Is It Time to Stop Calling Ourselves "Christians"?

What happens when a word gets used so much that it completely loses its original meaning? Today, calling yourself a "Christian" in the West can mean anything from being a devoted follower of Jesus to simply checking a box on a census form.This week on The Easy Approach, Nate and Tony are joined by guest Michael Schlender to talk about the massive, often uncomfortable gap between the cultural label of Christianity and the actual, lived-out Way of Jesus.We are leaving the dictionary definitions behind to look at the historical reality of the early church, why the cultural perception of the faith has shifted so drastically, and what it actually takes to reclaim the word.In this episode, we cover:The Cultural Baggage: Why the label "Christian" has become so confusing in modern culture, and how its meaning has radically shifted from its first-century origins.Christian vs. Disciple: The shocking reality of how rarely the early church actually used the word "Christian," and why they vastly preferred the term "disciple."The Statistic Gap: The massive disparity between people who self-identify as Christians on paper and those who are actively trying to follow the teachings of Jesus in their daily lives.The Three-Legged Stool: Why a healthy, vibrant faith requires a delicate balance of right belief, genuine personal experience, and actionable behavior.Make sure to follow the podcast so you never miss an episode, and let us know in the Spotify comments: what does the word "Christian" actually mean to you today?About The Easy Approach:Life's full of hard questions, but the answers don't have to be wrapped in rigid religious formulas. Welcome to The Easy Approach. Hosted by Nate Evans (E), Tony Zuma (Z), and Canaan Evans, this podcast is a raw, unscripted space to navigate faith, doubt, and modern culture. Whether we're rethinking the Sunday school answers we grew up with, or looking for the gospel in unexpected places, we're just a group of guys trying to figure out the Way of Jesus in the real world. Pull up a chair and join the conversation.