I just got an e-mail from one of our non-Christian readers who has decided to investigate how to become a Christian. He asked me for some advice on how to proceed, and I thought I would throw it out there for my Christian readers (Neil and Drew, please help!) to see if anyone has any good ideas.
In his e-mail, he wanted to know how I became a Christian, how to read the Bible, and how to become a Christian. The reason I am excited is because he seems to be coming at this the right way, starting with the intelligent design DVDs that I always recommend, then William Lane Craig debates, and so on. He’s been investigating for a year and a half! Now, this is the perfect way to become a Christian, in my opinion. Slow, and with an eye for the other side. I am actually very excited about his approach!
OK, so I was going to work on a reply, but the first things I thought of were the following:
Start with some Bible: (NIV translation is easier)
- John
- Luke
- Acts
Then some C.S. Lewis:
Any ideas for a good basic theology book? Here’s a basic one from Wayne Grudem. I like him because even though he’s a Calvinist, he’s politically conservative, complementarian and old-earth. If you just read his books while thinking “grace is resistible, grace is resistible”, then you’ll be fine.
I know a lot of people like Dallas Willard’s “The Divine Conspiracy” and “Renovation of the Heart“, but isn’t he a bit mystical? I haven’t read it. I have it though, and I’ll probably read it then recommend it to him if it isn’t too goofy. I’m suspicious of Dallas Willard, because even though he’s a philosopher at USC and speaks on university campuses, I’ve met lots of goofy Christians who liked Dallas Willard, but who did not like apologetics.
I was thinking that this would give him the idea that the Christian life basically consists of investigating whether God exists, whether Jesus is God stepping into history to talk to us, and then reading about Jesus life and words to find out what Jesus says. And he can read the Bible, and pray about various things (praying is like debating, you reason with God about things he’s done that you like, or why you think he should act in a particular way). He could also listen to sermons in church, and talk to other Christians who like apologetics and theology.
As a new Christian learns more, they think of things that they’d like to try, like changing behaviors and priorities, and making clever plans to give God things he might like. It’s a relationship, but instead of hearing God’s voice out loud, new Christians should be collecting information about God like a detective, then acting accordingly. It’s demanding, and there is sometimes kickback. But I think that the point of Christianity is that you are building a lasting relationship with God by choosing how you spend your time.
WINTERY KNIGHT 
Here’s my suggestion: if this mystery person is an atheist, he (she?) should do himself a big favor and look at deism first.
(It’s a lot like wading into a cold lake: deism is the point where you dunk your junk–it’s a little uncomfortable at first, but in a minute or two you’ll wonder why you were ever such a baby about avoiding getting wet. From there you can venture into the deeps of revelatory religion, but at least you’ll have an evidential (and empirical) foundation moving forward.)
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It sounds like he is ok with the arguments from ID and William Lane Craig, and since he’s asking about Christianity, he’s probably OK with the resurrection. It’s not like there is a consensus naturalistic explanation about what happened to Jesus that is a rival to the miraculous one.
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True but, uh, consensus is generally a crappy way of looking at nearly anything.
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I would add Chesterton’s “Orthodoxy” and Lewis’ “The Pilgrim’s Regress” since they both deal with the intellectual road to Christianity.
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“Christian” is kind of a vague term, but to get saved, you simply must believe in Christ’s death and resurrection and his promise to give you eternal life based on his grace — rather than based on your own good deeds. After that, you are eternally saved. There’s a lot of confusion about this nowadays, but although moral living is an excellent thing, it has essentially nothing to do with whether we go to heaven. We go to heaven by believing in Jesus for eternal life.
1 John 5:10-11
“Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And THIS is the TESTIMONY: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.”
John 6:28-29,35
“Then they asked him, ‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’ Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.’ . . . Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.'”
All that said, there is far more to Christianity than getting yourself to heaven. After believing, your next step should to improve your life AND serve God’s kingdom by finding a church that heavily emphasizes Bible teaching. There, you can get baptised, which should be among your first good deeds in the Christian life.
