Comments on: fan or follower? http://kathyescobar.com/2009/04/07/fan-or-follower/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fan-or-follower Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:04:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: clara de molina http://kathyescobar.com/2009/04/07/fan-or-follower/#comment-3112 clara de molina Sat, 02 Jan 2010 18:08:51 +0000 http://kathyescobar.com/?p=1758#comment-3112 hi Kathy! It was so nice to read your article: fan or follower. Thanks! very inspirational! My husband is a pastor in a small church that we begun 3 years ago. We are ministering in a city called Manta in Ecuador. Have you heard about my country? I would love read more of you! CLara hi Kathy!
It was so nice to read your article: fan or follower.
Thanks! very inspirational!
My husband is a pastor in a small church that we begun 3 years ago. We are ministering in a city called Manta in Ecuador. Have you heard about my country?
I would love read more of you!
CLara

]]> By: Randi :) http://kathyescobar.com/2009/04/07/fan-or-follower/#comment-2260 Randi :) Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:38:14 +0000 http://kathyescobar.com/?p=1758#comment-2260 thnx Kathy! :) I like the way you put that... very true! thnx Kathy! :) I like the way you put that… very true!

]]> By: kathyescobar http://kathyescobar.com/2009/04/07/fan-or-follower/#comment-2259 kathyescobar Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:12:01 +0000 http://kathyescobar.com/?p=1758#comment-2259 debbie - always nice to hear from you. yes, communities are far more costly. i like what you said about true community costing "time, privacy, control, and much much more." look forward to more conversations! karl - me, too :) that's the only downside! christine - thanks for reading... randi - ramble away :) i love to hear what God is up to you, stirring up change and shifting and moving...i do agree that we need inspiration & encouragement and we can get it in all different forms, but like you said, it is dangerous when that's all it is--a fix---and actually insulates us from true in-the-trenches-with-each-other kind of living that is a lot of work and usually not all that inspiring :) glenn - always great to hear from you here! joy - thanks for sharing...i love what you said here: "It cost me everything I had ever known or connected to living as a Christian. It has radically changed my life in every way…it has been painful and beyond scary at times…but somehow…I think this is where my life is to be found." oh so hard, oh so good. see you soon, i hope. jeff - i am so with you, a lot of people liked me a lot better when i was a fan! i know many think i've sort of gone off the deep end. i think what you said about fan-stuff being very measurable. it really is about butts in seats & bucks in the offering and those things are, indeed, measurable. follower-ness is so untangible & certainly not measurable...and yes, i do believe that is our call, to give voice to the voiceless. keep singing your song and taking the heat, you are making a difference. minnow - yeah, it can be lonely and confusing, that's for sure. story formed - thanks for the link! glad you stopped by. mark - amen! debbie – always nice to hear from you. yes, communities are far more costly. i like what you said about true community costing “time, privacy, control, and much much more.” look forward to more conversations!

karl – me, too :) that’s the only downside!

christine – thanks for reading…

randi – ramble away :) i love to hear what God is up to you, stirring up change and shifting and moving…i do agree that we need inspiration & encouragement and we can get it in all different forms, but like you said, it is dangerous when that’s all it is–a fix—and actually insulates us from true in-the-trenches-with-each-other kind of living that is a lot of work and usually not all that inspiring :)

glenn – always great to hear from you here!

joy – thanks for sharing…i love what you said here: “It cost me everything I had ever known or connected to living as a Christian. It has radically changed my life in every way…it has been painful and beyond scary at times…but somehow…I think this is where my life is to be found.” oh so hard, oh so good. see you soon, i hope.

jeff – i am so with you, a lot of people liked me a lot better when i was a fan! i know many think i’ve sort of gone off the deep end. i think what you said about fan-stuff being very measurable. it really is about butts in seats & bucks in the offering and those things are, indeed, measurable. follower-ness is so untangible & certainly not measurable…and yes, i do believe that is our call, to give voice to the voiceless. keep singing your song and taking the heat, you are making a difference.

minnow – yeah, it can be lonely and confusing, that’s for sure.

story formed – thanks for the link! glad you stopped by.

mark – amen!

