Not a Fan

Greetings All!

     Today's 'thought' comes to you once again from Kyle Idleman's book, "Not a Fan."  This is another one of the testimonies of people who were either not believers at all, or "fans" of Jesus at one point in their lives, but at some point in their lives realized that they yearned for something deeper than the superficial "go through the motions" religion they had been following.  In most cases -- usually as a result of going through sickness, or trauma, or addiction, or coming close to death -- the superficial showed itself for what it was as it could not sustain them in such times.

     These people, driven by pain, or a crisis that drove them to the end of themselves (and showed them their inability to control everything in life), surrendered to the only One who is really ever in control. They ceased being a "fan" of Jesus and became a true disciple and follower of Jesus.  This is Vijay Warrier's testimony - a man raised in India in the Hindu faith who grew up believing that the gods had given him favor.  Vijay was born as a Brahman, the highest caste of priests and had a mother who served as a priestess. Yet later in life, he would meet the Jesus who would change and bring a sense of fulfillment to his soul.  Enjoy.

     "I remember when my wife Girija grew very interested in the Bible and began attending church. It wasn't something I believed in or wanted to have anything to do with. I agreed to drive her to church, but I just sat in the car and smoked a few cigarettes. Sometimes my thoughts would wander to growing up in India, and being raised in the Hindu faith where my mother was a priestess in an Indian temple.

     My marriage had been arranged, but Gurija knew that our marriage wasn't just a forced agreement that was set up by our parents; there was a chemistry between us. I tried to be patient with her interest in the Bible. Gurija had attended a Christian school some years back, and that was how she had learned about Jesus. Our differing religious beliefs didn't help our unity in marriage. Looking back on the first ten years of our marriage, I see mostly conflict and frustration. 

     By 2005 Guija was going to church every weekend. I'm not sure why, but one weekend, instead of sitting in the car smoking and waiting for Girija to get out of church, I decided to go inside for a cup of coffee in the church cafe. There was a small cafe in the church where I sat with my coffee and couldn't help but overhear the sermon that was being broadcast from the sanctuary onto the video screen in front of me. I listened to the preacher for a while, intrigued by his words. From that point on, I sat in the cafe each Sunday morning, drinking coffee and listening to the sermons.

     One week Gurija asked me to come with her into a prayer room. "We have so many problems," she said, "we need someone to pray with us."  Even though I didn't believe in this kind of prayer, I went with her. In the prayer room, we met a husband and wife named Linn and Carol, and they spent some time praying with us.  Full of questions after hearing so many sermons, I began to ask Linn about Christianity. Over the next year, he and Carol answered many of my questions. Linn studied the Bible with me, praying for me often. Still, I wasn't familiar with the idea of just one god. This went against everything I had learned as a boy. Even worse, I knew that if I were to become a Christian, my family back in India would disown me. They would be so disappointed in me.

     But after much studying, prayer, and support from church members, I began to realize something incredible. For forty-two years I had been looking for something, for someone. That person was Jesus. I decided to allow him to work in me.  I needed it.  My marriage needed it -- we'd already had divorce papers drawn up and begun living separately.  It was now or never and I knew only Jesus could save me.

     So the next Sunday I professed my belief in Christ and was baptized. Right after being baptized, I baptized my two sons who also came to believe. That same day I moved back with my family. God has a plan for me, and he can heal all wounds and answer all questions. My name is Vijay Warrier, and I am not a fan." 

     A lot of us get confused and believe we are followers of Christ, when in fact we are simply fans attending church, week after week, lacking true intimacy with Christ. Vijay started to become a fan by believing in one God, and then over time, he began to experience God by engaging in the process of developing true intimacy with Him through God's grace in Jesus Christ.  "Fans" don’t mind making minor changes, or little touch ups, to decorate their lives. But it's not until they are "followers" that they don’t even mind Jesus overhauling, severely interfering, and turning their lives upside down!  And you?

