door of a church. Wherever you are right now — curious, uncertain, excited, or even a little afraid — know that Jesus loves you and is looking forward to doing life together with you.

Find out more about Jesus Christ and the Christian faith at Christianity.org.uk, a national agency of Churches Together in England and Wales.