]]> By: Mark R http://kathyescobar.com/2009/04/07/fan-or-follower/#comment-2255 Mark R Sat, 11 Apr 2009 22:55:47 +0000 http://kathyescobar.com/?p=1758#comment-2255 It's meant leaving that dried up old brook called a Cherith wandering across the desert to discover some one in need and by the grace of God meeting that need. It’s meant leaving that dried up old brook called a Cherith wandering across the desert to discover some one in need and by the grace of God meeting that need.

]]> By: Maundy Thursday Prayer « Story-formed http://kathyescobar.com/2009/04/07/fan-or-follower/#comment-2254 Maundy Thursday Prayer « Story-formed Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:20:47 +0000 http://kathyescobar.com/?p=1758#comment-2254 [...] action.  And yesterday as I was roaming the blogshpere, I was also really struck by a blog post by Kathy Escobar on whether we are fans or followers of [...] [...] action.  And yesterday as I was roaming the blogshpere, I was also really struck by a blog post by Kathy Escobar on whether we are fans or followers of [...]

]]> By: minnowspeaks http://kathyescobar.com/2009/04/07/fan-or-follower/#comment-2253 minnowspeaks Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:37:29 +0000 http://kathyescobar.com/?p=1758#comment-2253 Hope I'm following. it feels a little lost every now and then. I don't miss being a fan--never was a very good cheer leader. Hope I’m following. it feels a little lost every now and then. I don’t miss being a fan–never was a very good cheer leader.

]]> By: Jeff Greathouse http://kathyescobar.com/2009/04/07/fan-or-follower/#comment-2252 Jeff Greathouse Wed, 08 Apr 2009 22:03:35 +0000 http://kathyescobar.com/?p=1758#comment-2252 Hmmm. The shift from a fan to a follower has been a difficult one and one that I wrestle with at times. There are times that I think, you know, it is a lot easier being the fan and getting the pats on the back and having "measureable" goals to know if you succeede. I can also tell you that there are many church-goers liked me much better when I was a fan and not a follower - there are many church staff in town that are "pissed" that I am a follower. Maybe that is too strong .. I am not sure. To me, the most powerful difference is making sure that I am there for the community and being an advocate for those without a voice. Hmmm.

The shift from a fan to a follower has been a difficult one and one that I wrestle with at times.

There are times that I think, you know, it is a lot easier being the fan and getting the pats on the back and having “measureable” goals to know if you succeede.

I can also tell you that there are many church-goers liked me much better when I was a fan and not a follower – there are many church staff in town that are “pissed” that I am a follower. Maybe that is too strong .. I am not sure.

To me, the most powerful difference is making sure that I am there for the community and being an advocate for those without a voice.

