TRUCKSVILLE, Pa., (BRN) – On Easter Sunday 2023 (April 9), Cross Creek Community Church in Trucksville, Pennsylvania, saw 22 people put their hope in Christ, decisions that were made alongside preceding prayer and intentionally developed next steps.
“We really encouraged people from the church to be praying and asking God to work on people’s hearts that they were inviting to come to Easter Sunday. So, I think it started before they even got there, just God working on their hearts” said Cross Creek Senior Pastor Josh Coldren.
Prepped with prayer and flooded with decisions for Christ, the Cross Creek body then followed up by providing those who said “yes” to Jesus with necessary next steps.
“We were very intentional about people’s next step. What I did is I led people in a salvation prayer, I said, ‘I want you to raise your hand and one of our leaders is going to come around and put a Bible in your hands.’ So, every single individual that raised their hand, we put a Bible in their hands,” explained Coldren.
In every Bible, was a brief book titled Welcome to the Family, a resource provided by the North American Mission Board (NAMB), which explains the foundations of faith in Christ and encourages new believers with the Word of God.
Coldren urged those who received a Bible and the Welcome to the Family resource to contact him or the church office with any questions they may have, and then introduced baptism as their next step as believers.
The following Sunday, April 16, after several follow up calls and confirming that those who raised their hands understood the decision they had made, Cross Creek Community Church celebrated baptism with at least three of these individuals.
Recognizing that not all 22 individuals were ready for baptism, Coldren followed up with those individuals, as well as those who were baptized, and invited them to take part in a “next steps class.”
“The goal from that class is, obviously, walk through the key foundations of our faith, but then encourage people [that when] this class is over, your next step is for you to get into a small group,” said Coldren.
From the moment someone is saved to walking alongside them as a new disciple, Cross Creek has cultivated a community where next steps are crucial to one’s walk with Christ, no matter what stage of spiritual growth they are at.
“You see so many people who fall through the cracks. They come to know Christ and they accept Jesus and then all of a sudden, it’s like, ‘Okay, what? This God changed my life, but why don’t I feel any different somedays?’”
Coldren continued: “That’s where the discipleship component has to be essential and key, otherwise they get to this place and they give up because they don’t completely understand what it means to be a believer and to live that Christian life.”
While Cross Creek has a few key “next steps” in place, Coldren says they are by no means “set in stone.”
“We’re trying different things [and] we’re trying to figure out what works best,” said Coldren.
“I think for me it’s just been years of ministry and looking and going ‘We have to help people to take that next step.’ Sometimes we (pastors) can be vague in what it means to take that step, to put your faith and your trust in Jesus. So, one, it’s being clear in that and then also being clear with the next step.”
If you or your church is seeking to develop your next step or need resources to help new believers take their next step in following Christ, contact the BRN Help Desk via email at helpdesk@brnunited.org or by calling (717) 652-5856.
