Thoughts of a Sojourner

Are you a follower of Jesus? Don’t answer too quickly. In fact, you may want to read this book before you answer at all. Consider it a “Define the Relationship” conversation to determine exactly where you stand. You may indeed be a passionate, fully devoted follower of Jesus. Or, you may be just a fan who admires Jesus but isn’t ready to let him cramp your style. Then again, maybe you’re not into Jesus, period. In any case, don’t take the question---Are you a follower of Jesus?---lightly. Some people don’t know what they’ve said yes to and other people don’t realize what they’ve said no to, says Pastor Kyle Idleman. But Jesus is ready to clearly define the relationship he wants with his followers. Not a Fan calls you to consider the demands and rewards of being a true disciple. With frankness sprinkled with humor, Idleman invites you to live the way Jesus lived, love the way he loved, pray the way he prayed, and never give up living for the One who gave his all for you.

My review:
   I had the chance to review this book when it came out, but I passed it over for a fiction title. Maybe I needed it more now anyway, but after reading the author's second book and being very impressed with it, I decided I needed to read this one, and wow. Kyle really shows the difference in being a fan of Jesus and a follower of Jesus.

   The book is convicting and challenging. It causes the reader to examine his relationship with Jesus to see if it really is a relationship, or if its something we are into when its convenient, something we do because we grew up in the church.

  I definitely don't read enough non-fiction, but if there were more non-fiction books like this, I'd do it more. A book that stirs me, forces me to look at my spiritual life, a book that makes me want to do better, to truly follow Jesus and not be a fan. This is most likely the best non-fiction book I have read, and may be the book outside of the Bible that will have the greatest effect on my spiritual life. I am already intending to read it again, and feel all Christians should read it.

About the author:

   Kyle Idleman is the Teaching Pastor at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, the
fourth largest church in America. He is the author of the award-winning and best-selling book not a fan. He is also the presenter of several video curricula, including not a fan, H2O, and the newly released study gods at war.

Not a Fan is available from Zondervan Publishing.