Have you ever thought about the difference between a fan and a follower?

A fan is someone who admires someone or something. They might attend this person’s performances, events, or consume their content. The extent of fandom could range from sporadic to obsessive. A follower, on the other hand, is a dedicated and engaged participant who admires and submits to the teaching and/or actions of person or group they are following.

Within the gospels, Jesus calls his disciples to “follow me” a total of 21 times between 12 conversations. Throughout Christ’s teaching and example, they learned the transformative power and the sacrifice required of true discipleship.

As Christianity rose in popularity, so did the development of the Christian fan culture. A Christian “fan” is someone who understands and embraces the values of Christianity, but does not practice the teachings of Jesus. Their understanding of Christian beliefs come from popular opinion.

What's wrong with being a fan?

When we are simply fans of Jesus, we will ultimately be left unfulfilled because we do not have a true understanding of who He is or what what is His kingdom mission. Christ’s goodness depends on our situation and satisfaction. If our own pleasure does not meet His standard, our allegiance wavers because who is He to deny our comfort?

If our mission is to make disciples of all the nations, we must first be a disciple of Christ ourselves. Many Christians have a passive understanding of who Jesus is and what He has called us to do. In Matthew 15:8-9, Jesus calls out empty religious practice when he says that the people honor God with their lips, but their hearts are far from Him. For many, it is enough to attend church occasionally, give sporadically, and participate in Christianity culturally. Wearing popular Christian apparel or listening to “family friendly” radio helps elicit feelings of religiosity, yet seldom gets to the heart of discipleship.

In Luke 18:15-30, Jesus encounters a rich young ruler. Calling Him good, he asks the Teacher what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus tells him the basics of the commandments, which the young man says he has obeyed. Jesus then tests his allegiance by asking him to sell everything he owns, give it to the poor, and follow Him. The ruler goes away grieving because of his great wealth. He failed the test of the heart. He relied on the world to provide what only God could. Whether he saw Jesus as a good teacher or not was irrelevant in the end because the man could not trust and act on his goodness.

The theologian, and martyr, Dietrich Bonhoeffer stated that Christianity was not about hero worship, but rather intimacy with God.  How often do we look to Jesus as the King to be praised instead of the Son through whom we access the Father. Within discipleship is a balance of both. When Jesus told his followers the terms of discipleship, He said one must deny themselves, pick up their cross, and follow Him.  According to Jesus, a true disciple should in effect disown himself and his own interests, submit to the sacrificial life and authority of Jesus. It is by this lifestyle that we will understand the plan and purpose of God which is to love Him with our whole heart and to love others as we would ourselves. This commitment to Christ is not one made haphazardly. Rather, Jesus calls us to consider the cost and then follow. Jesus wants followers who understand the commitment.

John 6 records what happens when fans do not understand the commitment. The crowd admired Jesus for what He did for them in His miraculous feeding of the 5,000. Yet, when they could not understand His teaching, many turned back and no longer followed Him. How often do we struggle in wanting what God can do for us, while not wanting to accept the His truth that can be difficult to hear?     

Living this life of self-sacrifice, exemplified by Jesus is only accomplished through the Spirit. Jesus knew we were not able to do this in and of ourselves. However, He left us with this Promised Helper to empower us to accomplish His mission (John 14:15-17,26-27). It is by the Holy Spirit the disciples received power to be Christ’s witnesses throughout Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

What does a follower of Jesus look like today?

Perhaps it is a parent who instills a missional mindset into their child, where that child lives their faith at school despite experiencing temptations and teasing. Maybe it is a widow in a nursing home who, while on hospice care, asks her caregivers what concerns they have and listens to their needs. A disciple could be the man who chooses to lose his job over complying with the unethical practices of the business, resulting in trusting in the Lord’s provision for His family.

How do you know if you are a fan or follower?

You can ask yourself the following question: In the last month, how uncomfortable has following Jesus made you? Has your life been challenged, stretched, or interrupted because of your faith? If the answer is no, then ask the Lord to help you consider the cost of following Him. Is He asking you to follow Him into a life of further commitment and intimacy?

While grace is free, it is costly. In the Cost of Discipleship, Bonhoeffer writes, “Costly grace is costly because it calls us to follow and is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin and it is grace because it justifies the Sinner. Above all it is costly because it cost God the life of his son and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us.”

Our challenge as followers of Jesus is to live a life worthy of the costly gift of the freely shed blood of Christ.

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