You may have asked yourself in the past, “Why do Christians act the way they do? Why do they believe this? Why do they say they act a certain way, or get excited about certain things? Hopefully, these Frequently Asked Questions will help you in your understanding.

 

WHAT IS PRAYER, AND HOW DO I PRAY?

 

Simply put, prayer is a personal conversation with God. It does not have to include “thee’s” and “thou’s,” but rather a true and intimate conversation with God.

 

Here are some suggestions:

 

Follow the words of Jesus, “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him (Matthew 6:6-8).”

 

Keep it simple. God knows your heart; talk to Him as if He were physically sitting in the room with you. We encourage you to use the same language patterns as you do in your everyday language. Do not feel like you have to use extravagant or repetitive verbiage in your prayers.

 

HOW DO I “HEAR” GOD TALKING TO ME?

 

Learning to hear God’s voice is a lifelong process. God wants you to recognize His voice, and as you grow, you’ll learn to distinguish what He is asking you to do. You may sense God’s voice while reading the Bible, listening to a sermon or music, or simply while driving down the road.

 

It doesn’t have to be something big for it to be God’s voice. God can speak to you in the everyday things in your life. It could asking you to stop a certain habit, begin a new habit, give something away (like tithing), or simply to trust Him with your situation. If you think you are hearing from God, look for confirmation through prayer, the Bible, and your community.

 

WHY DOESN’T GOD TAKE AWAY MY PAIN OR MY ADDICTION?

 

Someday He might, but more often God puts in a place where we must lean into Him for support and guidance. Often our pain forces us closer to God, and when we draw close to God, He provides us with the power and strength to push through any circumstance or situation.

 

SHOULD I GET BAPTIZED?

 

Yes. The Book of Romans says that when we go under the water, we identify with Christ who went into the grave, and when we come out of the water, we identify with His resurrection. Baptism signifies what has already happened to us spiritually. Our old identity as a sinner is gone, and we rise with a new identity in Christ. We believe that Baptism is an outward expression of an inward decision for Christ. At BFWC, we celebrate baptisms! If you are interested in being baptized, contact us and let us know.

 

I’M TRYING TO FOLLOW JESUS, BUT I KEEP SINNING. WHY?

 

Following Jesus doesn’t mean that you automatically begin to behave perfectly, and never sin again. In fact, you will continue to say and do things that you did before you accepted Christ. Becoming like Jesus in your thoughts and actions is a lifelong journey. Luckily, you are not alone; this is one of the reasons that we believe so strongly in the community provided by our LIFE Groups. The groups will provide you with the support and encouragement you will need. Also, take heart in Philippians 1:6:

 

…being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus