I am a Christian, but that is not how I define myself. I am a follower and a child of God. The difference? One is a religion and one is a lifestyle.
I grew up in a Church of Christ, learning all about God and Jesus and His love for us. I also learned about the rules- don't lie, don't steal, don't worship other gods, etc. I was told that I am supposed to love others no matter what. For some reason, I tried to do this from my high horse. I thought that my church and my religion were more important than others. Even different denominations of Christianity couldn't compare to mine. Although I did my best to love and accept everyone, I still felt detached from them. I soon realized the barrier between me and the world was because I was defining myself by a religion, not the purpose of the religion.
Religion is a hard word that implies rules, regulations, and exclusivity. A person who attends church every Sunday and Wednesday does not guarantee that their heart is on the right path. I prefer to follow the example that Jesus set for me. He loved with passion, forgave without hesitation, and had faith in the Father and his word. There's a freedom in understanding that through the power of the Cross, we can do anything. There's captivity when it comes to rules, because breaking them brings punishment and shame, and that is not the purpose of the Cross.
The Cross represents our freedom from the world, not our imprisonment in it. Jesus forgave so that we can forgive. He loved so that we can love. He didn't hang out with people like him- the admired and the accepted. Instead, he was celebrating the rebirth of the outcasts and the damned. God didn't send his son to be a warden, he sent him to be a warrior.
So yes, I was baptized and technically, I am a Christian, but if you ask me what religion I identify with, I won't say that. I will tell you that churches, denominations, etc don't matter in the long run. What matters is that all of God's children come together to help the helpless, give strength to the weak, and bring hope for the hopeless. My heart and soul are free to do what they want. And they choose Jesus.