Being a Fan

[Knotical]

Last year I noticed that my pastor had a Chicago Bears license plate frame on his RV and asked him if he was a Bears fan. Now, I know the answer should be obvious, but in this case it wasn't. His response was that he never watches football, and he does not even understand what being a fan means.

After this I thought, well that is completely untrue, though I am sure he is unaware of it, but I would go so far as to say that he is a fan of God.

What say you, can you be a fan of God, or is this something that does not quite describe it?

 

[Knotical]

Quick follow up. The reason he has a Chicago Bears license plate frame is that it was on the vehicle when he purchased it and never got around to taking it off. Which, as a Packer fan, I guess I can let it slide. :wink3

 

[farouk]

I think to believe in God and exercise saving faith in the Lord Jesus is to show reverential fear also.

I'm not sure if the usual range of the word 'fan' would cover this, actually.

(Maybe the sticker proves that those who serve the Lord in the way your pastor friend did, often have to purchased pre-owned, rather than new, cars...)

 

[Destructus86]

There's a book I like called Not A Fan which basically seperates Christians into two types..people who are FANS of Christ...the type that go to church, love the concept of God but don't want to put any effort into it. And the true followers...the ones that sacrifice...give it their all.

 

[Knotical]

There's a book I like called Not A Fan which basically seperates Christians into two types..people who are FANS of Christ...the type that go to church, love the concept of God but don't want to put any effort into it. And the true followers...the ones that sacrifice...give it their all.

So, I am guessing the author of this book has not met many sports fans. Now, I am not trying to directly equate what sports fans do compared with what Christians do, but in some cases there can be some "sacrifice" happening when following their team(s).

Remember that "fan" is just short for "fanatic", which means "A person filled with excessive and single-minded zeal, esp. for an extreme religious or political cause."

 

[Destructus86]

You could also say that being a "fan" just means you are excited about God...with very little follow through. Your a fan, you get hyped up. But that's it.

 

[farouk]

It's good to have zeal for the Lord, yes.

The Epistle to the Romans does also speak about a zeal which is 'not according to knowledge' (Romans 10.2).

So it needs to be zeal tempered with an informed conscience from the New Testament especially.

 

[Knotical]

You could also say that being a "fan" just means you are excited about God...with very little follow through. Your a fan, you get hyped up. But that's it.

There are many different levels of being a fan, just as there are different levels of being a Christian. There is the casual level, as you describe, then there is the fervent follower who literally lives for what they are a fan of.

 

[farouk]

I think the term grew popular as a result of the Beatles concerts.

But if you were to ask most of those 'fans' what exactly they were supporting, they would probably find it difficult to define.

 

[evenifigoalone]

I've compared it to a fandom before--except with a fandom, you want more and more and can't get enough. While when you're a "fan" of God, God is enough, and He satisfies.

I have also said before that I think we were made to be obsessive in a similar way as being in a particular fandom--but we were made to be obsessed about God, not worldly things. Being overly obsessed with worldly things can be harmful to your mental health, but you can never have too much of God.

 

[farouk]

I've compared it to a fandom before--except with a fandom, you want more and more and can't get enough. While when you're a "fan" of God, God is enough, and He satisfies.

I have also said before that I think we were made to be obsessive in a similar way as being in a particular fandom--but we were made to be obsessed about God, not worldly things. Being overly obsessed with worldly things can be harmful to your mental health, but you can never have too much of God.

Some good points there.

Good to be God-centered in one's thinking.