Chapter 1: What Is Christianity?

Christianity isn’t just a word you might hear on Sundays or during the holidays—it’s something that millions of people around the world live every single day. Christians are people who follow the teachings of Jesus. That’s the simple version. But what does that actually mean?

Let’s start with the word “Christian.” It comes from the name Christ, which is a title that means “the chosen one” or “the anointed one.” That title was given to Jesus by people who believed he was sent by God. People who followed him were called “Christians,” and that name stuck.

But being a Christian isn’t just about a name. It’s about a way of life, a set of beliefs, and a connection to something bigger than yourself. For Christians, that “something bigger” is God.

Now, here's something important: Christians believe in one God. That makes Christianity a monotheistic religion—that’s a fancy way of saying “belief in one God.” But they also believe that God is three-in-one: God the Father, God the Son (that’s Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. This idea is called the Trinity. It’s not easy to explain, but think of it like this: it’s one God who can be known in three different ways. Christians don’t believe in three gods—they believe in one, with three parts that work together in perfect harmony.

At the center of Christian belief is Jesus. Christians believe Jesus was not just a good teacher or kind man. They believe he was the Son of God. They also believe that Jesus came to Earth to teach people about love, forgiveness, and how to live the way God wants. But there’s more. Christians believe that Jesus died and came back to life again. That part—his resurrection—is a really big deal. It’s why Easter is such an important day in the Christian calendar.

Now, let’s talk about what Christians believe about life and how to live it.

First, Christians believe that God created the world and everything in it—including people. They believe that humans were made to be in a relationship with God, but things went wrong because of something called sin. Sin is when people choose to do things their own way instead of God’s way. Christians believe that sin separates people from God.

But they also believe that Jesus came to fix that problem. Through his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus made a way for people to reconnect with God. That’s why Christians talk a lot about forgiveness and grace. Grace is a word Christians use to describe the free gift of God’s love, even when people don’t deserve it.

Here’s another thing Christians believe: everyone is made in the image of God. That means each person has value and worth—no matter where they live, what they look like, or what they’ve done. Because of this belief, Christians are encouraged to treat others with kindness, respect, and love.

You might hear Christians talk about something called “the Gospel.” That word means “good news.” The good news is that no matter how many mistakes a person makes, they can always come back to God. That’s the message Christians believe they’re supposed to share with the world—not with yelling or judging, but with care and compassion.

Christians also believe in prayer. Prayer is talking to God. It doesn’t have to be fancy or filled with special words. It can be simple, honest, and even quiet. Some people pray in the morning. Others pray at night. Some pray out loud, and some pray silently. There’s no one right way to do it. What matters is that it comes from the heart.

Another big part of being a Christian is reading the Bible. The Bible is a collection of books—66 of them to be exact—written by many different people over hundreds of years. Christians believe the Bible tells the true story of God and his relationship with people. It includes poetry, history, letters, songs, and lots of stories about people who followed God (and sometimes messed up along the way). Christians read the Bible to learn, grow, and figure out how to live their faith in everyday life.

Church is a word that can mean two things. It can mean a building where people gather, but it can also mean a group of people who follow Jesus. Going to church is a way Christians connect with others, learn more about God, sing songs, and help their community. Some churches are big with loud music and huge crowds. Others are small and quiet. Some meet in buildings, others meet in homes or schools. Even though they might look different, they all have the same goal: worshiping God and helping each other.

You might be wondering—do Christians all believe the exact same things? Not always. There are different groups within Christianity, called denominations. These groups might have different ways of worshiping or slightly different beliefs about certain things. But they all agree on the most important parts: Jesus is the Son of God, he died and rose again, and he offers forgiveness and life to everyone who believes in him.

One of the most powerful parts of Christianity is how it shows up in people’s actions. You can believe something and say it with your words, but Christians also try to live it with their lives. That means helping people who are hurting, feeding the hungry, standing up for what’s right, and being kind even when it’s hard. It doesn’t mean they’re perfect. Christians make mistakes like everyone else. But part of their faith is being willing to grow, change, and try again.

There are also special events in a Christian’s life. Baptism is one of them. It’s a way of showing the world that someone wants to follow Jesus. It usually involves water and is a symbol of starting fresh. Another important event is communion, where Christians eat a small piece of bread and drink juice or wine to remember Jesus’ last meal with his friends.

