How to React to the Term "Jesus Freak"

[billy15]

Whenever I hear the term that many atheists, or detractors of religion, use known as “Jesus freak”, it makes internally cringe. However, I don’t ever know how to react to it, being a Catholic Christian. Earlier, I was having a conversation with someone about Tim Tebow and the person I was talking to repeatedly kept saying Tebow was a Jesus freak. I kind of just nodded my head and just said that people make too big a deal out of the whole Tebow thing, that he’s not really forcing anything down someone’s throat, that’s more Billy Graham or something.

But should I have reacted differently? Being at work, I never talk about politics and religion. Despite how much the term bothers me, I said nothing, because I typically think of these people as non-denominational Protestants. Now I feel like… I wasn’t a witness to my faith or something. Should I have spoke up and said something?

 

[bmullins]

Jesus Freak, Bible thumper, holy roller… all are terms that have become ‘negative’ in our culture. Yet, the very premise behind them is not something we should be ashamed of. What more would you want in life than for people to see that you put God first? That Jesus is what your heart is after? I don’t mind being called a Jesus Freak at all. I guess it all depends on what you personally think the term means.

If you are feeling conviction about it, use that to determine how you behave next time. Don’t beat yourself up over not doing something this time, but next time consider what the term means and if it applies to you or not. Then respond in love however God leads you to respond.

 

[Matrix_Refugee]

I’ve learned to laugh at it. I’ve embraced the fact that I am a bit of a freak of nature, and also a freak of nature who loves Jesus.

I’ve used the term “Bible thumper” myself, but only as a jokey kind of shorthand for those “Sola Scriptura” types who really go wacky with the “Where is THAT in the Bible?!” guff.

 

[MarkBrown]

The name “christian” was originally a negative to the followers of Christ.

A couple of protestant Christian rock bands have a song called “Jesus Freak”.

do not know if I am allowed to post the link. But go to either youtube or Godtube and type it in. I heard the Newsboys sing it at winter jam in Mobile last year.

We should all be Jesus freaks!

Mark

 

[George_Stegmeir]

I live in New York City. When some mentally deficient clown throws that phrase at me, I give them a good New York “So what! Ya wanna make somthin of it?”
It may not be charitable-but it sure feels good!
The rare few that wanted to “make something of it” backed down in a hurry when they found I meant it. I absolutely refuse to deal with idiots and I am not afraid of bullys (most of whom are cowards anyway).

 

[followingtheway]

Don’t think of reactions! That’s what they want! Hold do your head up high and be like I am and I’m proud of it!

 

[Fragile]

I’m the freak on the left!

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

 

[Kouyate42]

I’ve often had similar terms thrown at me, including the stupid comment I seem to get all the time ‘‘Oh, you’re a member of the God squad’’.

@Fragile: Cool shirt, and cool beard too…

 

[anp1215]

Jesus Freak, Bible thumper, holy roller… all are terms that have become ‘negative’ in our culture. Yet, the very premise behind them is not something we should be ashamed of. What more would you want in life than for people to see that you put God first? That Jesus is what your heart is after? I don’t mind being called a Jesus Freak at all. I guess it all depends on what you personally think the term means.

If you are feeling conviction about it, use that to determine how you behave next time. Don’t beat yourself up over not doing something this time, but next time consider what the term means and if it applies to you or not. Then respond in love however God leads you to respond.

That’s what I think about it. If someone ever called me a Jesus freak, I would say, “Thanks, I am kind of a freak about loving Jesus!”

 

[bmullins]

I’m the freak on the left!

Wish I could grow a beard like that! Love the shirt.

 

[the_phoenix]

A couple of protestant Christian rock bands have a song called “Jesus Freak”.

We should all be Jesus freaks!

To quote from the song:

“People say I’m strange, does it make me stranger
That my best friend was born in a manger?”

Take a listen to the song if you get the chance,
you might like it.

 

[the_phoenix]

I’m the freak on the left!

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e231/husq48/my pics II/CornerstoneJuly2011008.jpg

Cool pic.

 

[Kotton]

Never believed there was anything Freakish about Jesus, therefore never use the word. The definition of freak is something unusual, abnormal. Nothing about believing in Jesus and being Christian seems to support that word.

 

[DaveBj]

“I’d rather be a Jesus Freak than a Satan Freak.”

