Video Transcript: Becoming a Christian

Henry - I'm Henry Reyenga, and with me is my wife, Pam, and we've been in  ministry for 40 years, and we've seen the Lord bring 1000s of people to Himself,  and we've shared the gospel so many times, and planting churches and all that.  So this is going to be a fun day of talking about becoming a Christian. Yes, one  of those things that you never it never gets old. That's right, 40 years we've been in ministry, this never gets old. Now, if you are a believer already, enjoy the  presentation, and maybe that you can get a tip or two to continue to learn how to lead others to Christ. If you're not a believer and you somehow found yourself a  Christian leaders Institute, it's good to know what a Christian is in the  combination of Christian leaders. So it's good just to start, at the end, we'll have  a prayer of rededication if you are a believer, and a prayer of dedication if you've never really crossed the line and prayed to become a Christian. So let's begin  here and talk about understanding Christianity. So in some ways this is an  interesting first slide understanding Christianity. Okay,  

Pam - Ephesians 2:8-9 says, For it is by grace. You have been saved through  faith. And this is not from yourselves. It is the gift of God, not by works, so that  no one can boast.  

Henry - In a lot of ways, this has been such a defining verse. In Romans, we  see all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. In Romans, we see it as  by grace through faith. That was one of the key points. But in all of religions out  there. This is a huge debate, you know, is it a deterministic religion? God has  everything all picked out ahead of time and and, you know, we just get  reincarnated to something else again. I mean, that's one of the claims and some okay. How does God relate to humanity? Right, right? And then Judaism is very  much a law based type of thing, right? Muslim very law based type of thing, but  Christianity is a grace based gift, right? It's a relationship that we receive. We  don't merit it. God initiates it through the power of the Holy Spirit, and we're all  part of this, so it kind of takes away the pressure. We don't have to earn our way in, that's right? We don't to be on pins and needles with God, right? His salvation is a gift. So as you think about Christianity, if you're new to Christianity, know  that it is a grace based, faith based, understanding of a relationship with God,  yeah, that's like a birthday present. That's right, it's a birthday present to birthday into  

Pam - being a Christian? Yes, exactly that God gives us exactly  

Henry - so with that DNA, we look at the life ministry, death and resurrection of  Jesus, Christ.  

Pam - And who is Jesus? John 3:16 says, For God so loved the world that He 

gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but  have eternal life.  

Henry - So the New Testament talks about the life of Jesus. The gospels, the  first four books from the New Testament, talk about his birth, his ministry, His  death on the cross to save us from our sins, His resurrection that buys us  acceptance to God, and the resurrection also brings us to New Life. We will be  raised someday with him, and then he ascends on high, and he's still with us.  And then the book of Acts, we hear that we are His witnesses. And we are now  going to share his life, work, ministry, payment of sin on the cross and the power of the resurrection, victory over death, and we're going to share this as  witnesses. Yes, so and all of it motivated by God, the Father who loved you and  me in this world so much that He sent His fully God, fully man. son into the  world, born of a virgin to redeem those in this world who would0 have faith in  Jesus, faith in God. That's right, that never gets old, does it? No, it doesn't like I  should say Amen, amen, you know, and I it again, so fundamentally Grace  based so other this comes to us. Yeah, we don't initiate our own salvation. God  initiates the salvation by sending His Son, born of a woman, to save us for all  eternity, pretty incredible. So we should probably step back and see the  significance of this in what is the meaning of faith. This is sort of a philosophic  way to look at it. So we read in Hebrews 11:1, Now  

Pam - faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do  not see. Okay.  

Henry - What's interesting about that is, here this. The events of Jesus Christ  have cosmic significance. They're not just events that happened 2000 years  ago, but there are events that have implications for our faith today. So you know, you've heard of the word University, University, a place of learning, and in the  enlightenment, they said, Well, really, there's one reality, and that's humans. una verse, una is one versus reality, and but we know that there are multi realities.  There's Heaven and Earth, and we see that that faith connects us to Heaven, to  angels, to principalities and powers, and there's warfare, spiritual warfare, we  read in books like Ephesians that Your fight is not against flesh and blood, but  against powers and principalities. Right? So in many ways when, when  someone understands Christianity, Grace based understands Jesus Christ  coming to save us, it really does create a cosmic change. The kingdom of God  is ushered into our lives. The reality of Heaven and the reality of Earth connect,  and it changes our life so dramatically. Yeah, yes. The whole thing is just, it is,  it's amazing grace, yeah, it's amazing grace. Yeah, it's well, in the thing, it's so  interesting too. Is like here we read in the book of Genesis 2, that Adam and Eve are given a garden. It's beautiful. Chapter 3, they fall into sin, and they alienate 

themselves to against God and really against each other, right? And humans  have struggled in that brokenness. And maybe you understand that brokenness  in your situation where you know you've tried to have your own kingdom, you try to live in the brokenness. You try you know, maybe you've, you know, dedicated  yourself, and you're, you know, and ultimately, you know that you're not  connected. Heaven and earth and your life are not connected. And you, we've  seen that in stories. You've read 1000s of stories, 