    In the Service of Jesus, Pastor Jeff

What Path Do I Follow

Greetings Everyone!

     Today's "thought" took me back to the days just prior to, and shortly after becoming a follower of Jesus. I was 23 and could barely think of much other than Jesus -- who He was, what He had done, what His call on my life meant, and how obeying that call would change everything in my life.  I did lose friends.  One called me a "religious fanatic."  Others politely avoided me.  And, yes, I'm not faultless. I did suffer from earnest zeal without knowledge or the wisdom that comes from experience. It's not all that untypical for a person who finally discovers that Jesus is real and wants to make sure everyone else does too (mistakenly thinking it's totally up to them). Sometimes (I have to confess) I've wished I could go back in time and approach some people and situations a bit more wisely than I did, for in some cases I'm sure I did more harm than good to the cause of Christ.

Yet, in other ways I miss many aspects of that "first love" stage. That spiritual discovery stage where everything about the faith is so new and fresh!  A time when I was less "balanced,"  had not gotten into many of the burdensome or restricting routines and responsibilities of life, and was more of an adventurer and risk taker for Jesus.  Maybe some of you can remember that stage in your life.  And if it is merely a memory, with little of it remaining, maybe you need to ask what happened to make it fade?  Do you miss it?  Have you prayed for the Lord to restore it?  Have you followed Jesus' spiritual prescription for those who have "lost their first love"  where He says in Revelation 2:5: "Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent (for letting it happen), and do the things you did at first."   Consider this excerpt from Kyle Idleman's book, "Not a Fan," and see if you (like me) might not need to repent and seek a new portion of God's ever-fresh and spirit-renewing grace. Enjoy.

     "In Matthew 19 we find a man whose name we don't know.  We learn enough from the Gospels to know he is referred to as the "Rich Young Ruler." He's followed a path that has led to wealth and power. (That's the path most of us are trying to find.) He comes to Jesus with a question. In verse 16 he asks: "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"

    You have to give him credit for asking the right question. He wants to know how to get to heaven. But even the way he asks it reveals the heart of a fan [and not a follower]. He asks, what must "I do"?  That word could be translated "acquire" or "earn." He thinks it's going to be an impressive resume that will get him in. Eventually Jesus tells him what he must do. In verse 21 he says: "Sell all your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven. Then come, follow me."  Jesus invites the man to become his follower, but first the man is told to sell all his possessions and give to the poor. He's faced with the choice of following Jesus or keeping his stuff, but he couldn't do both. There is no way to follow Jesus without denying himself. Many people want to make this story about money, but it's not as much about money as it is about following Jesus. Jesus puts this man at a crossroads. He can follow the path that leads to money, or he can follow Jesus; but he can't follow both.

     So what does this mean for you and me? Is selling everything a requirement to follow Jesus? Well, it may be. In fact, I would say the more defensive you are of Jesus' words to this man, the more likely it is that Jesus might be saying them to you.  What is true is that everyone who follows Jesus will find himself or herself at a similar crossroads as this man in Matthew 19.  You won't be able to take the path of following Jesus without walking away from a different path. He wanted to follow Jesus, but when forced to choose between Jesus and his stuff, he chose his stuff. He wouldn't deny himself.  What choice will you make? 

     A few years ago I was pretty deep into some tribal areas of Africa. One night I finished preaching a message to a crowd of a few dozen people. I presented the gospel and the invitation of Jesus to follow him.  There were two young men, probably in their twenties, who accepted Christ and committed to follow him. The following afternoon these two men showed up at the house where we were staying. They each carried a good sized bag over their shoulder. I went over and asked the local missionary we were staying with why they had come. He explained that these two men would no longer be welcomed by their families or in their village. When I heard that, I was afraid that maybe this was going to be more than they would be willing to go along with.  About that time the missionary said to me, "They knew this would happen when they made the decision."

