FOLLOWING JESUS
We all start somewhere on our journey of faith and following Jesus.
Each of us are making sense of meaning, purpose and our humanity. We believe that our lives and our stories find their place in the God who is revealed to us in Jesus Christ. As we learn to follow Jesus and participate in his Kingdom, we begin to discover life in all its fullness.
We want to support you on your journey of faith. It is a privilege to be able to hear stories of how God is at work in each of our lives.
Below you can book an appointment to connect with a pastor.
Ever since He walked among us, Jesus has been inviting people to follow Him. The invitation to follow comes with an encouragement to have our lives reshaped and reoriented around Jesus; embracing who He is, how He lives and all that He had to say.
In the same way, when we begin following Jesus, we start off on the long journey of being shaped and formed by God. The good news is that we don’t walk this road alone; God has gifted us with His Holy Spirit - his very presence, leading and guiding us. God has also gifted us with one another - His People - the church.
Below are a few simple steps that we’d encourage you to take as you follow Jesus. These are by no means exhaustive, but are ways of immersing yourself in all things Jesus, and connecting yourself to His community.
1. READ THE GOSPEL OF LUKE
It’s in and through the Bible that we can slowly discover more of who God is. As Christians, we believe that God is most perfectly revealed to us in Jesus Christ. This is why we continually go back to the four eye-witness accounts of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.
The Gospel of Luke is a great starting point as you get to know more about Jesus and His Kingdom.
You can purchase a Bible at most books stores, or you can download a Bible App on your phone, or use a helpful website like BibleGateway.
2. JOIN US FOR ALPHA
Alpha is a safe space where you can openly chat about life’s big questions, at a table with people who have the same questions you do! Imagine a free, fun, informal dinner party, where everyone can come to the table with questions about life, faith and meaning - that’s Alpha.
Topics like ‘What is the answer to loneliness?’ and ‘Is there more to life than this?’ are just some of the conversations we’ll have together. No question is out of bounds and you are free to discuss as much or as little as you wish. Everyone should have the chance to explore faith, ask questions and share their point of view. Whatever your faith background and wherever you are in life - there’s a seat at the table for you at Alpha.
3. GATHER IN COMMUNITY TO WORSHIP
Community is an important part on the journey of faith. It is vital that we find ourselves following Jesus alongside other people. The Church is Jesus’ idea. The gathered church is the coming together of believers, to sing, learn and share life together. No matter where you are on your journey, we’d encourage every person to be connected to a local church community. You can find out more information about Riverview, here.
4. BE KNOWN IN A SMALLER GROUP
Whilst we gather as church to worship; it’s also important that we find smaller spaces to be known. Most church communities prioritise and promote group-life. These spaces allow us to journey through life, with all it’s ups and downs, alongside other people of Christian faith.
If you’re interested in plugging into a group at Riverview, you can find some more information here.
5. GET HELP ALONG THE WAY
We all need help as we follow Jesus. As Christians we are a multi-generational, multi-ethnic, tradition of wisdom that has been around for thousands of years. This means there are a lot of people who have run the race before us, who have some helpful things to share. Below are a selection of helpful resources that may support you as you follow Jesus.
Jesus is ___, Judah Smith
Simply Jesus, Tom Wright
You can find more recommended resources here.
