John Lennon and discipleship

When I was growing up - the Beatles were it. World renown. Oh, there was Elvis, of course, but the Beatles were the beginning point of it all - rock and roll on a world wide scale.

I was reading this week about John Lennon's conversion to Christ on a Palm Sunday years ago.

He began watching Billy Graham on television, and then as he watched a television special on the life of Jesus he broke down in tears.

Apparently, his spiritual passion lasted for a several months.

In his biography, "Nowhere Man: The Final Days of John Lennon, Robert Rosen writes, “One day [Lennon] had an epiphany — he allowed himself to be touched by the love of Jesus Christ, and it drove him to tears of joy and ecstasy.”

He says, “He drew a picture of a crucifix; he was born again, and the experience was such a kick that he had to share it with Yoko.”

In the weeks that followed, he attended church services and took his son, Sean, to a Christian theater performance.

Geoffrey Giuliano in his biography of Lennon, "Lennon in America" states that “He prayed for forgiveness when he stepped on insects or snapped at the maid.”

But his wife, Yoko Ono, was not happy with Lennon’s change. Her first husband, Anthony Cox, became a Christian in the 1970’s.

Lennon began to challenge his wife’s interest in the occult, and expressed disappointment when she wouldn’t join him in watching when Billy Graham was on television.

Giuliano writes. “She feared John’s new faith would clash with her own ideas about spiritualism and threaten her iron hold over him.”

In the end, it appeared that Ono won.

In his final years, the man best known for his lines “Imagine there’s no heaven / It’s easy if you try” was living a life dictated by astrologers, numerologists, clairvoyants, psychics, herbalists, and tarot-card readers.

Do you know of someone who has come to Christ and then "fell away"? I do. That's why discipleship and spiritual nurturing are so important.

We must lead people to Christ but we must also lead people to spiritual maturity.

I don't want any to follow away.....and I know you feel the same way.