What IS Christianity?
Christianity is a way of life centred upon Jesus Christ, the first century Jewish leader from Nazareth whom Christians acknowledge to be the Saviour of the world. Jesus' remarkable life, teaching, miracles, death and resurrection from the dead indicate that he was more than a great prophet or religious leader, but was God's own unique revelation to humankind, the light of the nations and Messiah of Israel.
He preached two main truths...
that we should love God with all out heart, soul, mind and strength
that we should love our neighbour as we love ourselves.
Throughout history humans rebelled against God their creator. Christians believe that God himself came to earth in the form of Jesus fully human and yet fully divine. He was referred to as the 'Son of God' by his followers. His mission on earth culminated in his death by crucifixion - a death that finally and uniquely opened the gates to heaven for all believers in him. His resurrection on the first Easter Day - an event witnessed by over 500 of his followers - a resurrection to a glorious divine body gave Christians the sure and certain hope of everlasting life with him. By his sending of the Holy Spirit, that divine force deep within every Christian, Christians all over the world have the power, strength and guidance to lead a new life - to be born again.
Jesus invites people to give up their trivial ambitions and commit themselves to be his followers, devoting their lives to the service of his great project of changing individuals, societies, nations, and indeed the whole world, for the good. At the beginning of the third millennium, the global movement he founded, made up of people who give him personal allegiance as Saviour and Lord, now numbers over 2 billion practising people, one third of the world's population.