C. Michael Patton - Now That Im a Christian: What It Means to Follow Jesus

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I wish this book was out when I first became a Christian! What we believe really matters, and this book covers many basic and necessary beliefs of the Christian faith in an easy-to-read format. Its like sitting in a theology class, but one that brings life and you can understand what the teacher is teaching. There has been no more urgent time in history for us to be reading and learning the basic beliefs of the Christian faith. I encourage all Christians, especially those new to the faith, to not miss the joy and wonder of learning what is written in this book.

Dan Kimball, Mission and Leadership Staff, Vintage Faith Church; author, They Like Jesus but Not the Church

As a pastor Im often confronted by new Christians with questions such as: How do I get started? What should I read? How do I grow spiritually? Although I havent had good answers in the past, I do now. Im sending them to Michael Pattons excellent book. This is a gem! Eminently readable and experientially relevant, this is a book that addresses with brutal but always loving honesty the most pressing theological issues a new believer faces. In fact, you who are a bit older in the faith can also benefit from Michaels insights. Highly recommended for Christians of all ages!

Sam Storms, Senior Pastor, Bridgeway Church, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

If you want to grow in your faith as a new Christian, or if you just need to get back to the long-neglected basics, Michael Patton will prove to be a wise guide. Now That Im a Christian is not only practical and easy to follow; it is biblically balanced and theologically informed. What a ready resource to help churches, campus ministries, and individual spiritual mentors to train new believers in the faith!

Paul Copan, Pledger Family Chair of Philosophy and Ethics, Palm Beach Atlantic University; author, Loving Wisdom: Christian Philosophy of Religion

Rolled into this one volume is a guide to both right belief and right practice. Believers need a solid foundation that maps out the essentials for the Christian faith, as well as how to grow stronger and deeper in that faith. This work addresses both. Written in an introductory manner that is well-informed, witty, and fast-paced, readers will feel at home in the text even if they have not studied these things before. I recommend it with pleasure.

Gary R. Habermas, Distinguished Research Professor & Chair, Philosophy Dept, Liberty University

Now That Im a Christian: What It Means to Follow Jesus

Copyright 2014 by C. Michael Patton

Published by Crossway
1300 Crescent Street
Wheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law. Crossway is a registered trademark in the United States of America.

Cover design: Faceout Studio

First printing 2014

Printed in the United States of America

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible ( The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. 2011 Text Edition. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked AT are the authors translation.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added by the author.

Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-4335-3804-9
ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-3807-0
PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-3806-3
Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-3805-6

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Patton, C. Michael, 1972

Now that Im a Christian : what it means to follow Jesus / C. Michael Patton.

1 online resource.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record and CIP data provided by publisher; resource not viewed.

ISBN 978-1-4335-3806-3 (pdf) ISBN 978-1-4335-3805-6 (mobi) ISBN 978-1-4335-3807-0 (epub) ISBN 978-1-4335-3804-9

1. Theology, DoctrinalPopular works. 2. Christian life. I. Title.

BT77.P345

230dc23

2013030312

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Contents

I cant wait to tell you about your new faith. I cant wait to tell you about Jesus, the Bible, prayer, and all the wonderful things we are going to cover in this book. You are a disciple of Christ, and I intend to give you a solid start that will ground you in the most important issues that have defined Christianity for the last two thousand years. You are a Christian. Welcome to the family.

What does it mean to be a disciple ? That term may be foreign to you. But dont worry. You dont have to grow a beard or put on a robe. You may have heard of the twelve disciples of Christ. Well, being a disciple of Christbeing a Christianis like that. To be a disciple means being a student of someone. But it is much more than that. In the time of Christ, when people were disciples of someone else, they placed themselves completely under that persons authority in both education and lifestyle. Their goal was to become exactly like their mentor. This is how the disciples were with Christ. They left everything and followed him. They went everywhere he went, did everything he did, and believed everything he believed (at least, they tried!). And, over two thousand years later, we have this same privilege. We, too, become disciples of Christ the moment we trust in him. I cant wait to take your hand on this journey.

You might be thinking, can a book make me a disciple of Jesus? It would be naive to believe such a thought. Discipleship cannot be carried to completion through a book. Is it a waste of my time, therefore, to write a book such as this? No. You should read this book. I think you will soon find out why.

Jesus commanded all who would follow him to take up their cross and follow him. Discipleship is not something you do on the side. It is not a part-time job. It affects and infects every part of your being, everything that you do, and everything that you are. It is really difficult to be a Christian without being a disciple. Why would you want to be? When you bow the knee to Christ, you declare him to be God and Lord of the universe. This does not mean that you are always a good disciple or that you do everything right. This does not mean that we dont fall on our face over and over. I certainly do. It means that we are on a path following the eternal God. And this path beckons us to pick ourselves up every time we fall.

Christ told his disciples to go therefore and make disciples... teaching them to observe everything he had commanded (Matt. 28:1920). This command has become so famous, it is better known today as The Great Commission. We will talk a lot about the Great Commission in the last chapter. But know this: Christs command to follow him is more than a command; it is a wonderful privilege. It is a great privilege.