Christian (1) – Brand Recognition

Last Sunday was a great Sunday. Five people gave their testimonies and got baptized. I don’t know if you have noticed they all mentioned the word “Christian” in their testimonies. Some said they met Christians who took them to church, some said they didn’t know what Christian meant until they were introduced to Christ, but all of them said they now want to become Christians and that’s why they were getting baptized. So let me ask you, how would you define the word “Christian?”

Ask ten different people and you’ll probably get ten different answers: someone who goes to church every Sunday; someone who was born into a Christian family; someone who believes Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead three days later; someone who celebrates Christmas and Easter; someone who doesn’t drink, smoke, or use profanity. Others take a darker view. They’d say Christians are judgmental, homophobic moralists who think they’re the only ones going to heaven and secretly relish that everyone else is going to hell.

If there’s so much disagreement about what a Christian is, how are we supposed to know how to define it? In the next few weeks we are going to talk about everything we know about this topic. Let’s get started.

Moving Forward

Can you imagine what your workplace and community would be like if you loved the way Jesus calls us to love? Can you imagine what would happen in our nation—in our world—if Christians everywhere began living like disciples? What if for the next three to six months, Christians committed to love the people around them?

If you’re a follower of Jesus, try it this week. To the best of your ability, by God’s grace, love the people around you. This isn’t a means to an end; you’re not going to fix people. This is better. This is being a disciple. It has the power to change your heart, your relationships, your community, and even the world.

So here’s the question: Are we going to be content just being Christians, or are we going to be disciples?

Discussion Questions

1. How would you define “Christian”? Does the word have positive or negative connotations for you? Why?

2. What’s been your experience with church so far? Have most of the people you’ve met in churches been disciples or just Christians? How has that shaped your perception of Christians?

3. How have your interactions with Christians shaped your perception of Jesus?

4. Read John 13:34–35. How is Jesus’ description of what it looks like to be his disciple surprising?

5. What’s most intimidating about the idea of being a disciple of Jesus? What’s most compelling about it?

6. Think about someone in your sphere of influence who is difficult to love. What is it about that person that makes him or her difficult to love? What is one thing you can do this week to show that person love?