Several years ago, I was at a dinner party the night before a big prayer breakfast. As I was making a point about how great it was to be with other Christians, a man interrupted me with a not-so-subtle chastisement: “Oh, let’s not call ourselves Christians,” he chided, “because the term carries so much baggage.” Somewhat caught off guard, I responded, “So what do you suggest we call ourselves?” He said, “Just tell others that you are fascinated with Jesus… that you are a big fan of Christ. But I wouldn’t tell them you are a Christian.”

Well, I have to confess that the rest of the night was spoiled for me. Not that I was publicly chided, but that this man thought it was an embarrassment to call oneself a Christian. He preferred to be called a “fan.” Ironically, “fan” is the abbreviated version of “fanatic,” which to most people is more offensive than “Christian.”

But this guy isn’t alone. There is a whole movement made up of faithful believers in Jesus who eschew the term “Christian.” Supposedly, this is driven by a political correctness that doesn’t want to offend others who may associate “Christians” with “bad” people, institutions or movements who did “bad things” throughout history.

Now then, let me peel some of the layers off this theological onion, if I may. I get that there have been some instances in history when terrible things have been done in the name of Christ. Any attitude or action that is un-Christlike should not be condoned. Period. But to refuse to call yourself a Christian because of the poor behavior of others is taking it a little too far. I don’t refuse to call myself a man because a man in some other state murdered innocent people. I don’t refuse to call myself an American because someone in a faraway land hates Americans. And, I don’t refuse to call myself a Christian because someone has a bad taste in his mouth about Christians.

Some people like to point to the Crusades of the Middle Ages as an example of how Christianity got a bad name. Indeed, while many bad things happened during this period, the Crusades began with a noble and necessary objective. The Crusades were not offensive wars; they were defensive wars. They were a direct response to push back against the aggressive conquests of Christian lands by Muslims. Over four centuries, Muslims had captured two-thirds of the old Christian world, so the Crusades were a strategic effort by the church to defend itself against eventual extinction. I don’t have time or space to talk much about the Crusades, but if you want a great overview on the Crusades, I highly recommend this article by Thomas F. Madden, associate professor and chair of the Department of History at Saint Louis University and author of The New Concise History of the Crusades.  http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/mayweb-only/52.0.html?order=&start=1

Now, this guy at the dinner party has every right to label himself anyway he wants. But I don’t think all Christians should cease calling themselves Christians simply because of the Crusades or any other event in history.

It might be instructive to know where the name “Christian” came from. Christians didn’t invent it; non-Christians did. It was first used to describe the members of the church in Antioch, Syria. Acts 11:26 tells us “it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called ‘Christians.’” At that time, the word “Christian,” was used by outsiders as a derogatory way to refer to the followers of Jesus. Most of the early Christians were known as “disciples,” “saints,” “believers,” “the elect” or “followers.” But instead of being embarrassed by a term that was intended for abuse, they embraced it, counting it a privilege to suffer slander for the sake of Christ.

Even the Apostle Peter, the one who was crucified upside down because he wasn’t worthy to die the same way his Lord died, said, “…it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! (1 Peter 4:16)”  What name? Christ and Christian!

It comes to this: if the Apostle Peter was okay with being called a Christian, then I am too.

So here is the big warning about calling oneself a “fan” of Jesus. There are millions of people in the world who know about Jesus, but don’t know Him personally. There are millions of people who admire Jesus, but don’t worship Him. There are millions of people who love to follow the teachings of Jesus as helpful hints at living, but don’t follow Him. There are millions of people who seek to emulate the ways of Jesus, but don’t believe Him to be “the way, the truth and the life.”

I’m a fan of Winston Churchill, but I don’t worship him. I’m a fan of Roger Federer, but I don’t put my faith in Him. I’m a fan of a lot of people, but to be a fan of Jesus risks minimizing, even trivializing who He is. He’s more than a great role model or profound teacher. Jesus is in a category all by Himself. He is Lord.

To be a true follower of Christ, one needs more than being “fascinated” or “admiring” of Jesus. A true follower puts faith in Christ and Him alone to give him eternal life in heaven and abundant life on earth.

In the Greek, “Christian” simply means “little Christs.” In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis, says the church “exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs.”

To be “a little Christ,” means inviting Christ into your life, to have Him take up residence in you. John 1:12 says, “to all who did receive [Christ], to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” 1 John 5:12 says, “Whoever has the Son [Jesus] has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.”

When a person trusts in Christ, he is bold for Christ, not ashamed. Romans 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes.” Jesus said in Luke 9:26, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in his glory and in the glory of the Father.”

So, the next time someone asks you what you think about Jesus, don’t be afraid to say, “I’m not a fan of Jesus; but I am His child who worships Him as Savior and Lord. I am honored and humbled to be a Christian.”