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Before a person is ready to be received into the Church, whether by baptism or by profession of faith, preparation is necessary.

Conversely, to become a Christian, a member of the Body of Christ, the church, there is no preparation at all...

Preparation for reception into the Church begins with the inquiry stage, in which the unbaptized person begins to learn about the Catholic faith and begins to decide whether to embrace it.

The first formal step to Catholicism begins with the rite of reception into the order of catechumens, in which the unbaptized express their desire and intention to become Christians. "Catechumen" is a term the early Christians used to refer to those preparing to be baptized and become Christians.

I went thru pretty much the same process to become a FreeMason in the Masonic Lodge...Lots of preparation...Lots of ritual...And finally, the test and the big day....

To become a Christian however requires nothing as far as rituals go...A religion is not required...A priest is not required...Baptism isn't even required...

People do not become Christians by joining a church or a club or a fraternity...Christianity if for people who need a Savior, not a religion...And Jesus made it so easy...Here's what he says:

Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

If you are hurting, you feel you are desperate or in despair come to Jesus...He WILL give you rest...

A church or a religion or a priest can not do that...Only Jesus can...

And how do you do that???

Rom_10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

It's that simple...

Act_4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Call on Jesus...He will save you...Don't worry about baptism...Don't worry about a church...You don't need to give up drinking or smoking, or swearing or drugs...You don't need to give up your old friends...You don't need rituals, priests, Mary, rosaries; you only need Jesus Christ and he will take you as you are...He'll clean you up later...What you need is Jesus...

If you looking for a religious experience perhaps the Catholic or Mormon religion is for you...Those religions appeal to the five senses with their massive, beautiful cathedrals...Their religious looking clothes, expensive jewelry and gold everything...But if you are looking for Jesus Christ, it requires a 'spiritual' experience that can only be accessed by calling on Jesus and Jesus alone...

You can make this call while you are watching tv, driving your car, sitting at the beach, while at work or anywhere you happen to be...Call and he will come to meet you...

And perhaps you are already a Catholic, Episcopalian, Baptist or Mormon and have never called on Jesus Christ to save you...You can do it now regardless of your religious background...Do it now...