Pam - yeah, the students testimonies that share, yeah, and there's that  

Henry - similar theme, right? Yeah, that they're not connected to God. They're  doing it on their own, right? And it's not going well. So legacy of Adam  

Pam - and God doesn't force us. Oh, that's a good point. So then they, they'll,  they'll want to do something for God, but then they go do their own thing still.  And when we've all had times where we're going, why am I doing this? Right?  This is not pleasing to the Lord, right, you know. So then it's getting back,  

Henry - right? It's like, you know, the devil took the Adam and Eve all that other  stuff like that, and here, yeah. So ultimately, it's about getting reconnected to  God, right? So it is about a sense of forgiveness and repentance, or repentance  and forgiveness, turning back to God and surrendering.  

Pam - All right, in Acts 3:19, it says repent then and turn to God so that your sin. May be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,  

Henry - so God, personal divine being, Father Son and Holy Spirit relate to us.  And there's a cosmic reality that is established the word death, law and  resurrection of Jesus Christ, to go back to that Garden of Eden setup, and  actually, humans like us can have established, growing, thriving relationship with the personal God of the universe. Yes, that is good news. That is good news,  and it comes through repentance and forgiveness that it is about us turning and  later on this presentation, if we've never done that, we're going to have a prayer  for someone for a first time. But I think it's valuable, even for long time Christians to actually have that prayer of rededication to and just really be reminded of the  power of God to forgive. Even the Lord's Prayer always reminds us to forgive  our forgive, forgive us, Lord and let us forgive those who trespass against us,  right? So forgiveness is all part of a cosmic reality, and that's basically, I mean,  look at us for 40 years. I mean, really, how many times in a relationship, right?  Do we renew and forgiveness? You know, it's a relationship we have on Earth,  but it has a cosmic character as well. So to then to become a Christian is to  realize the work of Jesus Christ, to believe in Him as our Savior and our Lord, to

come to that posture of forgiveness. But then we read that there's a public  aspect to  

Pam - it. Romans 10:9-10. If you declare with your mouth Jesus is Lord and  believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For  it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth  that you profess your faith and are saved.  

Henry - You know, I've wondered about that over the years, like, why is that  something about becoming a Christian to declare? And I thought about this. Any  thoughts you have about that dynamic that you see, and as you think about that, I, you know, I can think of one is, in a sense, it's a mini ministry moment, right?  So when you declare  

Pam - to others, right? You're declaring that you are the Lord's and you love him and want to serve Him with your whole life.  

Henry - It's pure influence. People come see and now there could be believers  that see, right? But if you're a new believer in a community of unbelievers, your  family or friends, and all sudden, you say, I'm a Christian, all of a sudden, for  some reason, it's a jolt that comes. I mean, you could say I'm a Packer fan, and  it wouldn't have the jolt in a unbelieving community that, have you said, I'm a  new believer,  

Pam - like, right? Yeah, I'm a Christian and follow the Lord.  

Henry - Yeah, it's like, I can see the Green Bay Packers, but I can't see a  cosmic, personal God who loves me. And when you say to someone, they either think you're crazy, they have no idea what you're doing. And so in a sense, right, becoming a new believer, professing with their faith, is the beginning of ministry.  Yes. So, you know, over the years, I've really come to appreciate this concept of, you know, making  

Pam - profession, yeah, the public declaration of your  

Henry - faith. Now, when you made profession of faith. I mean, when you were  young, what did that mean to you?  

Pam - Oh, yeah, it was powerful. I mean, I knew that I was declaring that I  wanted to live my whole life for Jesus, and that Jesus was in control of my life,  my best friend, guided by the Holy Spirit. And I Yeah, 

Henry - and you did. I knew you back then. It was powerful, yeah, you know.  And in many traditions, with profession of faith is baptism. And in some traditions it's profession of faith. Now, Christian leaders, we have those who do adult  baptism, but they call that believer of baptism. We have those who do infant  baptism declaration or profession of faith. And whatever your tradition is,  Christian leaders just know this up. Front that's where the Lord is leading you on some of those decisions, and later on, we have classes that talk about both  positions from a very honoring, respectful position. Our goal is Christiandom,  and we know united in the essence are serving the same Lord. Yes, in the  profession, yeah, whether it's in, yeah, whether it's with adult baptism or not, is a powerful, you know, a powerful thing, and, you know, and we're super excited  about this, because it is a testimony, it is a proclamation, even when we take the Lord's Supper, that's a proclamation, oh yes, that we identify with the Lord. So  the next we talk about is living as a Christian with a daily walk with God.  

