Donna Partow

I’ve noticed there’s a new term being used in the church in place of the word Christian.  It’s Christ-follower.  Have you heard that?  Young people, especially, have adopted its useage.  Rather than say, “I’m a Christian,” they say, “I’m a Christ-follower.”

I’ve actually formed an obsessive-compulsive thing about it.  Because Christ-follower is true but it’s not the whole truth.  It’s true but it’s not the most important truth. The scripture says we’re much more than Christ-followers.  In 1 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul acknowledges that this terminology was already being used:

What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.“ 1 Cor. 1:12  

But Paul clearly says, “Guys, you’re focusing on the wrong thing!  It’s not about following.  Anybody can follow somebody!”  Muslims follow Mohammed.  Buddhists follow Buddha.  Scientologists follow Tom Cruise.  Following is no big thing. The mind boggling thing about Christianity is that we boldly declare that Christ lives in US.  We’re not just Christ-followers.  We’re Christ-CARRIERS.

After Paul admonishes us to “Forget about this whole following thing,” he says:
“When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.” 1 Cor. 2:1-5

In Ephesians, Paul clarifies that God’s power is not just at work around us, but IN us:

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to <strong>his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20).  It’s all about “Christ IN YOU, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).

We are not just nice religious people following a set of moral teachings, trying to live up to a higher standard of behavior.  We are  CHRIST-CARRIERs.  When we walk into any situation, we literally carry the presence of the living God into that situation.  When we show up, God shows up. That’s what the scripture says.

I had an amazing experience in a bazaar in Cairo, Egypt (which, by the way, is the largest Muslim city in the world).  I was in the market with a group of young Egyptian women and, for fun, they had dressed me up in a beautiful head-scarf.  An American Christian happened into the same store—first of all, what are the chances of that?–she looked at me and saw Christ.  She said she was looking at me, with my dark skin, dark eyes, Muslim headdress and felt baffled, ‘What’s going on here?  She looks like a Muslim…but I’m seeing Jesus in her. What’s that about?” 

Two days later, I was speaking at her church.  She came up and told me the story.  Isn’t that amazing?  That story isn’t about me and how wonderful I am. I wasn’t doing anything ‘spiritual’ or trying to be ‘wonderful.’  I was goofing off with some young Egyptian girls, trying on headscarves.

We are Christ Carriers. If we let him live his life through us, people can see it.  They might not always be able to put their finger on it, but they’ll know.  There’s something there.

So I am not a Christ-follower.  I am a Christ-CARRIER.  How about you? I’d love to know your thoughts on the Christ-follower question!

Blessings,
Donna Partow

If you found this blog thought-provoking, I invite you to check out my books.  For more on releasing the power of Christ within us, you might enjoy Becoming a Vessel of God’s Power.