Why were believers called Christians at Antioch? Up to this point in church history, the believers referred to themselves as the “followers of the Way.” Seeking to mock and ridicule them, the people of Antioch took the Greek name for Messiah and added a Latin suffix, producing a hybrid word that we now pronounce as Christian.

What does it mean to be called a Christian today? We live in a time when the term Christian has become one of the most unclear descriptors in the English language. Many people today are willing to say, “I am a Christian” but would never consider saying that they are “disciples” of Jesus Christ. They are merely cultural Christians. Sometimes I wonder, if people were to look at us and our church and evaluate us today, what nickname would they give us?