How do people get to know Jesus?

My Born Again (I'd call him: Brain Dead) friend and I got into an argument about the Bible. He claims it is completely true. I (and many others) claim that the book has been edited through centuries by plain old humans and that a lot of things in it are not true. For example, early christianity contained reincarnation. It got deleted after a religious conference, I think in 5th century, but don't quote me on that number.

The wannabe christian, so defensive about his church stuff, got quite puzzled when i asked him a very simple question:

How did people who never studied Bible, who never set foot into a christian church, got to know Jesus? How did they get in touch with that Christ consciousness? Obviously, Jesus has a way of reaching people ...
How can someone like Paramahansa Yogananda has Jesus as his basic guru? Where did Yogananda get hooked with Jesus? Yogananda is a Hindu and a yogi, a monk, studied under other Indian gurus. Never been a christian in some church... heck, western church would consider him a heretic and blashphemy. Yet he hang out with Jesus all the time and reached enlightement anyways. And look at me - I have never set foot in a church yet Jesus showed up to me too, and ever since then, I am practicing christianity, and have never set foot in a church still and never even read the Bible. I opened the book and it was so bad, I just put it down. Some parts, like gospels, seem true, but are so cryptic, I could never read that book on my own, it needs an experienced guide. Yogananda has commentary on the gospels and it is astounding what gospels are REALLY saying.

And also, btw, what is the difference between "Buddha consciousness" and "Christ consciousness?" There seems to be none, in my mind. Both are about compassion, kindness, external considering, etc. I love Buddha dearly and have talked with him numerous times too. I just happen to be a westerner and under the tutelage of Christ. It doesn't mean that Buddha is any lesser. He is just more suitable for eastern personalities. Westerners seem to need the emotional outlet of having a God to talk to. Easterners are content to not have anyone to talk to, and only an abstract White Light to go towards. Well, that's God. Us westerners are a lot more materialistic and less abstract and we need something to relate to.. We love to chatter with it... And unfortunately have made it into something that is like us, with all the faults. No, God is Great White Light, totally perfect and neutral, and definitely way beyond anything human-like.

And I asked my friend another simple math question: if you stuck to your church for 30 years, and it brought you nothing, and in the last 2 years you tried XYZ true spiritual teachings and your life took off - then which thing works? My question was:

is it possible to become a true Christian just by following a church? My thesis is that one must follow some mystery school, some metaphysical teaching, otherwise one will get lost in dogma and ego stuff. Church has never produced real open minds.

Great religions are like great ships,
Poets like life saving boats.

Everyone sane I know has jumped overboard.

That is good for business, isn't it, Hafiz?

poem by Hafiz, a sufi master. (Sufis are a mystical sect of muslim religion. They secretly talk about God using words such as Friend or Lover, going to tavern and drinking wine, getting drunk, reciting poetry.)