 

[ora_pro_nobis]

the best thing I was ever called was “Churchy La Femme” - a reference to the Simpsons - Homer uses it to refer to Ned Flanders.

I have personally reclaimed the term “God-botherer”!

 

[Fragile]

Never believed there was anything Freakish about Jesus, therefore never use the word. The definition of freak is something unusual, abnormal. Nothing about believing in Jesus and being Christian seems to support that word.

Well, we who follow Christ are not the norm in society.

 

[ClayPots47]

Earlier, I was having a conversation with someone about Tim Tebow and the person I was talking to repeatedly kept saying Tebow was a Jesus freak. I kind of just nodded my head and just said that people make too big a deal out of the whole Tebow thing, that he’s not really forcing anything down someone’s throat, that’s more Billy Graham or something.

Yeah… Billy Graham forces things down people’s throats. Um…no… :nope: Billy Graham is very well accepted as an evangelist, mostly because his message and approach do not involve forcing Christianity down anyone’s throat. There is a reason why Father John Oetgen, former president of (Catholic) Belmont Abbey College, presented evangelist Billy Graham with an honorary doctorate degree from Belmont Abbey in 1967. Billy Graham has frequently come under fire from fellow evangelists for his refusal to consider Catholics as unsaved and worshiping a false God in a false Church. He is one of the very few evangelists that has met with popes, including having a personal friendship develop with the late John Paul II, especially when the two discovered sharing having Parkinson’s. Tebow and Graham are in many ways alike in their evangelizing, and share the same favorite verse. Billy Graham might preach the truth regarding having a relationship with Jesus as Savior, but he has never been one to force such beliefs on anyone.

The following was published online, courtesy of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

Tebow, John 3:16 Drive Internet Evangelism

Gospel Spread Through Search Engine Buzz Around QB, Verse

January 12, 2012 - When Tim Tebow threw for 316 yards on Sunday, it launched a viral buzz over one of his favorite verses, John 3:16, which has led to thousands of people landing on the BGEA’s Internet Evangelism website, PeacewithGod.net.
Tebow,

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. — John 3:16 (NIV)
Tebow, John 3:16 Drive Internet Evangelism

By Trevor Freeze

Search John 3:16 in Google and in the blink of an eye — 0.11 seconds to be exact — more than 104 million search results pop up.

Ironically, it took all of 11 seconds for Tim Tebow’s Denver Broncos to score a huge upset in overtime Sunday night against the vaunted Pittsburgh Steelers defense.

Tebow — a devout Christian who wore the Bible verse John 3:16 painted on his eye blacks during the 2009 NCAA National Championship game — finished with 316 yards.

And if that wasn’t enough…

Tebow’s per-throw average: 31.6 yards.

Sunday’s overtime TV rating: 31.6.

Pittsburgh’s time of possession: 31 minutes, 6 seconds.

But there have been other numbers, eternally speaking, surrounding John 3:16 that have also been registered this week on PeacewithGod.net. The initial website launched by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s Internet Evangelism ministry known as Search for Jesus has had a very busy week.

Taking advantage of John 3:16’s popularity in Google searches on Monday, the BGEA advertised a PeacewithGod.net landing page around searches for John 3:16 — the central message of the video-driven Gospel website.

Over 10,000 users specifically inquiring about John 3:16 this week have landed on PeacewithGod.net via Google, with more than 200 clicking they had made a decision to accept Jesus Christ into their life.

“That’s what makes this online ministry so unique,” said John Cass, BGEA’s director of Internet Evangelism. "We can respond to exactly what people are searching for at that moment—and it’s often a very simple next-step to the Gospel.

“Current events give us the opportunity to share the Gospel.”

Churches and individuals can partner with the BGEA’s Internet Evangelism ministry by clicking on the How You Can Help tab on the website SearchforJesus.net.

Always one to deflect credit, Tebow did not mention the similarities of the 316 passing yards and one of his favorite verses in Sunday’s post-game press conference, but he was quick to give God the glory.
photo
“First and foremost, I just want to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” Tebow said. “He’s done so much in my life.”

In the course of his preaching ministry, Billy Graham delivered countless sermons from John 3:16, which reads: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (NIV).”

 

[ClayPots47]

The name “christian” was originally a negative to the followers of Christ.

A couple of protestant Christian rock bands have a song called “Jesus Freak”.

