No Formula: The Way Christ Framed Followership
Written by Dale Ebel
Why Did Jesus Call People Differently?
Why did Jesus Christ call different people to follow Him in different ways? Why didn’t He call them all the same way?
Over the years, I’ve often pondered this question: Why did Christ never approach two people the same way? For decades, the one-size-fits-all approach has dominated modern Christendom. Evangelistic tools like The Four Spiritual Laws or Steps to Peace with God—which I have used and still use —are effective, but I think we need to include more direct questions that reveal people’s points of control.
In recent years, I’ve added more probing, kingdom-oriented questions such as:
- “What’s keeping you from allowing Christ to be the leader of your life?”
- “Have you erected an alternative kingdom of control in your life?”
- “Which of the Ten Commandments have you violated?”
- And for those who respond to Christ:
- “What will you do first in obedience to Him?”
- After a week or so ask: “How is your life changing because of obedience?”
According to Dr. Bill Bright, the late president of Campus Crusade for Christ, only 2% of Christians ever attempt to lead someone to Christ. Clearly, we have room to grow.
Jesus’ Individualized Approach
As I’ve studied how Christ interacted with people, I’ve come to believe that the Good News presentation is unique for every person. Ideally, evangelism should be handled on an individual basis. Leading someone to Christ can take as many forms as there are people!
While God sometimes used large gatherings (as in Acts 2:41, where 3,000 believed), Jesus’ primary method was incarnational—entering people’s world and meeting them personally. That’s why inviting people to church, a crusade, or a concert is not enough. The Good News spreads most powerfully through relational, one-on-one encounters within our everyday networks of influence. Only by doing this can we discern where someone is resisting God’s rule and lovingly help them surrender to Christ.
Unique Encounters with Kingdom Implications
Consider how Christ framed His call differently with each person:
- To Nicodemus, He said, “You must be born again.”
- To the rich young ruler, He said, “Sell all what you have and give to the poor.”
- To the woman at the well, He offered “living water.”
At first, these variations puzzled me. But as I studied the Kingdom of God—the rule and reign of Jesus Christ in and through us—it became clear. Jesus Christ always framed followership as a leadership issue. He wasn’t merely inviting people into forgiveness; He was announcing terms of surrender.
When we realize His preoccupation with the Kingdom, His individualized approach makes perfect sense. Each encounter became a confrontation between God’s Kingdom and the person’s personal kingdom of control.
Alternative Kingdoms: Points of Control
Every person builds their own “kingdom”—areas of control they hesitate to surrender. These self-made kingdoms become obstacles to Christ’s rule. When Jesus encounters someone, He identifies their alternative kingdom and invites them to relinquish control.
The Obedience Matrix
Christ modeled perfect obedience. In His words:
“I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me… for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.”
(John 8:28–29, NASB)
The Hebraic mindset teaches that right action leads to right thinking. In my own walk, I’ve realized that obedience and power are directly linked: when I step out in faith, the Holy Spirit moves in power. Obedience activates the Spirit’s strength—it’s not mystical; it’s practical.
Five Examples of Alternative Kingdoms
1. The Powerful — The Rich Young Ruler (Luke 18:22)
- His Kingdom: Wealth and self-sufficiency
- Christ’s Command: “Sell all you have and give to the poor.”
He couldn’t surrender his personal kingdom because he feared losing control and comfort. His wealth represented the walls of his independence. Jesus exposed that barrier—and it proved too much to give up.
Modern parallels: Wealth can appear in many forms—status, children, beauty, talent, intellect, or self-made success. Anything that becomes your security apart from God’s authority is an alternative kingdom.
2. Nicodemus (John 3:1–10)
- His Kingdom: Position, influence, and reputation
- Christ’s Command: “You must start over!”
Jesus told him that all his credentials—his learning, reputation, and status—could not usher him into the Kingdom. He needed to start over entirely, reborn by the Spirit.
At that moment, Nicodemus wasn’t yet born again (“you do not receive our testimony”), but later, he courageously helped bury Christ’s body (John 19:39), indicating genuine transformation.
3. The Woman at the Well (John 4)
- Her Kingdom: Emotional and relational dependence on men
- Christ’s Command: “Ask Me for living water.”
She had sought fulfillment in one relationship after another—six men in total—and yet remained spiritually thirsty. Christ exposed the real issue: her search for love apart from God. When she encountered the true Bridegroom, she drank deeply of living water and Christ became her security. She became a powerful witness in her town.
4. The Dying Thief (Luke 23:39–43)
- His Kingdom: Rebellion and crime.
- Christ’s Command: None—his repentance said it all!
In a stunning confession, the thief acknowledged his guilt and Christ’s innocence. His plea, “Remember me when You come into Your kingdom,” revealed genuine faith.
Christ’s reply was immediate: “Today you will be with Me in paradise.”
This man feared God rightly—not with mere reverence, but with holy dread (Psalm 36:1). Please friends, do not settle for the evangelical stripped down version of “fear” which is assumed to be reverence. His radical humility displayed saving faith in its purest form.
5. Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1–9)
- His Kingdom: Greed and exploitation
- Christ’s Command: He didn’t need one. Zacchaeus’ voluntary restitution showed the genuineness of his faith.
Zacchaeus’ repentance was evident in his actions—he promised to repay fourfold, fulfilling Exodus 22:1. The law exposed his sin and drove him to grace, fulfilling Galatians 3:24: “The law was our tutor to bring us to Christ.”
His story reminds us that repentance always bears fruit.
Reflecting on Your Own Conversion
Your Alternative Kingdoms
Reconstruct your conversion story. What areas of control kept you from surrendering to Christ?
For me, it was my need for popularity and peer acceptance. I was a “good guy”—athletic, friendly, and well-liked. I thought, I don’t need God. Looking back, it was pretty superficial.
How the Law Reached Me
At the same time when the Holy SpiritI drawing m I was convicted by my disobedience to the fifth commandment: “Honor your father and mother.” (Exodus 20:12). I realized I was rebelling against my parents’ authority. My guilt led me to repentance and surrender to Christ—through the loving witness of my sister Elaine, who embodied Romans 10:14: “How can they hear about Him unless someone tells them?”
Reflection Questions
- Have you identified your “alternative kingdoms”? Do they still appear in your walk with Christ?
- What control issues are hardest for you to surrender?
- Has your “right to yourself” been put to death at the cross?
- How is repentance protecting you from ego and self-rule?
Jan David Hettinga, in Follow Me: Experience the Loving Leadership of Jesus Christ, captures this truth powerfully:
“The saving work of Jesus Christ doesn’t just keep you and me out of hell. It keeps our hell-producing self-centeredness out of the church and out of heaven. Anything less than a Kingdom encounter at salvation sets up a pseudo form of religiosity. A Christianity that fails to make you an obedient follower of Jesus Christ is not the real thing.”
Applications
- Recount your conversion story and share it with someone.
- When leading others to Christ, ask Kingdom-oriented questions, like the ones I listed above.
- Write down two insights you gained from this study.
- Identify which of the five biblical characters impacted you most—and why.
Walking in Christ’s obedience matrix with you.
In Christ,
Dale