     They were choosing Jesus over their families. They were choosing Jesus over their own comfort and convenience, and "fans" don't do that. Only true followers are willing to deny themselves and say, "I choose Jesus. I choose Jesus over my family. I choose Jesus over money. I choose Jesus over career goals. I am his completely. I choose Jesus over looking at porn. I choose Jesus over a redecorated house. I choose Jesus over my freedom.  I choose Jesus over what other people think of me."  A follower makes a decision every day to deny himself and choose Jesus, even if it costs everything. When we sacrificially deny ourselves for Christ's sake it is the clearest evidence of our committed love. A committed love is best demonstrated through sacrifice. When we deny ourselves for another person it communicates true love."

     In light of what he says each one of us must ask: "What path do I follow?  If love is shown by sacrifice and self-denial for the sake of another, do I show such a love for Jesus in my life?  Since I cannot follow two paths (or two Masters), when given the option between family, money, career goals, porn, freedom, a redecorated house, what people think of me, or Jesus, what do (or will) I choose?  What have I chosen in the past? Am I still just a fan, or have I become a follower? Do I admire Jesus from a distance, sitting in the stands and cheering, or have I walked down onto the field of play to become a true, committed, disciple?"   Read Revelation 2:1-7.  Do you remember the heights from which you have fallen?  Has the Holy Spirit convicted you with the need to repent?  Will you take Jesus at His word and return to, "doing the things you did at first"?

In His Service, Pastor Jeff

Not A Fan Testimony

Greetings All,







Today's 'thought' comes to you once again from Kyle Idleman's book, "Not a Fan."  Interspersed throughout the book are testimonies of people who were "fans" of Jesus at one point or another in their lives, but are no longer.  They had attended church, said their prayers, put some money in the offering plate, claimed a vague belief in Jesus, and generally went through the religious motions. But then at some point in their lives realized that it had all been superficial and not real.
     In most cases -- usually as a result of going through sickness, or trauma, or addiction, or coming close to death -- that which had been superficial in their lives became real. They stopped being a "fan" of Jesus, and became a true disciple and follower of Jesus.  This is Gary Polsgrove's testimony.  He's a man Jesus brought to his knees before He put him back on his feet. Enjoy.

Not A Fan Testimony

     "Sitting in front of the judge's stand, I started to cry. I heard the judge say something about jail time, and I sobbed even harder. An officer handcuffed me and took me to jail. I spent a few days there, trying to figure out what had happened to my life. How did it come to this? I had reached the pinnacle of my career as a pilot for UPS. I had everything going for me. Having left my wife in 1993, I didn't have anyone weighing me down. I had money, girls, friends, a great job — everything a guy could want. My life was all about saying yes to myself.

     But then I got caught at work stealing airline tickets. I didn't know how much my job had meant to me until the night I was fired. When I went in that night, they didn't just take my badge - they took away my entire identity. All these years, I had let my job define me. Losing that job felt like I was dying. But just because I had lost my job didn't mean I was giving up my lifestyle. Hard-headed guys like me don't go down easily. Without a job, I started missing child support payments. They gave some warnings that I better pay up, but before being sentenced, I still thought I was untouchable. That day in court was a major wake-up call.

     After my jail time, I stayed in a halfway home. I lived out of a duffel bag. I was allowed to work, but I wasn't allowed to drive. I rode the bus all around. I ended up working at a bagel shop. Some days, I'd run into co-workers from UPS. I can't describe the shame I felt. I know what I'm about to say doesn't make any sense, but it was during this time when everything I had worked for was dead, and my old life had died, that I started to finally discover true life. With nowhere else to turn, I returned to the faith of my youth. I began praying honestly and searching for comfort in the Bible. For the first time Jesus became real to me. I started saying no to me and started saying yes to Jesus.

     Soon after leaving the halfway home, I got a great job and started climbing the corporate ladder. My success was back. But I was afraid the old me would come back, too. I wanted to make sure that the old me stayed dead. I got on my knees and asked God to guide me and I committed to living completely for him.

