New to Jesus? Start Here…..
Maybe you found Off Grid With God because you love the outdoors.
Maybe someone shared a Shepherd’s Fire message with you.
Maybe life has taken you down a road you never expected, and you’re searching for something more.
Or maybe you simply have questions about Jesus.
Whatever brought you here...
Welcome.
You don't need to have everything figured out before approaching God. You don't need to know all the right words or understand the entire Bible.
You can start right where you are.
And the best place to start is with Jesus.
God Created You and Loves You
You aren't here by accident.
Scripture tells us that God created us and desires a relationship with us.
Jesus said:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
— John 3:16 (NKJV)
Christianity begins with something incredible:
God loves us.
But there is a problem we cannot fix on our own.
We Have All Wandered Off the Trail
The Bible calls it sin.
Sin isn't only the terrible things we see happening in the world.
It's our own rebellion against God—our pride, selfishness, dishonesty, disobedience, and every way we fall short of His perfect standard.
And none of us are exempt.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
— Romans 3:23 (NKJV)
Every one of us has wandered.
Every one of us needs forgiveness.
And none of us can earn our way back to God through enough good deeds, religion, or trying harder.
We needed someone to rescue us.
Jesus Came for Us
This is the heart of the Gospel.
God didn't wait for us to find our own way back.
He came looking for us.
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
— Romans 5:8 (NKJV)
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came into this world.
He lived the sinless life we could never live.
He willingly went to the cross and took the punishment our sin deserved.
He died.
He was buried.
And on the third day...
He rose again.
Jesus defeated sin and death.
The Gospel isn't simply advice about becoming a better person.
It's the good news that Jesus has done for us what we could never do for ourselves.
You Cannot Earn Salvation
This is important.
Salvation isn't a reward for becoming religious enough.
You cannot buy it.
You cannot work hard enough for it.
And you cannot become good enough to deserve it.
Scripture says:
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
— Ephesians 2:8–9 (NKJV)
Salvation is God's gift.
We receive that gift through faith in Jesus Christ.
Turn Around
On the trail, sometimes you eventually realize something:
You're headed the wrong direction.
When that happens, knowing you're lost isn't enough.
You turn around.
The Bible calls that repentance.
Repentance means turning away from sin and turning toward God.
It doesn't mean becoming perfect overnight.
It means surrendering your old direction and choosing to follow Jesus.
Jesus said:
“Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
— Mark 1:15 (NKJV)
That's the invitation.
Turn toward Him.
Trust Him.
Follow Him.
Put Your Faith in Jesus
Scripture says:
“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
— Romans 10:9 (NKJV)
Following Jesus begins with faith.
Not faith in yourself.
Not faith in a church.
Not faith in Off Grid With God.
Faith in Jesus Christ.
Believe that He is who He said He is.
Believe that He died for your sins.
Believe that He rose from the dead.
Turn from your sin and place your trust in Him.
Ready to Follow Jesus?
You can talk to God right now.
You don't need special words.
God isn't looking for a perfect speech.
He wants an honest heart.
If you're not sure what to say, you could begin with something like this:
Jesus, I know that I have sinned and need Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose again. I turn from my old way of living and place my faith in You.
Forgive me, change me, and teach me to follow You. I surrender my life to You. Amen.
Those words aren't a magic formula.
A prayer doesn't save you. Jesus does.
Salvation comes through placing your faith in Christ.
You Took the First Step.
Now Keep Walking.
Following Jesus isn't the end of the journey.
It's the beginning.
You won't understand everything immediately.
None of us did.
You learn to follow Him one step at a time.
Here are some good places to begin:
Read the Bible.
Start with the Gospel of John. Don't worry about how quickly you finish. Read slowly and ask, “What does this teach me about Jesus?”
Talk to God.
Prayer doesn't have to sound religious. Talk honestly with Him about your fears, questions, gratitude, failures, and needs.
Find a Bible-believing church.
We weren't designed to follow Christ alone. Find a church that faithfully teaches God's Word and keeps Jesus at the center.
Get baptized.
Jesus calls His followers to baptism as a public expression of faith and obedience.
Walk with other believers.
You need people who will encourage you, pray with you, challenge you, and help you grow.
Keep following.
Some days will be incredible.
Others will be difficult.
Keep walking.
You Don't Have to Travel Alone
That's one of the reasons Off Grid With God exists.
We are followers of Jesus who believe faith was never intended to remain inside the walls of a church building.
We find fellowship around campfires.
We see the Creator through His creation.
We learn lessons on trails, mountains, and backroads.
And through Shepherd’s Fire, we open God's Word and discover Trail Markers that help keep us pointed toward Christ.
But never confuse the trail with the destination.
The trail is simply where we learn.
Jesus is who we follow.
Still Have Questions?
That's okay.
Questions aren't something to be afraid of.
Keep seeking.
Keep reading Scripture.
Talk with a mature Christian or pastor you trust.
And you're welcome to reach out to Off Grid With God.
If you've decided to follow Jesus, we'd especially love to hear from you.
Not so we can count another number.
Not so we can add your name to a list.
But because nobody should begin this journey alone.
We'd be honored to pray for you and help point you toward your next Trail Marker.
Welcome to the Trail.
There will be mountains.
There will be valleys.
There will be obstacles you didn't expect.
There will also be moments when you stop, look around, and realize just how far God has brought you.
Through all of it...
Keep your eyes on Jesus.
Keep your heart rooted in His Word.
And keep walking.
The greatest adventure isn't found on a map.
It's found in following Jesus Christ.
Stay rooted. Stay connected.
Off Grid With God
Faith • Fellowship • Adventure