What religion did I just join?!

Dear new sister or brother,

Becoming a Christian is the most wonderful thing that can happen to a person. It changes you from the inside out: bringing joy, forgiveness and newness of life. It makes us a part of God's family, with Him as our loving Father instead of our judge. The best part is that salvation requires nothing but the grace of God to draw us into repentance and faith - no amount of theological knowledge is required!

Yet once we become a Christian, our walk of faith requires knowing some stuff. Why do we have a holy book? What should a Christian believe about God, Jesus and salvation? Why do we have church services? And what is expected of us now that we are Christians?

I put together my New Believer's Class to be an introduction to the basic things that new Christians need to know, designed especially for those who have not grown up in church homes. In seven sessions, participants will be given the basic map of Christian belief and be invited to consider and explore these topics further in personal reflection and discussion - whether in a group or one-on-one with a mature believer.

If you are a pastor or other church leader, I hope you will find this resource to be useful as the first step of discipleship for those new to the faith, or as a baptism class. If you are a new believer, I hope that this workbook helps you to understand your new faith with better clarity and depth. You will no doubt have many questions about each session, so be sure to work through this with a more knowledgeable Christian who can answer your questions.

If you have further questions or need more copies of this workbook, I can be reached at www.michaeldown.ca. Blessings on you as you begin this journey,

Michael Down