You were curious
You got water for today. Here's water for life.
A short message from the person who handed you this bottle.
This page is here to tell you how you can know God. If you have a couple of minutes, here is what Jesus did for us and what it means to follow Him.
Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."John 4:13–14, NASB 1995
The good news, in four parts
God made you, and He loves you.
You are not an accident. God knows you by name and wants a real relationship with you.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."John 3:16, NASB 1995
Something is broken between us and God.
The Bible calls it sin: the wrong we have done and the good we have failed to do. All of us have it, and it separates us from a holy God.
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"Romans 3:23, NASB 1995
Jesus did what we could not do.
Jesus, God's Son, lived the life we should have lived and died on the cross in our place, taking the penalty for our sin. Three days later He rose from the dead, and He is alive today (1 Corinthians 15:3–4).
"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."Romans 5:8, NASB 1995
You can receive Him as a free gift.
You cannot earn this, and you do not have to clean yourself up first. You receive it by trusting Jesus and turning to follow Him.
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."Romans 6:23, NASB 1995
"that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;"Romans 10:9, NASB 1995
A prayer you can pray
There is nothing magic about these exact words. God is listening to your heart. If this is what you want, you can pray something like this right now, out loud or silently.
Jesus, I know I have sinned and I cannot fix that on my own. I believe You died for my sins and that God raised You from the dead. I turn from my sin and I put my trust in You. Come into my life and be my Lord. Thank You for forgiving me and giving me new life. Amen.
Welcome to the family of God.
The Bible says that heaven celebrates over one person who turns to God (Luke 15:7). Here are three simple next steps.
- Tell someone. Tell a Christian you know, or the person who gave you this bottle.
- Start reading. Begin with the Gospel of John, one chapter a day. Here's how.
- Find a church. Following Jesus was never meant to be done alone. Here's how.
Step one
How to read the Bible
The Bible is a library of 66 books, so you do not start at page one. Start with the life of Jesus.
Where to start
Read the Gospel of John, one chapter a day. It has 21 chapters, so in three weeks you will have read the whole story of Jesus: who He is, what He taught, how He died and how He rose again.
A simple way to read
- Pray first. Ask God to help you understand what you read.
- Read one chapter. Read slowly. It is fine to read it twice.
- Ask three questions. What does this show me about God? What does it show me about people? What is one thing I can do today because of it?
- Talk to God about it. Prayer is just talking honestly with Him.
Free tools
YouVersion Bible App
A free Bible on your phone, with easy-to-read translations and an audio option if you would rather listen.
Open bible.com →BibleProject
Free short animated videos that explain each book of the Bible and how the whole story fits together.
Open bibleproject.com →Tip: if the wording feels hard to follow, try a readable translation such as the NLT or CSB in the app.
Step two
How to find a church
A church is a family of people learning to follow Jesus together. You do not have to have it all figured out to walk in the door.
Show churches near meWhat to look for
- They teach from the Bible. The sermon should open the Bible and explain it.
- They are clear about Jesus. He died for our sins, rose from the dead and is the only way to God.
- They are welcoming. Someone should say hello and help you find your way.
Your first visit
Most church services last about an hour to an hour and a half, with some singing, a message from the Bible and a prayer. Come as you are. You can sit in the back, you do not have to give money, and nobody will single you out.
It is normal to visit a few churches before one feels like home. If you can, tell someone there that you are new to faith and would like to learn more.
Watch
Short videos for getting started
Simple walkthroughs, a few minutes each.
What just happened?
What it means to become a Christian.
How to read the Bible
Opening the app, finding John and reading your first chapter.
How to pray
Talking to God in your own words.
How to find a church
What to look for and what to expect on your first Sunday.
In the meantime, BibleProject has excellent free videos. Visit bibleproject.com