Fresh Out of the Baptismal Pool by Brandon Dusanic

Chapter One ...

Congratulations and Welcome to the Family!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

—2 Corinthians 5:17

If you are reading this book, you are probably thinking about becoming a follower of Christ or have already become a follower of Christ. Let me start by telling you that if you are a new follower of Christ, welcome to the family! New members must make the coffee in the morning and take out the trash at night. Just kidding.

I wish it were that easy. Seriously though, welcome to the family.

To those who are thinking about following Christ, please do it! You can make no better decision in your life or your family’s life. Your decision will span multiple generations and influence those you love and are close to, as well as your community at large. Christ does not call us to do much. He calls us to do what matters most. God initially gave us the Ten Commandments, but we could not get that right. When we get down to the nitty-gritty of the gospel, Christ wants us to love Him and love our neighbor.

If you are thinking about becoming a follower of Christ, do not listen to the naysayers or faithless people on TikTok and Instagram. There is a reason why you are drawn to Christ and curious about the faith.

Find a local church and ask questions! Pastors love getting asked questions—especially the deep ones. It inspires them to study more and makes them better pastors. If the pastor you find does not take time to answer your questions, find another one.

Remember that pastors are human, and humans are imperfect. Do not get discouraged.

I do not know where you are in your journey, but I want you to understand that once you become saved, you are on a mission for Jesus Christ.

What is your mission, you ask? That is found through studying the Bible, prayer, meditation, and utilizing God-given gifts that support your calling or purpose to further the kingdom of God. Not this book. I am still figuring it out. I am not equipped to enlighten you on the secrets of life. Sorry! I want you to realize the enormous undertaking you took on when you were saved. Hopefully, your church had you take a class or Bible study that walked you through what it meant to be a Christian and to be saved before you took the plunge and got saved and baptized. Not all churches do this, but some do.

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Maybe your church even partnered you with a mentor or someone you could ask questions as they arise. Maybe someone prayed with you and for you. If that is the case, you are ahead of the game. Consider yourself lucky to have a church with those programs. Following Christ is a personal decision, but it is not intended to be an individual journey. You need people. Good people. Not perfect people, but good, Christ-centered people.

In my experience, local churches do an excellent job of reaching out and going about the business of saving people’s lives. They do a great job of loving a community of believers and carrying out the “Great Commission” Christ gave us. If you need to know the Great Commission, look it up. In a nutshell, it tells believers in Christ to go out and make new disciples. Churches may even have trackers that count the number of people saved and baptized in a given year. That is fantastic and gives a tangible number to the growth of God’s kingdom in a specific area or community. However, what does a person do after being “dunked” in the water? After the celebration.  After the party.  After the fish fry is complete and the cake is gone.  What happens next?

Looking back on my life, I now realize that what happens is a daily battle. Christ meant it when He said, “Take up your cross and follow Me.” Daily spiritual hand-to-hand combat—not over your soul, because that is already won—but against the powers of darkness in this world who see you as the enemy. Powers of darkness that cannot take your salvation, but want to discourage others from following your path to freedom in Christ. Powers of darkness that are trying to knock you down so that others see fault not only in you, but in your battlefield commander, Jesus Christ.

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Before you get too scared and run off, understand this: Christ will equip you for the battles. However, churches do not usually have time on Sunday mornings to tell you practically how to unlock and utilize the equipment needed for battle. Your battlefield commander is right beside you. Everything you need has already been given to you. But you are a fresh soldier for Christ who has not yet gotten off the bus for basic training. Before a soldier, sailor, or marine can become a lethal weapon for their country, they must go through basic training. Reflecting on my life, I can see that I missed the bus for basic training in spiritual warfare. Do not be me.

The local church is the recruit training center for Christ. Utilize everything it offers after being saved. If the sanctuary doors are open, be there with bells on. Join a Bible study. Volunteer. Find a mentor. Find a 2:00 a.m. friend. Pray. Be vulnerable in the house of God, with the people of God, so they can honestly know you and help you. Church is a lot of things, and a military-style base is one of them. Use it. Train. Train like you have never trained before in your life.