Pam - Galatians 2:20, I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me, the life I now live in, the body I live by faith, in the Son of God  who loved me and gave himself for me  

Henry - so the living as a Christian and walking with God in just a short little  time. There's a lot to say here, right? This is really about the Lordship of Jesus  Christ in every area of your life, right? This is about your marriage, your family,  your home, about waking up in the morning, about being positive. Even at  Christian leaders, we have a whole section of ministry sciences, how every area of life affects faith in Jesus Christ, living in us exactly. And then we talk in some  of the classes about talking, listening repeatedly, and talking is to God, is prayer, yes, listening is the Bible and repeatedly is Bible habits, and we talk about them  in the in the context of seven connections, like your personal life, your marriage,  your family, your friends, your small groups, your church, your your broader  Kingdom impact, and even evangelism. You know so again, as you are here at  Christian leaders, we'll dive further into this, but I think into for the purposes of  becoming a Christian or rededicating or becoming a Christian, know that it is a  relationship with God that impacts every part of your life,  

Pam - right? It's a daily walk with Him and being impacted, yes, yes, changed  and renewed and directed by exactly  

Henry - right, right, right. So then it's not a relationship alone. It's also a  relationship with a community  

Pam - right? Joining with the community of faith. I Corinthians 12:27 says, now  you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. Wow, that's 

Henry - amazing, each one of us. So if you're alone and you have the  opportunity get part of a local church. And again, a local church may not be  perfect, right, but, you know, iron sharpens iron, right? And and local ministers  will not be perfect. And people, and you know, and you're not perfect, right?  They always have the ideas, you know, they can't find a perfect church, right,  because you belong to it. I mean, because, you know, we are being  transformed. Yes,  

Pam - we are being transformed. We are being renewed and and having the  mind of Christ, but we are also still on this earth and facing different challenges  and tests and trials that come and so we are not perfect, and  

Henry - we get to do that with other imperfect people, which is high as  

Pam - we learn to rely on the Lord and the Holy Spirit guiding us. More and  more, we can grow in him and just always having compassion and grace toward one another is the best way to live in a community of faith.  

Henry - Yes, and if you're considering ministry great love, you get to be part of  building that community of faith with people. So it's pretty it's incredible and  powerful. So if you are a believer, and we've noticed that when somebody  becomes a believer, there's also the call of ministry is already embedded in  someone, right? I Peter 4:10-11 says each of  

Pam - you should use whatever gift you have received. To serve others as  faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they  should do it as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they  should do it with the strength God provides as that so that in all things, God may be praised through Jesus Christ to Him be the glory and the power forever and  ever, amen  

Henry - that's powerful in a lot of ways. The seed of ministry is in every one of  us, and even when someone is first a believer. Now it says in the Bible, like, let  someone grow in that before they become ordained to ministry, but in the  general sense of ministry,  

Pam - right, which is really serving one another, right? Right?  

Henry - In a sense, everyone is the seed of potentially being a minister who's  ordained, right? And many of you who are coming here, if you're a new believer,  this is a place to study, get connected, get a mentor, and have a little time that 

passes in your preparation and all of that. And potentially, you could become an  ordained minister someday. If you are a believer and been walking a while, you  have probably a network of people. You know this is a great place to take  whatever gift you have and escalate it to that next place of credibility and study  and skill building. So in a sense, the word minister is in a general sense for  everybody, right, but it can grow beyond that and right when you are a new  believer, the seed for ministry is laid right  

Pam - and we live as Christian leaders in our lives,  

Henry - exactly, you know, I find interesting some of the various ways ministry is being thought of. We have matchmaking ministers. We have officiants. We have, you know, so it all starts with the seed, and a lot of times it's a marriage minister. It's often the very thing that God saved you out of, is what you're interested  

eventually to become a minister into, if you've been saved from, you know,  depression, you often want to be a chaplain of encouraging, yeah, that very so  is, is powerful, yeah, God saves you often in the place where you're going to  actually minister, that's right. So then comes this concept of share the Word and  multiply Christian leaders to share the Word. And you know, after Jesus raises  from the dead, He says this to his disciples in  

Pam - Matthew 28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,  baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you, and surely I'm  with you always to the very end of the age.  

