What is Christianity and how do I become a Christian?

Christianity is a belief system. It first says that there is a God, a Creator, who is self-evident. (Meaning that His existence is obvious to anyone who stops to think about it.) The design, order, and beauty of the world around us testifies to God’s existence. This God created the world and therefore owns it and has rightful authority over it. Christianity also says that this God made mankind in His image. That is to say, we have minds; we can think, and that we have wills; we can make choices. It goes on to say that God had a purpose for humans and He gave us a choice to obey him or to disobey Him. It’s His house and He can make up the rules. Man chose not to obey God and most men today still choose not to obey God; as is evidenced by the history of war, oppression, violence and corruption that marks mans’ “civilized” existence on the planet. The result of this is that God, who is Just (He is where we get our sense of Justice from) must do something to correct mans’ bad behavior. He had two options; one, to wipe everybody out and start all over again. Or, two, the peculiar thing we as Christians believe that he did. He came to earth, in the body of a human, grew up, lived as a human for 33 years, yet HE did it perfectly, he didn’t make the bad choices that we so often make. He then gave His life up, as a ransom, taking our punishment. He did this so that if we would be willing to lay down our lives, put them back into His hands, He could then forgive us of our wrongs and give us Spiritual Life, that is to say our spirit becomes connected to God’s Spirit.

The life of this person, God as a human, was foretold by prophets of God for centuries. His name in the English language is Jesus Christ. We date our calendar in Western Civilization by His life, He is no fairytale. His life was well documented historically. The men that followed after him changed the whole world. Despite those who have misused His teachings for their own gain, Christianity has been the single greatest movement for good in the history of mankind; helping men and women to find this new life, to find their place as His children. To be one with Him and to walk with Him, to keep His commandments, this is to be a Christian.

To find out more read the Bible with an open heart and mind. Read the writings of great Christian men and women who have lived down through the ages. If you want someone to talk to, write us or call anytime.

Stop Offending

Our evangelistic methods often bring a variety of criticisms. We frequently hear, "I just think that you are offending people, can't you just emphasize more love? I mean, don’t you think that it's counter-productive in bringing people to Christ by saying such controversial things?" The following story is our response to such thinking:

There was a man who developed a cure for a disease that was ravaging his community. The antidote was pretty rotten smelling and even worse tasting, but it brought about a complete cure, so long as the individuals stayed in a separated area, and continued taking the recommended dosage. Unfortunately there was a lot of complaining going on amongst those who were beginning to take the formula with regard to its repugnance to the senses. Caving into pressure, the good doctor decided to lessen a few of the harsher ingredients. The result was good. The antidote was clearly much easier to digest, more pleasant to the senses and still seemed to be effectual in curing the horrific disease that was still destroying his little village. Unfortunately there were those who would still complain a bit of the residual odors and faint hint of the lessened ingredients. Especially newcomers who were trying to get some of their old infected acquaintances to come into the doctors clinic and receive the antidote. Under pressure to make it more appetizing for these hesitant hopefuls the good doctor again made a few modifications to his recipe, which amidst much debate and controversy led to a series of modifications over a period of time. As the doctors facilities grew larger and larger with more and more patients he began to sit back and assess the state of his affairs. As he walked about the village and saw the continued effects of this terrible, cursed disease he was amazed to see that there was very little difference in these victims than there was in his own patients! To his shock, his patients, while still being isolated from the general infected population and still taking his cure regularly were now in the same condition, with little exception, as those who had no treatment! “What could be the cause of this?” He thought to himself. Hurrying into his laboratory and taking out a sample of his precious antidote he began conducting a rigorous set of tests, discovering to his chagrin that the antidote had lost its potency! Being diluted and modified so much to people’s personal liking it had lost all its strength. It was no longer the same cure. Although his patients continued to come to his facilities and enjoyed being under his care, receiving the prescribed remedy daily, they were unaffected. Remaining still visibly in a full state of disease, closing in on death. ‘How horrible’, he thought to himself! How horrible indeed.

A quote for the critics

Many critics of the Gospel of Christ, including the recent Da Vinci Code phenomenon attack the historical Jesus as recorded in the New Testament. The following quote was written in the 1800's by a Christian apologist in response to those who would say that the Apostles had deceptively fabricated the entire resurrection account for their own selfish ends (As is the contention in the Da Vinci Code!).