Read the Bible yourself as quickly as possible, which will cause the Holy Spirit to gain more influence over your life. Then start telling your friends about how you got saved.
And I recommend the New American Standard Bible instead of the NIV because the NASB is more literal and accurate and less Calvinistic. The KJV and ESV are okay, too.
I agree that John is a good book to read first. After that, I would go with Romans, and then maybe Genesis. 1 Corinthians and Galatians are also important. If he wants to live a Christian lifestyle, I would also recommend Proverbs.
And I honestly would stay away from C.S. Lewis at first because he tended to have some screwy theology mixed in with otherwise good arguments.
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I’ll go back and put the C.S. Lewis AFTER the Bible.
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Begin praying.
Read at least one gospel. Read the Sermon on the Mount. Would you like to be among the “blessed”? Are you attracted to the picture of righteousness that Christ presents, where it is more than just outward conformity, it is the purity of motives?
Ask God to help you pray to him sincerely. Consider the A, B, C’s.
1. Admit that you are a sinner/selfish/haven’t been perfect/are not worthy of a holy God.
2. Believe that the One who said “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father but by me” is a) Lord, and b) alive today, and c) able to do what he says.
3. Confess Christ as Lord and Saviour in prayer, and then, make a point of confessing Christ publicly, to a friend, parent, etc.
“He who acknowledges me in public, I will acknowledge before my Father.”
Remember, he who believes in his heart that God raised Christ from the dead (i.e., Christ is alive), and confesses with his mouth the Lord Jesus, shall be saved. For with the heart a man or woman believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation.
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Almost everything that has been suggested would be beneficial to some degree( although I would cut back on the C.S. Lewis and just recommend Mere Christianity).I’m wondering if this person is amenable to telling you where he lives( i.e. the city) so that you can point him in the direction of some mature believers,not with the intention of “joining” but,rather,experiencing genuine faith in action as a relationship is fostered. As for a good basic theology book(s), it’s hard to beat Know What You Believe and Know Why You Believe by Paul Little.As Billy Graham says “scholarly,articulate,simple”.
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Of course reading Scripture while doing anything/everything else would be my first encouragement. I always thought Lee Strobel’s “The Case for Christ” is a good source for anyone considering Christianity. I’ve seen this guy trashed often in debates elsewhere, but what I find helpful is that it covers a lot of areas of concern that people have, a kind of overview, but while doing so, it introduces the reader to people like WL Craig and other scholars and lists several books of each. I also like Peter Kreeft’s & Ronald K. Tacelli’s “Handbook of Christian Apologetics” which is another overview type of book covering hundreds of crucual questions (as it says on the cover). From each, one could follow up in the direction of one’s greatest interest. Many seekers want evidence and good reasons. The first book helps with the former, the second with the latter.
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I meant also to say that in some cases, knowing how to become a Christian isn’t sufficient when what one really wants is proof enough to convince them that it is worth the effort. They’ll never get photographs, or videos or no doubt about it evidence. But what exists is, to me, overwhelming enough to provoke or compell faith, or enough to compell a real and heartfelt search and serious study.
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I’d add “How now shall we live” by Chuck Colson.
It’s an excellent book that combines an accessible laymans systematic theology with arguments as to why Christianity is more than just a state of mind but requires an entirely different and new way of living.
Grudem has a version of his systematic theology college textbook for laymen. My wife doesn’t like it as much as the textbook as it leaves out the hymn at the end of each chapter. But because it’s actually small enough to fit in a bookshelf, unlike his textbook, it will probably be more accessible.
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I agree with most of what WK has said as well as most the follow-up comments. Here are a couple of other resources that might be of use, courtesy of WK:
https://winteryknight.wordpress.com/index-to-christian-posts/
and
https://winteryknight.wordpress.com/why-i-am-a-christian/
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Reading some/all of the books mentioned above a good idea. J.I. Packer ‘Knowing God’ comes to mind as good primer to Christian doctrine and beliefs, though it may be a bit meaty at this point in this person journey.