Henry - So you become a new believer, or you are a believer. And the disciples  were believers. They actually saw, right, Jesus, and then he said, Jesus says,  Look, this is going to be the sharing enterprise, yeah. So all of us who are  believers are part of then sharing the Word, and then also multiplying new  leaders to share the Word. In some ways, it's a amazing thing. So if you in our in your family, if you have children, you your role is to share the Word and  hopefully multiply to your children and family. Now again, each of them will have  to themselves, yes, be obedient to the claims of Christianity. Okay, we  understand that it is that is how it works, but then we can also share with others, and in the process, we're part of that make disciples of all nations. And in some  of these other close presentations, we're going to talk about discipleship and  some more of the techniques and skills about sharing the word, but for now, as  becoming a believer, that's on our agenda. If you're a new believer, you are part  of the enterprise of God in the world. So that's what becoming a Christian, in  terms of just feeding our minds and our souls and our emotions is all about. But  in a lot of ways, we're still not into the actual will that is actually crossing the line.

So if you have never crossed the line to become a Christian, in this class, we're  going to be having a prayer, Pam. Is going to read this prayer, and if that's you,  pray with Pam this prayer to solidify your will, your person, in crossing the line to become a believer. Now, after we pray this first prayer, we're going to also pray  

a prayer of rededication, which I know I'm going to participate with Pam in,  because I too, want to just rededicate my life to not just become a believer, but  becoming more of a believer. Oh, how do you put me just becoming a believer?  In some ways, yeah, yeah, exactly. I mean, I think that was a healthy to get that.  So here we go. So if you, if this is you, and you see yourself as coming to faith,  just pray this with Pam. This is a prayer from your heart that you bring out to the  Lord  

Pam - Heavenly Father. In the stillness of this moment, I open my heart to you. I stand here humbled by the vastness of your love, the depth of your grace and  the promise of your salvation, I confess that I have lived apart from your light,  guided by my own limited sight, yet now I seek the truth that only comes from  you. Today, I take a step of faith, a journey towards a horizon filled with the hope and assurance found in your Son, Jesus Christ. I believe that he lived, that He  died for my sins, and that he rose again, defeating death so that I might have life everlasting. With this belief, I dedicate my life to you. I lay down my past, my  doubts, my fears, and I embrace the new creation I am in Christ. Baptize me  with your Holy Spirit, that I may be born again in spirit and in truth. Teach me  your ways, O Lord, that I may walk in them. Plant my feet firmly upon the rock of your unchanging word. Shape me, use me. Fill me, that I might be a vessel for  your glory. Call me to use my gifts to multiply in dedicating my life to you. I  understand this is just the beginning. I am a seeker at the threshold of your  kingdom, a child ready to learn, to grow and to love in the fullness of your  presence. Thank you for calling me, for welcoming me into your family, and for  the gift of faith that is now mine. I give you my heart, my life, my all from this day forward in Jesus name I pray Amen.  

Henry - Wow, that's powerful. And if you prayed that prayer in your heart and  know this, you are saved, everything about your life will change from this  forward on, and you will sense organizing your entire existence around a reality  that includes God at the center of your reality. Now for all of us who are  believers, here, it is really good to sort of rededicate our lives to serve Christ  even more so, if that's you. Pray this with Pam,  

Pam - Heavenly father with a humble heart, I come before you seeking the  strength and courage to walk steadfastly on the path you have laid out for me, I  acknowledge that at times I have wandered, driven by my own desires and the  distractions of the world, yet in your boundless grace, you have never forsaken 

me. Today, I reaffirm my faith in you, Lord, I believe in your son, Jesus Christ,  who lived died and rose again for the forgiveness of my sins, I rededicate my life to you to be a living testament of your love and mercy. Fill me anew with your  Holy Spirit that I may serve you with renewed purpose and unwavering faith,  guide my thoughts, my actions and my words, so that I may bring glory to your  name. Help me to love as you love, to forgive as you forgive, and to spread the  light of Your presence wherever I go. May my life be a reflection of your peace  and hope. Thank you for your unfailing love and for the gift of redemption. I  commit myself once more to you, my rock and my Redeemer, in Jesus, precious name, I pray, amen, amen.  

Henry - Amen Amen. So becoming a Christian leader is really first becoming a  Christian, or if you're at a pinnacle of you are. Christian becoming a stronger  Christian just, and that's what we just have been about coming to Lord or  rededicating ourselves to the Lord. In our next presentation, we're going to talk  about the leader piece of Christian leaders. So may God bless you as he fills  you with your whole His Holy Spirit that you are a transformed life. Amen, amen.