]]> By: Joy http://kathyescobar.com/2009/04/07/fan-or-follower/#comment-2251 Joy Wed, 08 Apr 2009 21:00:59 +0000 http://kathyescobar.com/?p=1758#comment-2251 Transitioning from a 'fan' to a follower happened to me to a great extent...against my will. I'd say God pretty much blindsided me...and ripped my dynasty out from under me like a flimsy rug. I was happy right where I was. Comforatble with my pious weekly service commitment...loved promoting anything where I might get a free church logo T-shirt...water bottle...bumpersticker...visor or key fob. I loved that I had taken all of the 'right' parenting/marriage/financial/inductive bible study classes. I loved that I knew more about the 'worda-God' than most...I loved being looked up to and valued for my tireless committment to my brandname church. I got so much satisfaction meeting all of the 'requirements' for membership/partnership...I loved FAN-aticism!!! Then...something weird happened. Somehow...I began to become inflamed about injustice in the community and in the world. I began to question why the heartbeat of my church (most churches) wasn't towards the messy, marginalized, oppressed, poor or unlovely. I wondered why my church leadership talked more about "leadership, strategic planning and numbers" than serving and loving? I realized I saw more of Jesus outside the movement...in the poor, oppressed, abandoned and in the lives of those brave enough to be Jesus to a screwed up world...eventually...kicking and screaming..I FOLLOWED him there. It cost me everything I had ever known or connected to living as a Christian. It has radically changed my life in every way...it has been painful and beyond scary at times...but somehow...I think this is where my life is to be found. Transitioning from a ‘fan’ to a follower happened to me to a great extent…against my will. I’d say God pretty much blindsided me…and ripped my dynasty out from under me like a flimsy rug.
I was happy right where I was. Comforatble with my pious weekly service commitment…loved promoting anything where I might get a free church logo T-shirt…water bottle…bumpersticker…visor or key fob. I loved that I had taken all of the ‘right’ parenting/marriage/financial/inductive bible study classes. I loved that I knew more about the ‘worda-God’ than most…I loved being looked up to and valued for my tireless committment to my brandname church. I got so much satisfaction meeting all of the ‘requirements’ for membership/partnership…I loved FAN-aticism!!!
Then…something weird happened. Somehow…I began to become inflamed about injustice in the community and in the world. I began to question why the heartbeat of my church (most churches) wasn’t towards the messy, marginalized, oppressed, poor or unlovely. I wondered why my church leadership talked more about “leadership, strategic planning and numbers” than serving and loving?
I realized I saw more of Jesus outside the movement…in the poor, oppressed, abandoned and in the lives of those brave enough to be Jesus to a screwed up world…eventually…kicking and screaming..I FOLLOWED him there.
It cost me everything I had ever known or connected to living as a Christian. It has radically changed my life in every way…it has been painful and beyond scary at times…but somehow…I think this is where my life is to be found.

]]> By: Randi :) http://kathyescobar.com/2009/04/07/fan-or-follower/#comment-2250 Randi :) Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:58:49 +0000 http://kathyescobar.com/?p=1758#comment-2250 P.S. I'd love to talk more with somebody about this inspiration addiction. VERY interesting!!! very interesting! I DO get what it means and have seen it...I do think often of how we are faking ourselves out with this Sunday “experience” stuff….because any true experience I’ve had with the Spirit is quiet like a whisper…. BUT at the same time I LOVE rejoicing on Sundays… celebrating Him and praising Him in many forms! BUT I Love doing this every day in many forms… not just Sunday. BUT at the same time — I *do* get the hearts in these people striving to bring glory to God by putting their best ‘efforts’ out there. Whether I partake in it or not… I *do* get WHY they do what they do…. They believe He deserves our best. The best we can do on presentations and striving as well as our hearts..... to offer Him our best outside & inside. SO I’m really in the middle on this issue… BUT I DO get the addiction. If these “experiences” are THE way you relate to GOd….. there’s an issue. If YOU *NEED* these ‘things’… there’s a problem… cuz all that isn't supposed to be about you anyway..… but instead Him. ya know? P.S. I’d love to talk more with somebody about this inspiration addiction. VERY interesting!!!

very interesting! I DO get what it means and have seen it…I do think often of how we are faking ourselves out with this Sunday “experience” stuff….because any true experience I’ve had with the Spirit is quiet like a whisper…. BUT at the same time I LOVE rejoicing on Sundays… celebrating Him and praising Him in many forms! BUT I Love doing this every day in many forms… not just Sunday.

BUT at the same time — I *do* get the hearts in these people striving to bring glory to God by putting their best ‘efforts’ out there. Whether I partake in it or not… I *do* get WHY they do what they do…. They believe He deserves our best. The best we can do on presentations and striving as well as our hearts….. to offer Him our best outside & inside.

SO I’m really in the middle on this issue… BUT I DO get the addiction.

If these “experiences” are THE way you relate to GOd….. there’s an issue. If YOU *NEED* these ‘things’… there’s a problem… cuz all that isn’t supposed to be about you anyway..… but instead Him.

ya know?

]]> By: Glenn http://kathyescobar.com/2009/04/07/fan-or-follower/#comment-2249 Glenn Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:20:30 +0000 http://kathyescobar.com/?p=1758#comment-2249 Beautiful post, Kathy! Keep keeping it real! Beautiful post, Kathy! Keep keeping it real!

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