Westhill Church - Auburn & Federal Way, WA

The WEekly Word

A Blog of Encouragement from our Pastors

weekly word – 9/11/2025

Are you a Follower of Christ?

Recently, my wife shared insights from a devotional she read, which posed the question: "Are you a fan or a follower of Christ?" Following our discussion, I was prompted to reflect on the distinction between these two terms. To gain clarity, I consulted various sources for definitions of "fan" and "follower" from a secular perspective, as outlined below.

A follower is someone who:

Walks closely with the one they follow—learning, imitating, and obeying.
Commits regardless of cost or convenience.
Seeks transformation rather than entertainment.
Gives loyalty that endures through trials.

A fan is someone who:

Observes from a distance without deep personal involvement.
Supports when convenient but is not committed to sacrifice.
Often enjoys the benefits but avoids the costs.
Can admire without obeying.

Wow, that’s a very sobering difference. So, I thought, let’s look at those same definitions in the context of believers. Can we apply those definitions to us? I would say “yes” we can.

To begin with, let’s look at the current trend in Church attendance today. If we apply those definitions to professing Christians, I believe that we would find that Jesus has a higher percentage of “fans” than He does “followers,” and that should concern us.

They’re “fans” because their foundation is shallow. They are not involved in anything other than spending an hour on Sunday morning being entertained. Jesus addressed this in the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:20–21). The seed that is sown on rocky ground represents those who receive the word with joy but have no root. When trouble comes, they fall away. Without a deep, personal relationship with Christ, their admiration fades under pressure.

“Followers”, on the other hand, endure because their faith is rooted in Christ Himself, not in circumstances. They understand that the call to follow Jesus is a call to die to self (Galatians 2:20)^“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” They are driven by their love for Him, not by what they can get from Him.

As followers, our responsibility should be to meet with individuals identified as "fans" and help them to become “followers”. How do we do that? We disciple them. Jesus mandated in Matthew 28: 18-20, “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Are we doing that? Sure, some believers are, but if I ask about it, I quite often hear comments like:

“Discipling someone?” “Ohhhhh, but that takes time (and effort), and I don’t have time like that; my schedule is really full.”

“I don’t have enough background to teach someone how to follow Jesus like that.”

“I get all flustered when I have to talk to someone about Bible things.”

“That’s the job of the Pastors and the Elders.”

Did I get them all? No, but I hit the highlights.

Okay, so let’s get past the excuses and ask, “What would it take to transform a “fan” into a ‘follower’”? I see five areas that need to be addressed to accomplish a change. They need:

A Level of Commitment:

They need to have an unconditional commitment. They need to endure even when it costs everything. Luke 9:23 — “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

A Depth in their Relationship with Him

They need to cultivate an intimate relationship through prayer, obedience, and trust. John 10:27 — “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

A Scriptural Response to Difficulty

They need to press on through trials, seeing them as opportunities to grow.

John 16:33 — “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

A clear Focus on Him

They need to focus on the One who blesses, regardless of circumstances.

Habakkuk 3:17–18 — Even when lacking in material provision, the true follower rejoices in the Lord.

To know the Cost of Following Him

Jesus never hid the cost of discipleship. In Luke 14:26–27, He declared: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”

These five are basic “talking points.” If you’re a genuine “follower,” think about how you got there. Someone took time to educate you in these areas. Maybe it took a year or even two, but they persisted. And today, you enjoy a close relationship with Him. Shouldn’t we offer the same to a “fan.”

These are just a guide for you to use as you meet and talk. The idea is that over time, you will cover these areas using both Scripture and personal experiences to help them understand what it means to be a “follower”.

Now, there is one more thing: there is a cost to being a fan. In Matthew 7:21–23, Jesus warns:“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” The one who does the will of the Father is a what? A Follower. Need I say more?

Recap:

The difference between a “fan” and a “follower” is the difference between admiration and surrender, between convenience and commitment, and between the knowledge about Christ and a life that is fully devoted to Him. Fans keep their distance; Followers draw near. Fans cheer for Jesus when it’s safe; Followers carry their cross when it’s costly.

Takeaway:

As “followers”, we are mandated by Scripture, Matthew 28, to reach those who are lost and those who are “fans” and help them to be “followers” The cost in time, money, and effort can be high, but the rewards are immeasurable.

Are you currently discipling or mentoring someone? If not, ask yourself why.

Jesus chose everyday people like Peter to encourage others to become followers. You can, too! Pray, right now, for God to send someone for you to disciple.

Ed Johanson © 8/13/2025

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