Expert: Brian Thompson - 1/15/2003

Question
Who started the Christian religeon?
Who are/were the leaders?
What are some of the beliefs? What taught it?
When did christianity begin?
When did it reach its highest influence?
Where did Christianity start?
Where does Christianity continue to have its greatest influence?
Why is the religion significannt today?

I was just wondering about these questions because I want to become a Christian. Thanks.

Answer
Hi Rachael

An impressive array of questions

Jesus Christ started Christianity in about 30AD.

The early leaders were the close friends and followers of Christ called the disciples or apostles. They were led by Peter. They were quickly followed by others such as Paul, Mark, Barnabas, Apollos, Timothy.

Christians believe Jesus is the son of God, and that He paid the price for the sins of mankind by submitting to a cruel death, being cruicified by the Romans, and that He was ressurrected three days later.

Christianity teaches that because of Christ's death and ressurrection, which was foretold centuries earlier in Scripture, those who believe in Him are born to eternal life.

It can be correctly said that the highest influence of Christianity is yet to come. Today there are more than 2 Billion Christians and the number continues to grow. There are now more Christians in more countries in the world than at any other time.

Christianity began in Jeresalem in Palistine immediately after Jesus death. Christian influences the entire world, many of the laws throughout the world have a Christian ethic as their basis. The places of least influence are the Muslim countries, India and China ,a part of the world the Christians refer to as the 10-40 window. 10 degrees below the equator to 40 degress above in the Africa, Asia hemisphere.

Christianity is as significant today as it ever was because it teachs man to live in harmony with both man and God and that there is purpose to life; to spend eternity with God, our creator.

Christianity is not a religion in the same sense as the other religions. It is a relationship. The believer forms a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, who is God manifest in earthly form. This relationship empowers the believer's life and enables the believers to understand the Holy Scriptures and the individual plan God has for their life.

Before I became a Christian I was hopelessly lost, I was an alcoholic, struggled with money problems and my family was falling apart. When I became a Christian, the alcoholism went, many other undersirable aspects of my life changed and I discovered I was part of a vast family who love me and care about me.

Perhaps the greatest change came through being filled with the Holy Spirit I found I could understand the Scriptures and apply them to my life.

You become a Christian in this way.

First recognise that you live is apart from God and because of this you are not living the way God intended. Ask God to reveal Jesus to you, and I pray right now as I write this that He will. Tell God you are sorry for this and you wish to live as He intended, then tell Him that you believe that Jesus died for your sin and because He was ressurrected you can be born into eternal life.

Dont try to reason it out, just do it. You have nothing to loose and everything to gain. Now obtain a Bible, perhaps an New international Version which is modern english, and read it begining in the New testament in the Book called Luke. The Bible is a collection of Books so you dont have to start at the first page. You can read the rest later, most of the earlier Books tell you about what happened before Jesus was born. You will then understand what is written about Jesus. Find a Church to go to, a Church who believes fully in the Bible and doesn't compromise. Keep praying that God will give you understanding and please get back to me.  

By the way this is the second question asking for this detail, are you and your friends doing a project?