If Jesus were to sit down with you right now and have a DTR (Define the Relationship) conversation, how would you respond? Are you truly his follower or just a fan-or perhaps someone who doesn't even care about the difference? Not a Fan invites you to make Jesus not merely the object of your admiration, but the very center of your life. Through biblical teaching, anecdotes, and humor, Kyle Idleman explores what it means to truly be a follower of Christ. He also shares several powerful Not a Fan stories--testimonies from fellow followers who turned to Jesus. Don't miss this wake up call to radical discipleship!

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.

Kyle Idleman is the Teaching Pastor at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, the 5th largest church in America. He is the author and presenter of the Award-winning video curriculum series H2O: A Journey of Faith and The Easter Experience. Kyle and his wife, DesiRae, have four young children.

"Kyle Idleman knows where we live and where we could live with God's help. His words are, at once, profound and practical. He is committed to helping us move in the right direction. If you need a helping hand in your journey, he'll point you to the right Person." - Max Lucado, Pastor, Oak Hills Church and Author of Fearless

"Jesus never asked us to sit on the sidelines and cheer for his cause. In Idleman's book, Not a Fan, Kyle will challenge you to grow from a fair weather fan to a full-time follower of Christ." - Craig Groeschel, Senior Pastor of LifeChurch.tv and Author of The Christian Atheist

"Not a Fan is truly a cutting edge study that will challenge even the most obedient Christians to re-look at their relationship with Christ. I highly recommend to individuals and churches everywhere." - Mike Huckabee, Former Governor of Arkansas and Author of Do the Right Thing

"Kyle Idleman's Not a Fan is a crucial message for our time. It's a powerful call to commitment and to following Jesus with all our hearts that has challenged me in the best of ways!" - Jud Wilhite, Sr. Pastor Central Christian Church, Las Vegas and Author of Throw it Down

"This book disrupts the status quo and challenges readers to follow Christ with greater devotion." - Mark Batterson, Lead Pastor, National Community Church and Author of Soul Print

"Not A Fan is a book that every Christian should read and regularly re-read. I started to read the manuscript and could not stop until I finished. This is a NOW message for the Church and my hope is that every believer who reads this will become an authentic follower of Christ." - Christine Caine, Founder, The A21 Campaign and Author of Run to Win

There is a big difference between followers and fans. For example, I am a follower of sports, but a fan of only a select few teams. A follower is dedicated to the team, person, object, or ideal at a level that a mere fan is not. With this rough definition in place, Pastor Kyle Idleman outlines his argument that the church needs fewer fans of Jesus and more followers.

The tendency in American Christianity is to attract crowds, but Idleman points out that when confronted with large crowds, Jesus' message was more than likely to drive them away rather than attract them to stay. Clearly, He was searching for those who would truly follow and not just establishing a following.

Pastor Idleman walks his readers carefully through a series of diagnostic steps to help them honestly evaluate the relationship they have with Jesus. The thought-provoking emphasis is greatly enhanced by illustrations and real-life testimonies of those who share their experiences which lead them to the conclusion that they are not a fan of Jesus, but a follower.

The tantalizing dangers inherent in such a discussion are also highlighted, to assist the reader in their evaluation. Idleman carefully navigates to the heart of the issues regarding following Jesus instead of following rules, following Jesus rather than just associating with Him, and following Jesus exclusively rather than adding Him to a list of heroes – to name just a few. Earnest appeals are made without wandering into melodramatic or emotional manipulation.

Far from being just an appeal to become a follower, Not a Fan does an excellent job of detailing exactly what following Jesus is intended to cost. Discussion of the cost of earnest devotion to Christ is presented in such a way that the appeal is both direct and honest.

I commend Not a Fan to you. While not the first or last book to discuss this topic, it is a much needed read. – Charles Eldred, www.ChristianBookPreviews.com

"When it comes to Jesus, I am not a fan." That is the attention-snagging message megachurch pastor Idle-man hopes readers are repeating by the end of this book. Addressing all Christians--including himself, Idleman writes that "the biggest threat to the church today is fans" who admire Jesus but aren't fully committed to being followers. Using Biblical examples and 11 startlingly honest testimonials from present-day followers, the author shows that being a Christian requires sacrifice and an all-consuming commitment to Jesus. Though his message is a direct challenge to the reader, Idleman offers humor and conversation instead of guilt and condemnation. He takes old themes (e.g., take up your cross, suffer for a greater purpose) and repackages them with natural wit and 21st century relevance. The meat of this succinct message could be lost if the titular catchphrase becomes yet another T-shirt slogan. But if readers latch onto the deeper meaning, they could find themselves reevaluating everything from their careers to their relationships. A refreshing read to recharge apathetic churchgoers. (June) Copyright 2011 Reed Business Information.

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