“Now, in conclusion, let us see what an unbeliever must believe in consistency with his profession. He must believe that the apostles were either such weak-minded men as to imagine that their crucified Master had been with them, from time to time, during forty days after his burial, had conversed with them, and eaten with them, and that they had every sensible evidence of his resurrection, while in truth he had not been near them, but was still in his sepulchre; or else that they were so wicked and deceitful as to go all over the world preaching that he was risen from the dead, when they knew it was a gross fabrication. Suppose the unbeliever to choose the latter of these alternatives. Then he believes, not only that those men were so singularly attached to this untruth as to give themselves up to all manner of disgrace, and persecutions and labour, for the sake of making all the world believe it, knowing that their own destruction could be the only consequence; but also, what is still more singular, that when they plunged, immediately at the outset of their ministry, into an immense multitude of those who, having lately crucified the Saviour, were full of enmity to his disciples; they succeeded, without learning, eloquence, power, or a single conceivable motive, in making three thousand of them believe that he, whom they had seen on the cross, was indeed alive again; and believe it so fully, as to renounce every thing, and be willing to suffer any thing, for the sake of it, and this on the very spot where the guards that had kept the sepulcher were at hand to tell what was become of the body of Jesus.

He must believe, moreover, that although in attempting to propagate a new religion to the exclusion of every other, they were undertaking what was entirely new, and opposed to the views of all nations; although the doctrines they preached were resisted by all the influence of the several priesthoods; all the power of the several governments; all the passions, habits, and prejudices of the people; and all the wit and pride of the philosophers of all nations… so that they encountered everywhere the most tremendous persecutions, till torture and death were almost synonymous with the name of Christian; although they had nothing to propose, to Jew or Gentile, as a matter of faith, but what the wisdom of the world ridiculed, and the vice of the world hated, and all men were united in despising; although they had nothing earthly with which to tempt any one to receive their fabrication, except the necessity of an entire change in all his habits and dispositions, and an assurance that tribulations and persecutions must be his portion:

Yet when philosophers, with all their learning, and rank, and subtlety, and veneration, could produce no effect on the public mind, these obscure Galileans obtained such influence, throughout the whole extent of the Roman empire, and especially in the most enlightened cities, that, in thirty years, what they themselves (by the supposition) did not believe, they made hundreds of thousands of all classes, philosophers, senators, governors, priests, soldiers, as well as plebeians, believe, and maintain unto death; yea, they planted this doctrine of their own invention so deeply that all the persecutions of three hundred years could not root it up; they established the gospel so permanently that in three hundred years it was the established religion of an empire co-extensive with the known world, and continues still the religion of all civilized nations... Such is the belief of the unbeliever. To escape acknowledging that the apostles were aided by miraculous assistance, he makes them to have possessed in themselves miraculous ability. To get rid of one miracle in the work, he has to make twelve miracles out of the twelve agents of the work.”

- McIlvane in his lecture on The Evidences of Christianity

The Preambles of all 50 State Constitutions of the USA

For those who support the modern notion of "separation of church and state" that is being foisted upon the American people as a means of religious oppression and tyranny:

