It's isn't often I get to work with new Christians. Most of the time I coach long-time Christians who are wanting to go to the next level—whatever the next level is for them.
However, years ago, I had more opportunity to work "baby" Christians when I was a counselor for Wellspring Ministries and the women who received freedom through that ministry. Those times were intense but highly rewarding. We had everything from "newborn" Christians to "toddler" Christians to a few (rather trying) teenage-Christians.
The latter being the more difficult because they felt they had already heard and learned enough about God, but still didn't walk in freedom. (Sounds like myself as a teenager.) For them, my message was really all about surrender because if they didn't take that step to follow Christ to death to self, they would be back. Again and again.
For the newborns and the toddlers, my message was different. In my own children-raising experience, newborns need lots of milk, they cluster-feed, they need everything broken down and done for them, and they need lots of loving. Toddlers need thicker milk, table food cut into tiny bite-sized pieces so they can feed themselves, small amounts to try lots of different tastes and several meals a day, repeated instructions and discipline as a follow-through, small doses of independence all with a goal to full independence one day, space to learn how things work and to trust/not trust certain things, and lots of loving. (That last part doesn't ever go away.)
Toddler Christians are similar: they need plenty of "meals" of the Bible and church and every small group or Bible study they can join, to learn how to follow a Bible study plan and dig into scriptures themselves, learn to trust God is speaking to them, accountability to acquire the ancient disciplines, trying out the ways we hear God and experience His presence to find the ones to which God has tuned them, and how to test what they hear against what the Bible says.
For newborn Christians, I teach one message: Seek God. Always look for God—in your past (redeeming and healing it), in your present (He sticks closer than a brother), and in your future (since He's already there too, we can rest!). Over and over we are commanded in the Bible to seek God. We're never to stop because no one can attain the full comprehension of such a God, but we have to start somewhere. The difference between our God and any other god is this: He can be found. (Isaiah 55:6, Psalm 119:2; Jeremiah 29:13; Proverbs 8:17)
I remember asking God once why He hid Himself. He answered that it was so we'd have the joy of finding Him.
Which I have found to be wonderfully true! When we find Him in our past, it brings the joy of healing and knowing we were never alone and that He used it to bring us to Him. When we find Him in our present, it brings the joy of companionship and conditions us to trust that He will never leave us. When we find Him already in our future, it brings the joy of being known by the God who made us.
So, for a new-born Christian just setting out to follow Christ, the admonition is not to obey hundreds of rules or read the Bible in a year or be transformed all at once—slow down! This is not a marathon and He will enable you to do whatever, whenever He asks you to do so. I don't advocate giving up or taking on anything and everything willy-nilly. Wait for God to ask it of you—because then He will send His power to do enable you.
Slow down and look for God. I highly recommend reading one good verse a day or even per week and trying to find God's heart in it, or His hand, or His character. Sip on it like wine. Digest it thoroughly before moving to the next one. Doing this will purify your heart without even trying.
In Matthew 5 we are told that those who are pure in heart will see God. Each encounter we have with the presence of God changes us. We meet Him and He asks us to give Him whatever it is that we need to give Him. Then, when we do, He transforms our hearts, giving us hearts of soft clay instead of hardened rock.
In Matthew 6, verse 33, we are told to seek God and His Kingdom, which in short is everything that is righteous. We seek God, seek God's heart (and learn to pray for what is on His heart), seek God's hand (after we have prayed for His heart), and seek to see His Kingdom here on earth (to partner with Him and in it).
In summary:
Establish regular times with God's people
Establish regular times with God's word
Establish regular times in quiet prayer
Experience God with His people
Experience God within nature and the many other ways
Experience God by engaging with His Kingdom (service)
The rest will come: Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (which only comes from the Holy Spirit), then all the rest will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)
If you know Him, you will love Him. If you love Him, you will trust Him. If you trust Him, obedience will follow. So start by knowing and being known by Him.
Grace seeks God.
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