I'm not sure I want to become a Christian...
You're attracted... but you're not certain you're ready to commit yourself. If you feel this way right now, it's probably for one of three reasons:
Intellectual issues The Western world has had two thousand years to think up objections to Christianity, and you've probably heard a lot of them. If you aren't yet convinced that Christianity is rational, plausible, and founded on good evidence, maybe you need to dig around a little more. If you haven't looked at The Big Issues yet, maybe that would be a good place to start. If you've already been there, we have nine more places to look for answers with some more high-quality resources to dig into.
Or maybe it's time to have a chat with a Christian, and see whether you can pull their ideas to bits, or not. Or you could join one of SEC's regular groups in which Silverton people - Christian and non-Christian - spend a few evenings together exploring the ideas of Christianity and working out whether they make sense. Contact Andy for details.
Lifestyle issues Sometimes what holds us back is the thought, "This could change my life. But how? What would it be like? Is there a cost I'm willing to pay? Do I really know what I'm getting into?" Those aren't bad questions to ponder. Jesus himself warned that anybody who wanted to follow him had better think about the price they would have to pay before they jumped aboard. He told a story about a man who set out to build a fancy tower, got halfway, and then discovered he couldn't afford to finish it. You don't want to be in that situation. So yes, do think about the cost. What is it? Well, we've put a few ideas down here. But you can also learn a lot from watching Christians and asking them questions; that can help you gauge whether you've got what it takes. Get in touch and we'll be glad to chat for as long as you want to. You could also check out some of the stories on this site of how various people came to faith, and how their decision impacted them. |
Understanding issues The third common problem that holds people back is understanding. You may not be dead sure exactly what Christians believe. (Or like a lot of people in Devon, you may be fairly sure - but you may be wrong!) If you think hazy understanding might be a problem for you, the place to go might be this page which tries to explain the central core of the message of Jesus. Some of the stories of people who came to find faith might be helpful too.
But nothing can be as helpful as a one-on-one, no-holds-barred personal chat. We can organize that for you any time you like. Just get in touch. WE'll also give you the details of any small-group courses we have coming up, which are designed to allow people to ask any question they like about Christian faith.