Next Steps

Congratulations on finishing this four-week series to equip you to follow Jesus. We hope and expect that God is preparing you for continued growth with some exciting next steps.

Where do you go from here?

Please look over these five areas for possible next steps and pick the growth area that God may be nudging you toward. Focus on this area.

Connect with other Christians.

• Join a weekly small group.  
• Hang out with the small group members. Share meals together and build friendships.
• Get into their lives, and let them into your personal life. Introduce them to your family and your network of friends.  

Grow as a witness to Jesus.  

• Make it a habit to share your story of faith with others.
• Find someone who is good at sharing their faith.  Ask them how they learned to be winsome as they talk about faith. Ask for their feedback on your story.  Try talking about your favorite stories of Jesus in the Gospels. And try again.  
• Read a book about sharing your faith. (If you want to grow in apologetics, read Faith is Like Sky Diving by Rick Mattson, IVP.) 

Mentor others.

• Now that you have been through the GROW series, find someone else you can help lead through it. Meet with them weekly for four weeks.
• Start meeting with someone who is curious about Jesus. Be sure to keep your friendships with your non-Christian friends.
• Intentionally befriend people who need a friend. Consider joining a club or group in order to bless non-Christians. Pray for God to lead you in this.

Start a small group Bible study for your seeker friends.  

• Ask your non-Christian friends if they would like to start a weekly small group Bible study with you.  
• See if you can be an apprentice to someone who has been a small group leader for a year or two. Learn from them what it takes to be a small group leader.  
• Offer to host the small group in your room or apartment. Invite a seasoned leader to help you lead it.

Serve on a summer program.

Short-term urban or global programs are great places to grow in faith. In fact, those who go and volunteer in these settings often feel that they receive much more than they give.

• Ask your staff worker or local pastor what summer mission programs have a good reputation and will offer you a strong team of peers you can join.  
• Interview someone who had a good experience in a summer missions program in the past. Ask how they grew in their faith that summer.  
• Pray. Find a team to go with. Fill out an application. 

Above all else, please keep falling in love with Jesus. Below are five Bible stories to strengthen your relationship with him as you continue on your spiritual journey of transformation.

Falling in Love with Jesus

Jesus is not only fully God, but he is fully human, God-with-us. What does God look like in human form?  As we see Jesus love, challenge, and interact with people, we fall more deeply in love with him. Here are some amazing passages for further study that will help you bond more deeply with Jesus.

Jesus in Action 

Matthew 14:22-33. Jesus walks on water with Peter. Jesus invites us to join him in all of the mind-boggling things that he gets to do.  

Mark 5:21-43.  Jesus shows love to a poor woman and a rich man at exactly the same time. He honors the faith of the powerless and he has mercy on the powerful.

Luke 7:36-50. Jesus is anointed by a sinful woman. Jesus masterfully confronts the religious hypocrites while honoring the lowly.

John 2:1-12. Jesus turns water into wine. Jesus is the life of the party, demonstrating his over-the-top lavishness by saving the best for last.

John 21:1-25. Jesus restores Peter. Jesus pinpoints an area that needs healing in Peter’s life and loves him enough to do the healing work.

 

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Beginning a Journey

Healthy growth as a follower of Jesus happens in vibrant and dynamic ways over time as you grow in Christ, like Christ and with Christ. Share what you've learned in this study series with another person and keep discovering more about God's love and purposes for you.