The word “believer” has different meanings in today’s society. From pop culture to Christianity, the phrase “I’m a believer” is fairly common. But in the Christian faith, what’s the difference between a believer and a follower? Is there a difference? How you answer that question can say a lot about how you view your faith. In Matthew 16:24, Jesus tells those who want to be His disciples to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him. All people who profess the name of Christ are called to follow Him—not simply believe. That's the difference. Believing in Jesus is a start, but following Jesus is how we show the world we are who we say we are, especially when life is difficult or we face persecution. So, the next time you call yourself a believer, think about how Jesus has invited all of His disciples—even you—into the extraordinary purpose of following Him by taking up the cross in their lives.

Learn more about Providence Church Frisco: https://www.providencefrisco.com/

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To learn more about East-West, visit https://www.eastwest.org.

How would you answer the question, “Why does the Church exist?” Many people will say things like, “It's for the betterment of the community,” or, “It's a place for Christians to gather and worship,” or even, “It's where you go to learn about God.” These answers may be true, but are they enough? Whether you grew up going to Sunday services or just visited one for the first time, it's important to know why the Church exists. In 1 Corinthians 12, it says the Church is the Body of Christ, made up of individual members who have different gifts. Those gifts are designed to help us proclaim the excellencies of Him who redeemed us out of darkness and into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). The Church is not a social club or a building you go to on Sunday. It's the hands and feet of Jesus, gifted and equipped by God to fulfill the Great Commission. This raises the bar for every Christian—even you—and begs the question, “What's my role in the Body of Christ?”

Learn more about Auburn Community Church: https://auburncommunitychurch.com/

Take the spiritual gifts assessment from Auburn Community Church: https://auburncommunitychurch.com/spiritual-gifts/

Follow pastor Miles Fidell on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milesfidell/

To learn more about East-West, visit https://www.eastwest.org.

Have you ever thought, “I could never be a missionary,” or, “I’m not cut out for missions. That’s for ‘those people’”? More than 2,000 years ago, Jesus commanded His followers to make disciples of all nations. What you may not realize is that this command—the Great Commission—applies to every Christian. It’s not a suggestion or an idea. It looks different for every believer, but the bottom line is that we don't get to cherry-pick our destiny. Our Creator calls us to take the gospel to the ends of the Earth. That’s huge. But it's also special because it means that God has a role for all of us—even you. You are uniquely wired by God to live a life on mission—to have an eternal impact on people's lives. This is what extraordinary purpose looks like. Have you given God your yes?

To learn more about East-West, visit https://www.eastwest.org.

To learn more about the unreached, visit https://www.eastwest.org/unreachedpeoplegroups/.

The Even You podcast is hosted by East-West, a global missions agency focused on shining the light of the gospel among the unreached. This podcast exists to empower ordinary people to live for an extraordinary purpose. What does that mean? We want to see more Christians saying “Yes!” to what God is inviting them to participate in, especially as it relates to the Great Commission. We believe you are uniquely wired to play a role in this mission whether you're a missionary or commuting to a 9-5. Nothing is more important than leveraging our gifts, talents, and lives for the glory of God as we obey His command to make disciples of all nations. This is the most extraordinary purpose we can live for, and even you have a role to play. How will you give God your “Yes!” today?

To learn more about East-West, visit https://www.eastwest.org.