     These days that continues to be my prayer. Now I mentor young men at church who are looking for spiritual guidance. God managed to take my mistakes and turn them into a priceless tool for keeping the young men I mentor from making the mistakes I made. I am also working with incarcerated men. It has become my passion to bring God's hope and healing into the broken lives of these men. Only God could take that kind of mess and turn it into a message about grace and redemption. My name is Gary Polsgrove, and I am not a fan." 

     St. Augustine once said in his well-known classic "The Confessions": "You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You."  I've often turned that into a prayer I pray for others who are walking aimlessly in sin, seemingly oblivious of their need for the Lord.  I've prayed for others (maybe even some of you!):  "Lord, give them no rest until they rest in you."

     To some it may at first sound "mean" to pray such a thing.  Yet if difficulty, hardships, trials and failure are what God uses to show us our desperate need for Him, and if we will never come to Him so long as we are comfortable where we are, it really is the most loving thing I could pray for any unbeliever or straying believer.  In fact, in love, I pray that for any to whom that may apply right now.

In the Bonds of Christian Affection,  Pastor Jeff 

Not a Fan

Greetings All!

     I hope you enjoyed the holidays and got a chance to spend some quality time with family and friends -- and some earnest time in prayer, worship, service, thanks and praise. After all, that is what holy-days are supposed to offer us time to do -- stop, pause, reflect, thank and praise.
My first selection for the new year is taken from Kyle Idleman's book, "Not a Fan."   A fan, of course, is one who stands on the sidelines cheering, but never really gets into the game. They watch others play and cheer or critique their performance, but they do it as an observer and not an active participant. This, as he points out, is the habit of many in the church. Instead of being involved, they stand on the sidelines watching from a distance and critiquing those who are. And and as you might guess, the purpose of his book is to encourage people to stop being fans, get in the game, and start being earnest, involved, and completely committed followers of Jesus.
     The following excerpts are from friends or people in his congregation who were fans, but through some life experiences (often difficult ones), were led to become wholehearted followers of Christ.  I have included just two of their stories. Enjoy.

Not a Fan Story - by Dr. Rich Edwards

     "On February 10, 2006 I was in control of my life. I had a thriving chiropractic practice, two sons, and a devoted wife. On February 11, everything changed. I was heading out to my hunting cabin to hunt wild boar with friends. As I drove along I could see the effects from the severe drought we had been experiencing. Everything seemed to have dried up and died. By the time I reached the road heading to the cabin it was dark. As I turned, I missed the road and ended up in five feet of thick brush.  I tried to free my truck by putting it in forward, and then reverse, repeatedly. The friction from that somehow ignited the brush. Within seconds the truck was a large torch. I reached for the door handle to escape but the electrical system burned out and I was locked inside. Seconds later the windows exploded. 

       I don't know what happened after that, and I have no idea how I got out of the truck. The next thing I remember is walking down the road to the cabin telling myself over and over, "Don't stop. Keep going." When I reached the cabin my friends thought I was wearing some kind of three-dimensional leafy hunting outfit, but it wasn't camouflage. It was shredded, charred skin. A medical helicopter took me to a burn unit where I was told I wouldn't have much of a face left, and I would probably lose my sight as well as the use of my hands.  God put an absolute halt on my life. I was so busy being so successful; I was on such a fast track, that God was a part of my life, but he was not the most important part. He was not on the throne of my heart or at the center of my universe. I was at the center.

     I don't believe God caused the fire, but I do believe God allowed it because he wanted to get my attention. Like a parent who tries to get through to a child, God grabbed me by the shoulders, sat me down, and said, "I want you to listen to me." That was the beginning of a spiritual awakening in my life. Over the next four years doctors amputated seven fingers. I couldn't use what was left of my hands for even the simplest of tasks. But the doctors said there was nothing more they could do. That's when my wife, Cindy, asked about the possibility of a hand transplant. That began a time of waiting, testing, and prayer.  We spent countless hours reading the Bible and praying together. Finally the day for my double hand transplant arrived. Twenty surgeons and three anesthesiologists took 17 and 1/2 hours to attach my new hands.

