From Fan to Follower

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Mark 8:34 — Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.”

Before I was a follower of Christ, I was a fan of Christ. When I think of my “Jesus Fan” era, one of my favorite Christian music artists—Tiffany Hudson from Elevation Worship—comes to mind. Let me elaborate.

I have attended many concerts, admiring her voice from a distance. Every one has been sold out, which means I’m no different than the thousands of people in the room who admire her.

I know every word to every song she sings. I follow her on every social media platform you can think of. I know a lot about her, but I don’t personally know her. I don’t have a personal relationship with her.

Being a fan is more about admiration than commitment.

For many years, I was comfortable being a fan of Jesus. I didn’t want the responsibilities of a follower. I believed in Him, admired Him, and even spoke His name—yet I struggled with fully surrendering my life to Him.

While I carried the label of “Christian,” my everyday choices, my speech, and my character behind closed doors told a different story. People look at the outside, but God looks at the heart, and my heart was far away from Him.

I was active in church life: attending regularly, serving, joining small groups, and investing in marriage retreats. Through the world’s eyes I looked like a disciple, but deep down I knew I wasn’t. But I didn’t quite fit with the world anymore either. Jesus had set me apart from it.

Yet Jesus never called people to be admirers in the crowd. He called them to follow after Him—to deny themselves, take up the cross they’ve been avoiding, and follow Him.

It is only by the grace of God that I can confidently say I am no longer a fan, but an unashamed follower of Christ. In March of 2023, I dropped my nets, just like Peter, to follow Him. The responsibilities that I once viewed as burdens, I now see as an abundant life. The character that was questionable behind closed doors now carries a holy conviction.

So, I challenge you to ask yourself this:

If someone found out you follow Jesus, would it surprise them—or make perfect sense? Would they say, “Wow, that’s surprising!” or “Oh, that makes sense?”

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Would you describe your relationship with Jesus as more of a fan or a follower right now? Why?
  • Is there an area of your life where you’ve been resisting surrender to God?
  • What does “taking up your cross” look like for you in this season?
  • Do your daily choices and private life reflect your faith publicly?
  • What is one step you can take today to follow Jesus more intentionally?
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