We should all be Jesus freaks!

Mark

Actually, it’s just one Christian rock band, specifically DC Talk, who was popular back in the early to mid 90’s, “Jesus Freak” became a huge hit for them on the Christian charts. Other bands have done covers of the song over the years, but DC Talk wrote and performed the original. It became an anthem for Christians, in response to taunts from haters of Christians. The current lead singer of Newsboys is Michael Tait, formerly of DCTalk. Newsboys with Michael Tait recently did an updated version of “Jesus Freak”. The song was written by former DC Talk member Toby Mac (McKeehan), who has sometimes joined Newsboys in performing the song live. Toby Mac has also performed the song solo. Tait and McKeehan founded DCTalk with Kevin Max while students at Jerry Falwell founded Liberty university. Here are the lyrics, as they explain in answer to the OP’s question of how to react to being called a “Jesus Freak”. Also here a link to the official video of DC Talk from ForeFront Records on YouTube.

Jesus Freak Lyrics
Artist(Band): DC Talk
Songwriters: Mckeehan, Toby; Heimermann, Mark;

[intro]
oh oh oh…

[pre-verse]
Separated, I cut myself clean
from a past that comes back in my darkest of dreams
Been apprehended by a spiritual force
and a grace that replaced all the me I divorced

[verse]
I saw a man with a tat on his big fat belly
it wiggled around like marmalade jelly
It took me a while to catch what it said
cause I had to match the rhythm of his belly with my head
JESUS SAVED is what it raved in a typical tatoo green
He stood on a box in the middle of the city and he claimed he had a dream

[chorus]
What will people think when they hear that I’m a Jesus Freak?
What will people do when they find that it’s true?
I don’t really care, if they label me a Jesus Freak
there ain’t no disguising the truth

[post-chorus]
There ain’t no disguising the truth
No I ain’t into hiding, the Truth

[pre-verse]
Kamikaze, my death is gain
I’ve been marked by my Maker, a peculiar display
The high and lofty, they see me as weak
but I won’t live and die for the power they seek

[verse]
There was a man from the desert with naps on his head
The sand that he walked was also his bed
The words that he spoke made the people assume
there wasn’t too much left in the upper room
With skins on his back and hair on his face
they thought he was strange by the locusts he ate
The Pharisees tripped when they heard him speak
until the king took the head of this Jesus Freak

[chorus]
What will people think when they hear that I’m a Jesus Freak?
What will people do when they find that it’s true?
I don’t really care, if they label me a Jesus Freak
there ain’t no disguising the truth

[post-chorus]
No I ain’t into hiding, the Truth

[bridge]
People say I’m strange
does it make me a stranger
my best friend was born in a manger?

[chorus]
What will people think when they hear that I’m a Jesus Freak?
What will people do when they find that it’s true?
I don’t really care, if they label me a Jesus Freak
there ain’t no disguising the truth

[outro]
What will people think?
(What will people think?)
What will people do?
(What will people do?)
I don’t really care
(What else can I say?)
There ain’t no disguisin the Truth
(JESUS is the Way)

 

[Fragile]

Yeah… Billy Graham forces things down people’s throats. Um…no… :nope: Billy Graham is very well accepted as an evangelist, mostly because his message and approach do not involve forcing Christianity down anyone’s throat. There is a reason why Father John Oetgen, former president of (Catholic) Belmont Abbey College, presented evangelist Billy Graham with an honorary doctorate degree from Belmont Abbey in 1967. Billy Graham has frequently come under fire from fellow evangelists for his refusal to consider Catholics as unsaved and worshiping a false God in a false Church. He is one of the very few evangelists that has met with popes, including having a personal friendship develop with the late John Paul II, especially when the two discovered sharing having Parkinson’s. Tebow and Graham are in many ways alike in their evangelizing, and share the same favorite verse. Billy Graham might preach the truth regarding having a relationship with Jesus as Savior, but he has never been one to force such beliefs on anyone.

The following was published online, courtesy of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

“I was converted by the preaching of Billy Graham.” --Fr. Larry Richards

 

[michelleds]

I’m the freak on the left!

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e231/husq48/my pics II/CornerstoneJuly2011008.jpg

YES! two

I not only embrace the term, I use it to describe myself as well. it’s a nice shorthand way of telling someone that Jesus is number one in my life.