FAN vs. FOLLOWER

So, this past Sunday my Church started a new series called, Together We Will.

Every year they take a look at what their VISION as a Church is.
I love that they do that. I love that they don't desire to be the same every year.
Life changes. People change. We're always learning.
It makes complete & perfect sense that the church would want to change with us.
To help us grow to be more of what we were created to BE.

Cross Point Community Church would like to be a church that is:
 

** RADICALLY DEVOTED TO CHRIST. **
** IRREVOCABLY COMMITTED TO ONE ANOTHER. **
** RELENTLESSLY DEDICATED TO REACHING THE LOST. **

Amazing.

Doesn't that spell... J.E.S.U.S? 

Our Pastor, Pete Wilson, did such a great job speaking truth to all of us that need to hear about the CRISIS in the church today. He said, "The crisis today is not about the church's attendance. People are going to church, but they are not changing, they are not being transformed". 

Wow.
For how many of us is church just something we do to look good in the eyes of others? Something we do to make ourselves feel better? ....
Pete stated, "You can be a fan of Jesus, but not a follower".
Ouch.

Donald Driver, the BEST player there is!!

So, football season is coming up.
(I will proudly admit, even though I live in TN now...I'll always be a big FAN of the Green Bay Packers!)
Obviously, I don't play football. I just cheer on the side- or I guess at the T.V.
I'm not in the game. I'm not getting pounded like most of them. I'm not scoring touchdowns.
I'm not experiencing the blood, sweat & tears they are.
I'm just happy when we score and sad when we don't.
But truthfully, I have no idea what it's like to be IN the game (and don't really think I want to experience that).

This is what Pete's message was getting at.
There are many of us that like the "idea" of Jesus, but we're not willing to give up everything to serve Him. Or, we love Jesus, but we're not going to serve the poor in Africa.
We are fans of Jesus, but not followers.

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." -Matthew 16:24-25

How do we do this?

Pete's words, "It is going to take a new heart & new desires."

Oh, boy. 

That does not sound easy.

That is going to take hard work.

That is going to take intentionality. 

That is going to take dedication.

That is going to take humility.

That is going to take trust. 

That is going to take dying to myself & living for HIM.

He left us with this this question, "Do we trust Jesus with our lives?"

Do I? 

Our next question- so where do I start? I have so much baggage. My heart is so hardened. I've been hurt. I've been betrayed. I don't know the Bible. I'm comfortable where I am.

The answer: YOU START RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE!

"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase". 

~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

This was me just a few years ago.

Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely still a work in progress. I'm learning & growing everyday.

Some days I still struggle with trusting Jesus with my life (that felt silly just typing that).

I learned, and am still learning, that I can only take ONE.STEP.AT.A.TIME.

Sharing my hurts, my struggles, my emotions that were built up inside was hard. 

Who could I trust? Who wasn't going to judge me for what I've done? Who would actually LISTEN to me?

My Pastor from my home church in WI approached me.

That began the start of a life-long Pastor/Mentor relationship.

She has continued to teach me, challenge me, support me and LOVE me for who I am.

So, as a follower of someone we know that means we DO what they DO.

Many times in my life I've been asked, "are you more of a leader or a follower?"

I'll admit, growing up, I felt more like a follower....and I felt that was a weakness. 

Over the years I have been put into Leadership roles. 

I can certainly BE a leader, but truthfully, I don't like to be the center of attention. 

I like to collaborate with people. To use their wisdom, their gifts, their talents.

I'm honored to be a person that someone looks up to, but because I am not perfect in any way, I always strive to learn and grow from everyone around me.

I tend to "feel" out my surroundings when I'm in a group of people.

This is certainly not meant in a bad way. I think it was just the way I was raised. 

I think in some way it's a way to find out if the people I'm around are "safe".

I guess my personality is not one to just jump in the middle of a crowd & start talking.

I enjoy watching & learning from others first.

It seems that life has a way of making us believe that we should all be leaders...and not followers.

But, what if it's OK to be a follower?

Pete stated, if we are true FOLLOWERS that are RADICALLY DEVOTED to Christ we must:

• Commit to BELIEVE whatever Jesus says.
• Commit to OBEY whatever we have heard.

I began reading my Bible.
Well, I tried to. There were so many books, so many chapters. What did they mean?
I'm still working on understanding the context of each book...and who all these people are.
How can I read so many other books so easily and commit to reading those, but not commit to the most important book there is?
I want to read the Bible like I've read so many other books that I can't put down.
This is the #1 "self-help" book there is out there!

Pete closed with this, "The Gospel does not call for REFLECTION, but ACTION."
We can't just read the Bible and stay living in sin, or stay living the way we are.
We have to change. We have to grow. We have to learn....
and we have to teach and share it with others!

So, are  you a fan....or a follower?