Following Christ is not a full-time job or hobby. It is a real-life war zone that you are walking into, and it needs to be treated as such. One extensive criticism of the Western church in America is that we must step away from the coffee bar and focus on rediscovering who our enemy is and preparing our church members for the daily battles they will face. A “Christ-light social club” will not get the job done. It is only going to create weak soldiers for Christ, especially with the constant bombardment of misinformation on social media. Those subliminal videos spreading false truths are done by none other than Satan himself. We must develop church members who can see through the nonsense and withstand the bombardment the devil throws at us. The kingdom of Heaven needs strength, courage, and steadfast leadership that mirrors its Commander-in-Chief, Jesus. But how do we get it? We get it through intentional training and mentorship of church members.

Halftime Scripture:

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. —Hebrews 10:24—25

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But how do you know you are in the right church? There are currently over 350,000 Christian churches in the United States, which means you have plenty of options. To put this in perspective, there are only 13,000 McDon-ald's restaurants in the country. There is a buffet smorgasbord of churches for the new Christ follower to go to and find a home in. How do you know you are in the right one? Do not overthink it. Ask yourself a few simple questions.

The first question to ask yourself is, do I feel comfortable here? If we are all being honest, we feel most comfortable around people who are like us. It is okay to ask yourself this non-politically correct question. For example, if you are a young, single mother, do you think that your grandmother's church, without a nursery and everyone being an octogenarian, is going to be the best place for you to grow in Christ? It might be, but I doubt it. That young, single mom would probably be better suited to a church with a younger congregation with a children's ministry. Be completely honest. Celebrities are wrong when saying, “Only God can judge me.” If you walk into a church on a Sunday with a group of people unlike you, everyone is judging. I do not think they

mean to. It is just human nature. So, find a church that you are comfortable in.

The next question would involve some research. Over 200 denominations of Christianity are currently operating in the United States, while over 45,000 are worldwide. This is a staggering number to me since only one Jesus Christ exists. Make sure the denomination of the Christian church aligns with your values. Some do not, and that is okay. You may not want to be a snake handler in the rural denomination of the Church of God with Signs Following. Maybe you do! It is up to you! Take a moment and do some research on the church you are attending. Ask a pastor what is different about this church than the other 199.

The final question to ask about the church you are attending is how much time is spent reading the Bible. Remember that church is not a political rally or a motivational secret of a success seminar at the airport Holiday Inn. Church is many things, but it is not either of those. Ask yourself, is the Bible being taught during the sermons? Do not become captivated by the pastor unless he speaks from and about the Word of God! Several trendy churches in the United States will go through entire sermons and not reference one scripture. How do I know this? Watch the televangelists on television at 3:00 a.m. They might not have the best intentions if they attempt to sell you “holy water” or a “prayer shawl” more than they reference the Bible.

Your local church should be your second home. You should be able to be your true self with people. You should be able to grow. To feel like a sponge and soak up all the knowledge you can about Jesus. Church should be where you feel like you get to go and do not have to go. Make your local church your home base for your ministry for Christ! You may not believe it now, but Christ is preparing you for ministry.

This book is intended to be a guide. To show practical and meaningful steps not always easily advertised or known by new Christ followers to grow your faith. I was baptized and turned loose into the world. This is not an intelligent way of doing things. Think of a baby being born. That baby, after birth, is at its most vulnerable directly out of the womb. It takes an entire team to huddle around, nurture, and be there to watch it grow. This book will show the new believer the actions and places within the church to seek that safety net so that they do not get shot down after being born again in Christ. This book is intended for the new Christ followers right after they dry off from the baptism. I wish everyone peace and growth in Christ. Go forward, fight on, and change the world for the better, one person at a time.

Keep It Simple Step:

Participate actively in a local church community, attending services, joining small groups or Bible studies, and contributing your talents to serve others within the church. Start small; maybe shoot for two Sunday services in a row. Next thing you know, you are a regular attender.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

—Proverbs 1:7

Read and journal on Exodus chapter 14.

Copyright © 2024 by Brandon Dusanic