Discipleship for New Believers: A 90-Day Roadmap to Strong Foundations
The moment someone becomes a Christian should be the beginning of a relationship, not the end of a transaction.
I've watched it happen too many times. Someone prays to receive Christ at camp, at a conference, at an evangelistic outreach. There's celebration. Maybe some follow-up materials get handed over. And then... nothing. The new believer is left to figure things out on their own, and six months later, they've drifted back to wherever they came from.
The first 90 days after conversion are the most formative season in someone's entire spiritual journey. What happens -- or doesn't happen -- in those weeks shapes everything that follows.
This guide is for anyone who has the opportunity to walk with a new believer through those critical early months.
Why the First 90 Days Shape Everything
New believers are hungry. The excitement of encountering grace creates an appetite for more. That window doesn't stay open forever.
They're also vulnerable. Old patterns, doubts, and spiritual opposition tend to intensify right after conversion. Without support, many get picked off.
And habits form fast. Whether someone develops rhythms of Scripture reading, prayer, and church attendance now largely determines whether those rhythms will stick.
If you wait until they're six months in and struggling, you've already lost momentum. The time to invest is immediately.
The Foundation: What They Actually Need
I've tried complicated curricula and elaborate systems. What works is simpler than I expected. New believers need help with a handful of essentials:
Assurance. "Did it actually work? Am I really saved?" These questions are universal. They need to understand that salvation rests on God's promise, not their feelings.
The gospel -- for real. Praying a prayer is the starting point, not the whole picture. They need to grasp the full story: creation, fall, redemption, restoration. They need to understand grace -- that they're loved not because of performance but because of Christ.
How to read the Bible. Scripture is intimidating to someone who's never opened it. They need permission to start simple (a Gospel, not Leviticus) and guidance on what they're looking for.
How to pray. New believers often assume prayer requires special vocabulary. They need to know they can talk to God in their own words, about anything.
Why church matters. Christianity isn't solo. Without community, they'll isolate and drift.
Dealing with sin. They'll still struggle. That's normal, not a sign of failed faith. They need to know about confession, repentance, and the Holy Spirit's ongoing work.
A 90-Day Framework
Here's a week-by-week approach that's worked well. Assume you're meeting weekly for about an hour.
Weeks 1-3: Identity and Assurance
The focus here is making sure they know they belong to Christ.
Week 1 -- What happened when you believed? Walk through the gospel again. Explore what the Bible says about those who trust in Jesus (John 1:12, Romans 10:9-10). Talk about the Holy Spirit as their seal and helper. Make clear that assurance comes from Scripture, not feelings.
Week 2 -- You're a new creation. Explore 2 Corinthians 5:17 -- old life, new life. Their identity is now in Christ, not their past. Introduce Bible reading (give them Mark to start with, and read a chapter before next week).
Week 3 -- You're part of a family. Talk about adoption into God's family (Romans 8:15-17). The church isn't optional -- it's their new family. Help them identify where to plug in, and introduce them to people at your church.
Weeks 4-6: Basic Practices
Now you're establishing spiritual disciplines.
Week 4 -- How to read the Bible. Explain that the Bible is God's word to them personally. Suggest where to start (Gospels, then Psalms, then epistles). Read a short passage together and model how to engage with it. Set a small daily goal -- even five minutes counts.
Week 5 -- How to pray. Frame prayer as conversation, not performance. Introduce a simple structure (ACTS: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication). Pray together. Suggest they start a prayer journal.
Week 6 -- Dealing with sin. Christians still sin -- that's normal, not disqualifying. Teach them 1 John 1:9 (confession brings forgiveness). Help them distinguish between conviction (the Spirit's work) and condemnation (the enemy's lie). Talk about the Holy Spirit's power for ongoing transformation.
Weeks 7-9: Understanding the Gospel More Deeply
Now you're building theological depth.
Week 7 -- The Bible's big story. Walk through creation, fall, redemption, restoration. Help them see how the whole Bible points to Jesus. This isn't academic -- it's the framework for understanding everything else.
Week 8 -- Grace alone. Dive into Ephesians 2:8-9. Salvation is a gift, not something earned. Talk about what grace means for daily life -- they don't have to perform for God's approval.
Week 9 -- The cross and resurrection. Why did Jesus have to die? What actually happened at the cross? What does the resurrection mean for us now, and for eternity?
Weeks 10-12: Living as a Christian
Now you're applying faith to daily life.
Week 10 -- Following Jesus. Faith isn't just believing -- it's following. Explore what loving God and loving others looks like practically (Matthew 22:37-39).
Week 11 -- Spiritual warfare. The enemy is real, but defeated. Walk through Ephesians 6:10-18. Discuss how to resist temptation and the resources available in Christ.
Week 12 -- Sharing your faith. Everyone has a story. Help them articulate their testimony simply: what life was like before Christ, how they came to faith, what's different now. Encourage them to think about one person they could share with.
Week 13: What's Next?
Review what you've covered. Celebrate their growth. Discuss next steps: continuing to meet, joining a small group, serving somewhere, getting baptized (if they haven't already). Plant the seed that someday they'll be the one walking with a new believer.
What I've Learned About Doing This Well
Be patient with vocabulary. They don't know church-speak. Explain terms like "gospel," "grace," "sanctification." Don't assume anything.
Start where they are. Ask what they already know. Ask what confuses them. Tailor your approach to their actual questions.
Keep it simple. Resist the urge to dump everything you know into the first month. Cover essentials first. Depth comes with time.
Model, don't just teach. Let them hear you pray out loud. Let them see how you engage with Scripture. Let them watch how you handle disappointment.
Make space for questions. New believers have lots of them -- some theological, some practical, some awkward. Create an environment where nothing is off-limits.
Connect their faith to their real life. They don't need abstract theology. They need help with their marriage, their anxiety, their work situation. Show them how Scripture applies to what they're actually facing.
Mistakes to Avoid
Overwhelming with information. You can't teach them everything in three months. Focus on foundations.
Moving too fast. Let concepts sink in before adding new ones.
Skipping accountability. Don't just teach -- follow up. Ask how Bible reading is going. Ask if they prayed this week.
Forgetting to pray. The Holy Spirit does the real work. Pray with them every meeting. Pray for them between meetings.
Making them dependent on you. Your goal is their maturity, not their attachment. Point them to Jesus, to Scripture, to community.
A Word About Baptism
If they haven't been baptized, bring it up early. Baptism is a public declaration of faith, an identification with Christ and His church. It matters. Help them understand what it means and encourage them to take that step.
Three months will pass quickly. At the end, your new believer should have assurance of salvation, habits of Bible reading and prayer, connection to a church, understanding of the gospel, a framework for dealing with sin, and a testimony they can share.
That's not the finish line -- it's the starting blocks. But it's the foundation everything else builds on.
If you want a structured guide for walking through this, DisciplePair offers a "Gospel Foundations" curriculum with exactly this content -- Scripture passages, discussion questions, and application steps for each session.