There are many synonyms to use for the word believer. (See “Discipleship” Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. 182-188.) “Believer” is the most common word for “conversion” to Jesus. I have chosen “Jesus follower(s) or follower(s) of Jesus instead of “believer” in this presentation for allowing the reader to move away from the idea “believer” conjures up about “ascent” to a set of doctrines that have been assembled by different groups over the centuries and show up in this day and age as a set of statements posted on web sites and other written material. These “beliefs” are suggested by many as the ones that one should “ascent” to so that upon death the “ascended” can go to heaven, i.e., just believe and you are good to go. Jesus follower/followers of Jesus suggests an action that one should take. Remember, Jesus told his disciples to “follow” him. Yes, belief is important, but one must move beyond “belief” to action.
