"Christianity is the world's biggest religion, with about 2.1 billion followers worldwide. It is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ who lived in the Holy Land 2,000 years ago."

This quote comes from one of a couple of current web sites that rank Christianity as the number one religion in the world with Islam (1.5 billion people) and Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Athiest (1.1 billion people) coming in at a distant second and third respectively.  It's pretty amazing that such a strong religious presence could come about as a result of the life of one man who lived so long ago, but even as Christianity manages to maintain the top spot, the number of nonbelievers is on the rise.

After 2000 years, what's changed?

Too often people today reject God based on the impression of Him that they get from those within the church - ideas that God is hypocritical, antihomosexual, too political, judgmental, etc.  It's an impression that doesn't resemble the God of the Bible and it's certainly not worthy of worship.  If it were true, Christianity would never have been able to change the world the way that it has.  Those words and ideas that have become so closely associated with God would more accurately describe people - some of whom are within the church.

We're told that the church is God's chosen method to reach out to the modern world, but the truth is that it's actually the Holy Spirit - working both within and without the church.  Too many people claim Christ but spout lies:

'Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.' (Jesus' words from Matthew 7:21)

Just because a person is part of the church doesn't make them a mouthpiece for God, and it's important that we recognize the difference between God and the humans who make up the church.  Unfortunately, if a person doesn't already have a relationship with the Holy Spirit they're less likely to recognize whether someone is speaking with or without the Spirit... and the lack of discernment compounds the confusion.

The good news is that when people reject God based on misinformation, they're actually rejecting manmade idols and inadvertently supporting the purification of faith as they seek to get to the truth.  Jesus called Himself the truth, and when any person seeks to find the truth, they're drawing closer to finding Jesus.

So how do we know who to listen to?

'Watch out for false prophets.  They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.  By their fruit you will recognize them.  Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.' (Matthew 7:15-20)

When in doubt, go straight to the source... God's waiting for you...