There is nothing more exciting than seeing God draw new believers to Himself and it's happening every week in churches across the country. The call of God on the lives of His people is as loud as it has ever been and it’s the church’s responsibility to encourage and instruct them as they grow up into their salvation. Here are 5 spiritual steps that every pastor should have in mind as they disciple the new believers in their church.
1. Ground Them in the Gospel and Their New Identity
Depending on each person’s experience, there will be varying levels of understanding of what took place when they surrendered their life to Him, and there is often less of an understanding towards what they should do next. This can leave new believers feeling lost and disconnected as they leave their old life behind and begin to strive toward their new life in Christ. In these early weeks it is critical that they are driven deeper in their understanding of the gospel and the new identity that they have been given as a Christian. Assurance grows when the gospel becomes clear, and as one begins to develop a deeper understanding of who God is, they will also begin to see more clearly who they were designed to be.
2. Help Them Build Daily Rhythms with God
Spiritual growth will not happen without spiritual rhythms because these rhythms ensure that we are in relationship with God. It is critical that new believers are guided on how to read scripture, and how to pray. As they progress in these rhythms you can build on them with other spiritual disciplines, but get them going with a plan they can build on.
For example:
Start reading The Gospel of John
Encourage 10–15 minutes a day
Teach a simple study method: highlight, explain, apply, respond
Coach them in how to pray before and after their reading
Prayer can feel intimidating sometimes so consider modeling prayer for them so they can hear how you talk to God and pay attention to the way that you pray. Make sure that when you teach them to pray that you aren’t trying to pray heaven down. You should model a simple conversation for them. Maybe you teach them to pray through the scripture they’ve read that day. Maybe you teach them one of many prayer methods like the ACTS method.
A – Adoration
Praising God for who He is—His character, attributes, and nature (not what He's done, but who He is). This might sound like praising Him for being holy, faithful, sovereign, loving, etc.
C – Confession
Acknowledging sin and areas of disobedience, agreeing with God about where we've fallen short, and asking for forgiveness (1 John 1:9 is often paired with this step).
T – Thanksgiving
Expressing gratitude for what God has done—specific blessings, answered prayers, provision, relationships, and even hard things He's using for growth.
S – Supplication
Bringing requests to God—for oneself and for others (intercession). This is the "asking" part of prayer, covering needs, guidance, healing, and concerns.
Whatever you do, make it feel accessible to them. Over time, these rhythms will lay the foundation for their life in Christ.
3. Help them Understand their Relationship with God
As new believers, they must understand that they are sons and daughters of God and brothers and sisters with Jesus. Many will have baggage that is associated with family, so they must come to an understanding of what it means to be in the family of God.
Help them understand that God is not distant, but personal and present. Show them that obedience in the Christian life isn’t just performed out of duty, but in relationship and reverence for God and that following Jesus affects every aspect of life.
Encourage them to:
Talk to God throughout the day
Recognize His work in their life
Respond to conviction quickly
As a pastor, emphasize that growth is not about perfection, but direction. They are learning to follow Jesus step by step. This relational focus will protect against both legalism and spiritual apathy down the road.
4. Connect Them Deeply to the Church
When we are saved, the Bible says that we are adopted into God’s family. We are grafted in the vine of God. We are the people of God and as such we are not meant to live our lives alone. We were designed for connection and community, and in this community, we find encouragement, protection, belonging, and guidance.
Help them quickly plug into:
Corporate worship
A small group or Sunday School class
Relationships with mature believers
Intentionality is everything here. Make sure to connect new believers with others in the church who will care for them and invite them into deeper spaces. Current research says that if 100 people join a church and immediately get plugged into a small group, 83 of those people will still be found in that church 5 years from then. Conversely, if those 100 people don’t join a small group, only 16 of them will still be attending church in 5 years. Small groups are important.
5. Mobilize Them for Mission Early
New believers bring fresh momentum to the church because their passion for God drives them to be uniquely bold. One of the best things you can do to continue to stoke their faith is to involve them in service and missions early. Be careful not to discourage new believers by giving them the impression that only “mature” believers can go on mission. Although they may not be ready for everything, there is no better place to learn, than being out actively serving the Lord.
Help them write and practice their testimony.
Encourage them to identify 2–3 people to pray for.
Challenge them to share their story in their own words.
Identify opportunities for them to serve the church and the community.
Send them on mission!
At Lifeway we believe that churches flourish when disciples are being formed, and we want to do all that we can to help you in your mission of making disciples. That is why we’ve created resources like My New Life, Rhythms for Life, Practice of Prayer, Spiritual Gifts, and many others. Each of these resources are perfect for bringing the new believers in your church to a better understanding of who they are, who God is, and what living the Christian life looks like.