Most people today call our faith “Christianity”, but in the very beginning, it wasn’t known by that name at all. The earliest believers were called “Followers of the Way”. This simple phrase captures something powerful, something many Christians today can rediscover.

1) The Name Comes Directly from Jesus’ Words.

Jesus didn’t teach a path, he claimed to be the path.

“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” John 14.6.

To follow Jesus was literally to follow the Way. It wasn’t about a religious label, a denomination, or a cultural tradition. It was about walking behind the One who showed the way to the Father through His life, His actions, His compassion, His sacrifice, and His resurrection.

So, the early believers described themselves beautifully as people who walked in the Way of Christ.

2) If Reflected a lifestyle, not a System.

“Christianity” as a term came later, but “the Way” showed how the first disciples lived:

1) They shared meals.

2) They prayed together.

3) They supported the poor, the widows, and the sick.

4) They showed mercy.

5) They lived differently from the world around them.

It wasn’t a philosophy or a set of doctrines, it was a daily walk – a way of life.

This is important: before anyone wrote theology books, there were believers of the Way.

3) Outsiders Saw Something Different.

1) These people lived differently.

2) They followed a new path.

3) They weren’t simply following Jewish tradition anymore, they were following Jesus.

4) It emphasised transformation.

The Way wasn’t just a belief; it was about change.

To follow the Way was to move:

1) From darkness to light.

2) From hatred into love.

3) From self-interest into service.

4) From sin into repentance.

5) From death into life.

The idea of transformation was so central that the early church used “the Way” to describe the journey of the soul to Christlikesness.

5) “Christian” Came Later and Originally as a Mocking Name.

In Acts 11:26, believers in Antioch were called Christians, meaning “little Christs”. Most scholars agree it started as an insult.

But the church embraced it. Stll, “Followers of the Way” remained an older and intimate identity, one that focused on how they lived, not just what they believed.

6) Why It Matters Today.

In a world that often turns Chirstmas into “X-mas”, faith into branding, and spirituality into marketing, it’s easy to forget the simple beauty of the original name.

Followers of the Way reminds us that:

1) Christianity is not a trend.

2) Faith is not about slogans.

3) Being a Christian is not just about Sunday.

It is about walking daily into the path of Christ, loving God, loving others, doing justice, showing mercy, and living with humility.

It means keeping Christ at the centre, not the margins.

Conclusion.

The earliest believers didn’t need a fancy name. They were simply people who had encountered Jesus, accepted Him as Lord, and decided to walk His Way.

Maybe today, in a world where people try to take “Christ” out of Christmas and faith gets watered down, we can rediscover that original identity.

We are not just Christians by label. We are following the One who leads us home.

God bless you.

Nick x.