     Many people have pointed out that it was a miracle that I didn't die in the fire that day. That's true, but in a very real way I did die in that fire. That man I was died that day and God gave me a new life where I'm not in control but have turned the controls over to him. I'm not in charge of my life anymore, I have submitted everything to Jesus. These days my wife and I constantly pray to be used by God in any way he wants to bring him glory. It may sound crazy, but I would rather have gone through all the pain and suffering and all of these challenges and have the relationship with Jesus I now have, than continued down the path I was on before the accident without that relationship. My name is Rich Edwards, and I am not a fan."

Not a Fan Story - by Carolyn Day

     "I grew up in North Carolina, and though I believed in God, I didn't really have any kind of relationship with Jesus. As a student, I quickly became interested in the medical field and started working toward the goal of becoming a medical doctor. In the year 2000, I was studying to become a surgeon when things in my world began to fall apart. My husband at the time asked for a divorce, and two days later my mother committed suicide. The next year I led a double life. I was a surgical resident at work, but the rest of the time I was drinking heavily and contemplating my own suicide. I had no idea what to do or who to turn to. What soon became clear was that I couldn't bear these burdens alone.  I had only visited church occasionally when I was growing up, but I found myself praying.  I said, "God, if you're there, please take some of this off of me." I felt like I had lost everything. God was all that was left, but I wasn't sure that was enough.

     After finishing my residency and getting married, my husband and I moved to the Louisville area to begin my career as a surgeon. Some friends invited us to come to church, and we accepted. Through coming to church every weekend, I found myself praying more and more. I started praying about whether or not I would give my all to God. Five days after I started praying, Kyle invited anyone who was ready to surrender everything to Jesus and follow him.

     The next week I was baptized. It was uncomfortable, but it was a clear sign of the obedience God was calling me to.  To be honest, I didn't expect to feel as different as I do. I never understood it when people would say they were born again or saved. I guess it's not something you can really understand until you've experienced it yourself. The healing I've felt since giving my life to Christ is incredible. I think that's because only the Great Physician could heal the wounds of this surgeon. And he has. My name is Carolyn Day and I am not a fan." 

     Maybe today you can ask yourself: Are you a fan looking on at the players and cheering or critiquing those involved in serving Jesus from the stands, or are you and active, committed, participating follower of Jesus? 

     To tweak the words of James just a little: Are you a doer of the Word, or just an onlooker?  Are you still standing on the fringes looking in from the outside, or are you all in?  Do you still run your life, or does Jesus?

Living in the Grace of Jesus, Pastor Jeff

Not a Fan

Greetings All,

Today's '"thought" comes from a book by Kyle Idleman entitled, "Not a Fan."
     If you have not read it, you should. It's an honest, forthright, needed challenge to much of what is culturally accepted as Christianity, or being a Christian, in America, and there are few, if any believers, who could not benefit from picking up a copy and making your way through it.  For as most surely know by now, we can all misconstrue what it means to be a follower of Jesus, or let once earnest faith and obedience lapse into empty habit.
     And, with that being said, the following excerpt is from the opening chapter.  Enjoy.

     "It may seem that there are many followers of Jesus. But if they were honestly to define the relationship they have with him, I am not sure it would be accurate to describe them as followers. It seems to me that there is a more suitable word to describe them. They are not followers of Jesus.  They are fans of Jesus. Here is the most basic definition of "fan" in the dictionary: "An enthusiastic admirer." 
     Its the guy who goes to the football game with no shirt on and a painted chest. He sits in the stands and cheers for his team. He's got a signed jersey hanging on his wall at home, and multiple bumper stickers on the back of his car.  But he's never in the game.  He never breaks a sweat or takes a hard hit in the open field.  He knows all about the players and can rattle off their latest stats, but he doesn't know the players. He yells and cheers, but nothing is really required of him. There is no sacrifice he has to make. And the truth is, as excited as he seems, if the team he's cheering for starts to let him down, and has a few off seasons, his passion will wane very quickly.  After several losing seasons you can expect him to jump off the bandwagon and begin cheering for some other team. He's an enthusiastic admirer.

