Christians, where did you learn about your faith?

[Woolmark]

I'm fairly new to Christianity and resorting to reading books which is obviously quite a solitary thing. I'm wondering how/where everyone else learned what they know?

[sunshine401]

Church would be the most beneficial however it can be a tad daunting aa a newbie ;) local clubs/meetings would be a great place to start.

[Woolmark]

I do go to church but I don't think I'm really learning anything theological there, it's more a worship through ritual church IYSWIM

[PaulMcGannsMistress]

blogs can be quite accessible and fun.

[eastmidsmum]

Church is the family of believers, where you can find teaching and support.... look for one that emphasises what the Bible teaches, which you can suss by a combination of looking at its "advertising", going to services and talking to people - the last to try and judge whether they are truly welcoming. It can take a few tries to find one you really feel comfortable in, don't worry if you do the rounds for a few weeks.

How did you become a Christian? If it involved someone else or a web site or a leaflet they might point you somewhere in particular.

You can try //www.findachurch.co.uk or the Anglican version, //www.achurchnearyou.com

Pray and ask God to lead you to the right church, and have faith that He will. He will!!

The other massively important thing is to read the Bible, best helped with some daily notes to help explain things/ apply what you learn. I'd recommend those published by The Good Book Company, I think they do a version for new Christians.

Sent with my prayers for you as you learn about the riches Christ has won for us. Blessings!

[Woolmark]

Thanks, I am reading the bible and I think I've found the right church although admittedly it is quite inaccessible (very high church) I like the sacredness of the service & I like the fact they are pretty down to Earth and liberal-ish. I tried a Baptist church and although it initially appeared very liberal, I actually found it quite hardline in comparison and didn't agree with a lot of their views.

[eastmidsmum]

whereabouts are you, btw?

[niminypiminy]

I agree that reading the Bible is vital, but it helps to have a guide. Does your church run a Bible study group or a home group? Those can be safe spaces to ask questions, explore and find out more. There is a new course called 'Pilgrim' which is an introduction to Christianity with a focus on prayer and spirituality. Maybe your church, or a church near you might run it. I use Reflections for Daily Prayer which takes you through the year with short readings and a reflection for every day.

[giggle78]

An alpha course is really good and covers all the basics. It might mean being brave walking through the door to the first one. But after that I promise you it is fine and the people will be really friendly.

[niminypiminy]

Giggle, I think the OP might well find the Alpha course too evangelical and socially conservative. Alpha can be a great thing for some people, but it's not for everyone, and there are other ways to learn about the faith.

[thegreenheartofmanyroundabouts]

I went to lots of different churches before I settled on the one I stayed in for 20 years so I learnt a lot from seeing how different churches did things.

For the basics of faith I read a lot and asked a lot of questions. On the web www.rejesus.co.uk is good and Simon Jenkins 'The Bible from Scratch' comes complete with cartoons which is always good. For doctrine I don't think you can go far wrong than Keith Ward 'Christianity; a short introduction' as he takes the main themes and gives three viewpoints on each which gives you the breadth of Christianity rather than focusing on what one denomination holds as central.

[mathanxiety]

I was brought up in the Catholic tradition but never really gave much thought to it all until I read the autobiographical 'The Seven Storey Mountain' by Thomas Merton (published as 'Elected Silence' in the UK), which gave me a lot of insight into religion in general and not just Catholicism. He had a very interesting and full life, great struggles with his faith, and wrote really well.

Merton was baptised in his late 20s iirc after a youth spent being ferried back and forth between France, England and New York, and outside of organised religion of any sort. He decided to become a contemplative (silent) monk pretty soon after his baptism.

[mathanxiety]

Merton was a pacifist, greatly interested and invested in social justice and racial equality, and had a deep interest in eastern religion and what it had to offer the human spirit.

[jessjessjess]

I did the alpha course and it wasn't too conservative, but my church is pretty liberal. You could also look for a church that does a 'start' course?