If you ask ten Christians why they believe what they believe, you might get ten different answers. Some will say they’ve always believed because their family taught them. Others will tell you about a moment when their life changed. Some will say it’s because of something they felt in their heart or something they saw that couldn’t be explained. What connects them all is the belief that God is real, that Jesus is the way to know God, and that love is at the center of it all.

Why it's called Christianity

Before it had a name, it was just a group of people trying to follow the teachings of a man named Jesus. They didn’t have a church building. They didn’t have stained glass or choirs or signs out front. They met in homes, shared meals, prayed together, and tried their best to live the way Jesus had taught them. At first, they were simply seen as a new kind of group within the Jewish faith. But things didn’t stay that way for long.

The name “Christianity” didn’t come from the followers themselves. It actually came from outsiders—people who noticed how this new group kept talking about someone called “Christ.” The word Christ wasn’t Jesus’s last name. It was a title that meant something big. It meant “anointed one” or “chosen one.” The followers believed Jesus was that person—the one sent by God to change the world. Because of how often they talked about Christ, people started calling them “Christians.”

It happened first in a city called Antioch. Antioch was a busy place in the ancient world, filled with people from all over the Roman Empire. It was a place where ideas mixed, cultures bumped into each other, and news spread fast. That’s where the label “Christian” first showed up. It wasn’t meant to be a compliment. Some people used it like a nickname, or even a way to make fun of the group. But instead of getting upset, the followers of Jesus kept the name. They wore it proudly, because it showed who they were connected to.

Now, you might wonder why this group didn’t come up with their own name. Wouldn’t that have made more sense? Maybe. But there’s something powerful about how they accepted the name given to them. It showed that they were willing to be known by what mattered most: their connection to Jesus Christ. That title said everything.

Over time, the name stuck. As the message of Jesus spread to new cities and new countries, the people sharing that message became known as Christians. And the way they lived, prayed, and believed became known as Christianity.

But let’s go a little deeper. What does it actually mean to use someone’s name for a whole group of people?

Think about it like this. If you’re a fan of someone—maybe a sports player or a musician—you might wear a jersey or a shirt with their name on it. It shows who you support. It tells the world, “This person matters to me.” But Christianity isn’t just about cheering from the sidelines. It’s about following, learning, and even becoming more like the one whose name is being used.

To call yourself a Christian means more than just liking Jesus. It means trying to live like he did. Not by wearing sandals and walking through deserts, but by being kind, forgiving others, helping people in need, standing up for what’s right, and trusting God even when things are hard.

That’s a big reason why the name has lasted for thousands of years. It’s not just a label—it’s a way of life.

Of course, the word Christianity didn’t stay small. Over the centuries, as people from different parts of the world began to follow Jesus in different ways, the word came to mean a lot of things. In some places, it became tied to tradition or family history. In others, it was connected to music, art, and holidays. But at its core, the meaning hasn’t changed. Christianity is still the way people describe following Jesus Christ.

There’s something kind of amazing about how one name can connect millions of people across time and continents. People who’ve never met. People who speak different languages. People who live in cities and others in tiny villages. Yet they all call themselves by the same name.

That doesn’t mean everyone agrees on everything. Far from it. Christians sometimes see things differently. They might read the Bible in different ways or worship with different music. Some pray quietly, others loudly. Some gather in big buildings, others in small homes. But no matter the differences, the name “Christianity” reminds them that they’re part of something bigger.

Names carry meaning. Think about your own name. Maybe it came from a family member. Maybe it means something in another language. Maybe you just like the way it sounds. But whatever the reason, your name is part of your story. For Christians, the name they carry connects them to a story that began long before they were born—and will keep going long after.

There are other words that sometimes get used alongside Christianity—words like “faith,” “belief,” “church,” and “gospel.” These are part of the Christian world, too. But it’s the name “Christian” that brings it all together. It reminds people not just of what they believe, but who they believe in.

There’s something else worth thinking about. When people carry someone’s name, they also carry a responsibility. If you say you’re part of a team, your actions affect how people see that team. It’s the same with Christianity. When someone says, “I’m a Christian,” the way they treat others, the choices they make, and the way they talk all say something about Jesus, too.

That doesn’t mean Christians have to be perfect. Nobody is. But it does mean they try. And when they mess up, they ask for forgiveness and keep going. Because carrying the name of Christ isn’t about being the best—it’s about following the one who loves best.