However, one other suggestion would be to join something like the ‘Alpha course’ or ‘Christianity Explored’ group sessions where you can ask questions and explore in an informal setting.
But as Warrick mentioned above this person needs to see faith in action with others and be somewhere he can be nurtured and grow, and not just depend on his own readings and interpretations of what he comes across.
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Lot of great suggestions. One thing I’d add though is that we wouldn’t want to overload this person with books and debates and DVDs. The books mentioned above are fantastic but perhaps just limit it to 2 or 3 books after the Bible.
I’d recommend:
Knowing God by J.I. Packer
The Reason for God by Timothy Keller
The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel
Obviously there are many more outstanding books but this person should really start going to church and join (as Babster mentioned above) an “Alpha” course or “Christianity Explored” (which is really great!).
I think back to how I and many of my friends came to Christ and it was through the preaching of the Word of God and talking to other Christians. The apologetics stuff came afterwards and solidified my faith. God still works through the preached Word and the church.
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I’d add “James and/or 1 Peter” to the early bible reading. They function well as beginner’s manuals to Christianity.
Some devotional reading would be helpful, too, especially for the more emotionally intune new beleiver, perhaps a Max Lucado, Grace for the Moment?
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Wouldn’t John Stott’s “Basic Christianity” be excellent for someone investigating Christian faith and how to become a Christian? First published by Inter-Varsity Press in 1958, it’s still in print and a classic. Stott’s book has four sections, (I) Christ’s Person (II) Man’s Need (III) Christ’s Work (IV) Man’s Response. The last section contains three chapters: 1) Counting the Cost 2) Making a Decision 3) Being a Christian. My edition has 144 pages. Not too much, not too little. Dead-on good.
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I’ve heard this recommended by a lot of people and will add it to the list.
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I think this is where a lot of Christian ministries can actually be helpful. A lot of them want to evangelize but seem to only be able to reach people who’ve actually concluded that Christianity is already true. The good news is that he is already there.
How about Alpha or Campus for Christ-like groups?
I would recommend, like you, reading Mere Christianity because that goes through in a simple way, the basics of the Christian faith. I would also encourage him to listen to good Bible teachers on the radio like Charles Swindoll or John MacArthur – they’re excellent expositors. MacArthur actually has a good study bible that I use that explains a lot of the context of scripture.
Tell him to start with the Book of John so he can learn about the life of Jesus. Follow that with the other gospels, and then Acts. This gives proper context to the history of the church. If he then wants to go back and read the history of Israel, that could give him context to the life and times of Jesus. This means Genesis, Exodus, as much of Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy that he can handle (much of the last three books would be obscure) Joshua through to Nehemiah/Daniel. The history and the major prophets and even the minor ones, provide an important and clear background to the NT.
That doesn’t mean he shouldn’t read he rest but I think those are the easiest to understand because they are basically straightforward (well except for the prophetic parts of Daniel).
I would also strongly recommend he find a good bible-believing church that likes Greg Koukl or Bill Craig. A church is also a place where he can get baptised and publicly declare his faith – that’s an essential part of Christian commitment.
These steps I think will help him on his way. I could recommend other books to help him read the Bible (Never Read a Bible Verse by Koukl and Gordon Fee I think his name is, wrote what I’ve heard is a very good book on exposition – I actually I found it here:
It’s always sold out at the used Christian bookstore here, apparently.
Hope that helps.
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In the Book of Acts: 1) seek God, 2) Be active in works of righteousness, 3) pray to God although you do not know Him. 4)God will send you a witness.
God uses His witnesses to save souls.
1. Spirit sent Philip to Ethiopian eunuch,
2. God sent angel to Peter to Cornelius.
3. God sent Paul to Macedonia.
4. God sent Paul to Phillipian jailer.
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He already has witnesses – US.
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