As a Youth Minister, I spend plenty of time writing and talking about Jesus. I also spend quite a bit of time talking to Jesus. Even with all of that, I still don’t know that I act the way a “fan” should act. I mean, if I acted like a true fan of Christ, my behavior would be “marked by excessive enthusiasm and often intense uncritical devotion.”
Every week, I spend time reading and rereading Scripture. I study the context and try to discern the layers of meaning that are often present. When I look at passages from the Gospel in this way, it means I’m looking with an almost critical eye. Are the words meant literally only? Should they be taken literally at all? Or is their meaning figurative, pointing to something deeper? Especially when it comes to the words of Jesus, there’s almost always so much more there than meets the eye!
The problem is that Jesus can start to feel like a bit of an enigma. Do I really know him? Am I really sure of what he’s saying? And have I discerned his call for me correctly? Questions and more questions. It’s hard to be a fan of that!
And yet, if we’re true disciples – true followers of Christ – isn’t that what we’re striving for? You can tell an Alabama football fan at a glance! But how many people would look at you and think, “Now THERE’S a true Christian!”
When teens are fans of someone – whether an athlete, musician, actor, or social media influencer – they feel like they know the person. They follow the “star” on social media, stay up on the latest news and gossip, and then talk about it with other fans they know.
If our teen Confirmation Candidates aren’t doing that with Christ – our Lord and Savior – then I’m guessing it’s because they don’t feel like they really know Jesus very well. As Sponsors, part of our role is to help change that situation. It could start with us making sure that when we meet with our Candidates, we’re actually talking about Jesus more often. Everyone doesn’t need to study Scripture the way I do, but every Sponsor should try spending more time reading the Gospels and talking to Jesus in prayer.
Start with yourself. Try to become clearly recognizable as a fan of Jesus… and then show your Candidate the joy of being a true disciple!
Need bit more helping playing the role of Confirmation Sponsor? Check out our online training for sponsors!
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