     It's the woman who never misses the celebrity news shows. She always picks up the latest People magazine. She's a huge fan of some actress who is the latest Hollywood sensation. And this woman not only knows every movie this actress has been in, she knows what high school this actress went to.  She knows the birthday of this actress and she knows the name of her first boyfriend.  She even knows what this actress's real hair color is -- something the actress herself is no longer certain of.  She knows everything there is to know.  But she does't know the actress. She's a huge fan, but she's just a fan. She is an enthusiastic admirer.

     And I think Jesus has a lot of fans these days. Fans who cheer for him when things are going well, but walk away when its a difficult season. Fans who sit safely in the stands cheering, but they know nothing of the sacrifice and pain of the field.  Fans of Jesus who know all about him, but don't know him. But Jesus was never interested in having fans. When he defines what kind of relationship he wants, "enthusiastic admirer" isn't an option. My concern is that many of our churches in America have gone from being sanctuaries to becoming stadiums.  And every week all the fans come to the stadium where they cheer for Jesus but have no interest in truly following him.  The biggest threat to the church today is fans who call themselves Christians but aren't actually interested in following Christ. They want to be close enough to get all the benefits, but not so close that it requires anything from them.

     So, are you a Fan or a Follower?

     Many fans mistakenly identify themselves as followers by using cultural comparisons. They look at the commitment level of people around them and feel like their relationship is solid. Essentially they grade their relationship with Jesus on the curve, and as long as they are more spiritual than the next guy, they figure everything is fine. That's why some fans are almost glad when its found out that the Christian family everyone admires so much has a child who rebels, or a marriage that struggles to stay together isn't as perfect as it appeared. The curve just got a little lower.

     Have you noticed that when we compare ourselves to others as a way to measure our relationship with Christ, we almost always put ourselves up against those who are spiritually anemic? I have a tendency to take this approach in measuring myself as a husband. I try and convince my wife how good she's got it by pointing to a friend whose husband never takes her on a date, or by telling her about my buddy who forgot his twenty-year anniversary...

     Another measurement fans use is the religious ruler. They point to their observance of religious rules and rituals as evidence that they are really followers. After all, they reason, would a fan go to church every weekend, and put money in the offering, and volunteer in the nursery, and listen exclusively to Christian radio, and not watch R-rated movies, and only drink wine-coolers at the party? "Hello?! Of course I'm a follower. I am not doing all that for nothing!"  Yet here's the real question: How does Jesus define what it means to follow him?  Whatever measurement he gives is the one we should use."

     The rest of the book fleshes this out, chapter by chapter, starting with: 1.) "You must be born again."  2.) Knowing Jesus intimately rather than simply knowing about him. 3.) Having him as one of many, or your one and only.  4.) Following Jesus rather than following the rules.  And many more... 

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     It is true. We often define what a relationship with Jesus is far differently than Jesus does.  For even a quick glance at the Gospel's reveals that Jesus demands a relationship that requires of us an "all of nothing" response.  Its, "leave everything and come follow me."  It's "take up your cross and follow me." It's "unless you love father and mother, sister and brother, yes, even your own life less than me, you cannot be my disciple."

     Christianity is not something we can add on to everything else in our lives to make us feel more complete.  It demands our all -- our full commitment and unreserved allegiance to Him.  To those people over the years who have told me, "I tried Christianity and it just didn't work for me,"  my response has been: "That's because you were just testing the waters, or toying with it, and Christianity only "works" when you embrace it unreservedly.  It only "works" when you hold nothing back."

That we might no longer be fans, Pastor Jeff