Alabama 1901, Preamble. We the people of the State of Alabama, invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish the following Constitution.
Alaska 1956, Preamble. We, the people of Alaska, grateful to God and to those who founded our nation and pioneered this great land.
Arizona 1911, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Arizona, grateful to Almighty God for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution...
Arkansas 1874, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Arkansas, grateful to Almighty God for the privilege of choosing our own form of government...
California 1879, Preamble. We, the People of the State of California, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom.
Colorado 1876, Preamble. We, the people of Colorado, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of Universe.
Connecticut 1818, Preamble. The People of Connecticut, acknowledging with gratitude the good Providence of God in permitting them to enjoy.
Delaware 1897, Preamble. Through Divine Goodness all men have, by nature, the rights of worshipping and serving their Creatoraccording to the dictates of their consciences.
Florida 1885, Preamble. We, the people of the Stateof Florida, grateful to Almighty God for our constitutional liberty,establish this Constitution...
Georgia 1777, Preamble. We, the people of Georgia, relying upon protection and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish this Constitution...
Hawaii 1959, Preamble. We, the people of Hawaii, Grateful for Divine Guidance . Establish this Constitution.
Idaho 1889, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Idaho, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings.
Illinois 1870, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Illinois, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors.
Indiana 1851, Preamble. We, the People of the State of Indiana, grateful to Almighty God for the free exercise of the right to choose our form of government.
Iowa 1857, Preamble. We, the People of the State of Iowa, grateful to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuation of these blessings establish this Constitution.
Kansas 1859, Preamble. We, the people of Kansas, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious privileges establish this Constitution.
Kentucky 1891, Preamble. We, the people of the Commonwealth are grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties...
Louisiana 1921, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Louisiana, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties we enjoy.
Maine 1820, Preamble. We the People of Maine acknowledging with grateful hearts the goodness of the Sovereign Ruler of the Universein affording us an opportunity . And imploring His aid and direction.
Maryland 1776, Preamble. We, the people of the state of Maryland, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberty...
Massachusetts 1780, Preamble. We...the people ofMassachusetts, acknowledging with grateful hearts, the goodness of the Great Legislator of the Universe ... In the course of His Providence, an opportunity and devoutly imploring His direction ..
Michigan 1908, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Michigan, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of freedom establish this Constitution.
Minnesota, 1857, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings:
Mississippi 1890, Preamble. We, the people of Mississippi in convention assembled, grateful to Almighty God, and invoking His blessing on our work.
Missouri 1845, Preamble. We, the people of Missouri, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, and gratefulfor His goodness .. Establish this Constitution
Montana 1889, Preamble. We, the people of Montana, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty establish this Constitution...
Nebraska 1875, Preamble. We, the people, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom .. Establish this Constitution.
Nevada 1864, Preamble. We the people of the State of Nevada, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom establish this Constitution ...
New Hampshire 1792, Part I. Art. I. Sec. V. Every individual has a natural and unalienable right to worship God accordingto the dictates of his own conscience.
New Jersey 1844, Preamble. We, the people of the State of New Jersey, grateful to Almighty God for civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors.
New Mexico 1911, Preamble. We, the People of New Mexico, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty
New York 1846, Preamble. We, the people of the State of NewYork, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure its blessings.
North Carolina 1868, Preamble. We the people of the Stateof North Carolina, grateful to Almighty God, the Sovereign Ruler of Nations, for our civil, political, and religious liberties, and acknowledging our dependence upon Him for the continuance of those
North Dakota 1889, Preamble. We, the people of North Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, do ordain...
Ohio 1852, Preamble. We the people of the state of Ohio, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings and to promote our common
Oklahoma 1907, Preamble. Invoking the guidance of Almighty God, in order to secure and perpetuate the blessings of liberty .establish this ..
Oregon 1857, Bill of Rights, Article I. Section 2. All men shall be secure in the Natural right, to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their consciences..
Pennsylvania 1776, Preamble. We, the people of Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil andreligious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance
Rhode Island 1842, Preamble. We the People of the State of Rhode Island grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing
South Carolina, 1778, Preamble. We, the people of he Stateof South Carolina grateful to God for our liberties, do ordain and establish this Constitution.
South Dakota 1889, Preamble. We, the people of South Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberties .
Tennessee 1796, Art. XI.III. That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their conscience...
Texas 1845, Preamble. We the People of the Republic of Texas, acknowledging, with gratitude, the grace and beneficence of God.
Utah 1896, Preamble. Grateful to Almighty God for life and liberty, we establish this Constitution.
Vermont 1777, Preamble. Whereas all government ought to...enable the individuals who compose it to enjoy their natural rights, and other blessings which the Author of Existence has bestowed on man ..
Virginia 1776, Bill of Rights, XVI Religion, or the Duty which we owe our Creator can be directed only by Reason and that it isthe mutual duty of all to practice Christian Forbearance, Love and Charity towards each other .
Washington 1889, Preamble. We the People of the State of Washington, grateful to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution
West Virginia 1872, Preamble. Since through Divine Providence we enjoy the blessings of civil, political and religious liberty, we, the people of West Virginia a reaffirm our faith in and constant reliance upon God ...
Wisconsin 1848, Preamble. We, the people of Wisconsin, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, domestic tranquility
Wyoming 1890, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Wyoming, grateful to God for our civil, political, and religious liberties .. establish this Constitution.

"Those people who will not be governed by God will be ruled by tyrants."
- William Penn