Each Wednesday in April, we’re sharing an article from a special miniseries about how to talk to and answer common questions a new believer might ask you. Each article, written by a contributor to the Alive Bible study, will include helpful tips about how to talk to a new believer in a way that feels welcoming. First up in the series is “Words Matter: How to Talk to a New Believer.”
“Is it your testimony that Jesus Christ is your personal Lord and Savior?”
She didn’t miss a beat and was beaming ear to ear as she said: “Yes!” Moments later, after she was still dripping wet from her baptism, she looked at me and said: “What’s next?”
Be present without being preachy.
How would you have answered that question? For me, I like to think about “babies and plants” as I think about talking with a new believer. Babies and plants are both very dependent on someone caring for them. They need nourishment, and they need a caregiver. It would be dangerous to babies and plants if they were left alone without someone intentionally intervening to help get what they need to thrive.
Paul had some new believers that we discover in the books of 1 and 2 Thessalonians. He met them on what I like to call a short-term mission journey. We don’t know exactly how long he was with them, but we do know from Acts 17 that his time was abruptly cut off when he was run out of town by a riot of unbelievers. Paul wanted to continue to help his new believer friends grow in Christ, so he sent these letters to them. And guess what some of the imagery he used in those letters is? You guessed it: Paul referenced the care of babies and plants.
In 1 Thessalonians 2:7, Paul compared his care for the Thessalonian believers to that of a nursing mother caring for her own children. He wrote, “But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children” (ESV). There is a special kind of gentleness typically associated with the care of children. The Thessalonians were new believers, infants in their faith, and Paul nurtured them to help them grow. So often with new Christians, we celebrate the beginning of their faith journey, but we unfortunately lose sight of the discipleship process that must happen for them to “grow up” in their faith.
Paul gave the Thessalonians a picture of what’s next and helped provide the nurturing they needed. Even when he was run out of town, he sent people with letters to be present with them as they grew in their walk with Christ. Paul partnered the gospel to the Thessalonians with his presence. They had no doubt that Paul loved them. As you talk with new believers, make sure you are present and not preachy.
Providing a picture of discipleship speaks volumes
In 1 Thessalonians 3:2, Paul said: “And we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you concerning your faith.” The word strengthen used in the original Greek is sterizo which means “to fix something so that it stands upright and immovable.”1 The picture associated with this word is that of tying a tender plant (that cannot stand on its own) to a stable pole or stick so it can grow sturdy. Timothy was there to help them develop sturdier roots in their walk with Christ. Then, they could stand on their own when persecution came. Paul gave these new believers a vision for what being discipled looked like.
We have to make sure we are pairing a new believer with someone who can be with her as she grows. New belivers need people that come alongside them and show them how to walk with Jesus. They need people to come alongside them and start reading God’s Word with them. It’s been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Be that picture for them. Show up and let them see how you read the Bible. Start a Bible reading plan or use the Lifeway Alive Bible study to help them begin to get regular reading times in God’s Word. This is how they start getting roots in the soil of God’s Word.
Get basic and less churchy.
As you help new believers understand what’s next, make sure you are removing language that only Christians would know. Maybe you’ve heard people use the term, Christianese to describe the language that exists within the church. It’s when people who have been in church for a long time use words that people who don’t go to church are unfamiliar with. Words like sanctify, redeemed, abiding, or established in the Word, are some examples of Christianese. So, instead of using Christianese, try word pictures or illustrations for helping new believers understand “churchy terms.” All throughout Jesus’s earthly ministry as He walked with His disciples, He used basic illustrations like plants or parables to help people understand truths about the kingdom of God, or how God loves people. Just take a look at just a few of the parables Jesus used:
- Parable of the Sower (Matt. 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15)
- Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)
- Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)
- Parable of the Lost Sheep (Matt. 18:10-14; Luke 15:3-7)
- Parable of the Mustard Seed (Matt. 13:31-32; Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18-19)
- Parable of the Vine and Branches (John 15:1-17)
- Parable of the Wedding Feast (Matt. 22:1-14; Luke 14:15-24)
You know who loves a good story? Everyone. Jesus was a master at storytelling. As you help new believers grow in their walk with Christ, don’t hesitate in using Bible storying, or drawing a story out, as you talk. At the end of a story, ask “What did you like about the story? Was there anything you did not like about the story? What did the story tell you about God? What did the story tell you about humans?” As you have conversations about Scripture, it helps to remove the Christianese that tends to become a barrier for deeper conversation.
Talk to Jesus before talking to them.
One of the most important conversations you should have is actually about the new believer and not to the new believer. Each time you are going to meet with someone you are discipling, make sure you’ve talked to Jesus about her before you talk to her about Jesus. I have found that prayer has got to be the foundation for anything I do with people I’m trying to point to Jesus. It never ceases to amaze me how when I am faithful to pray before I meet with people, that God gives me courage, wisdom, Scripture references, direction, compassion, and more when I go to Him first.
Plants and babies are the word images I leave to you. Tend the women who ask the “what’s next” questions well with prayer, presence, and parables from God’s Word.
Work Cited
- Günther Harder, “Στηρίζω, Ἐπιστηρίζω, Στηριγμός, Ἀστήρικτος,” ed. Gerhard Kittel, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and Gerhard Friedrich, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1964–), 653.
ABOUT AMY-JO GIRARDIER
Amy-Jo Girardier loves how God uniquely makes people and generations for His glory. She is the women’s minister and has served as girls minister for nineteen years at Brentwood Baptist in Brentwood, Tennessee. She is an author of three Lifeway Bible studies and loves writing resources for teen girls and women.
Amy-Jo loves getting to serve with her husband Darrel on staff and being with their two boys: Scout and Skylar. You can find her on Instagram: @amyjogirardier.
