Why becoming a fan of Jesus is not enough
Dr Bruce Manners
Senior minister
Avondale College Seventh-day Adventist Church
When you read the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), you find Jesus says, “Believe in me,” about five times. He says, “Follow me,” about 20.
“Now I’m not saying that following is more important than believing,” writes Kyle Idleman after noting these statistics. “What I am saying is that the two are firmly connected. They are the heart and lungs of faith. One can’t live without the other.”
In his book, Not a Fan, Idleman argues an emphasis on only belief can make one a fan of Jesus, but that’s not enough.
It’s easy to be a fan of Jesus—what’s not to like? He cared for people. He challenged the pompous. He protected the vulnerable. He introduced a new way of seeing the world—through the eyes of love. He showed what sacrificial love looked like.
Here’s the problem: most fans never really get to know the star they support. They get to know about them—their career, the statistics, the triumphs and the failures, but that’s not about knowing the person. There’s rarely a relationship.
This is what Jesus craves—a personal relationship. Only in this way will He gain a completely committed follower. That’s Idleman’s point. The full title of his book is Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus. Followers are individuals who are so serious about the relationship that they follow the lifestyle and the teachings of Jesus—they become disciples.
This is the measure for we who are Christians. Those who aren’t Christians know when we don’t measure up. They have the right to ask why we don’t. They have the right to question our commitment if we are merely believers.
For Christianity to work it needs believing and following.
Tags: Bruce Manners