Five Reasons I’d Still Follow Jesus Even If Heaven Was Off the Table

On Loyalty, Love, and the Christ Who Isn’t Transactional

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I was in a leadership training once — the kind where they hand you a printed workbook with a mission statement on the cover and a quote from John Maxwell in the footer.

There were butcher’s papers on the walls, whiteboard markers on every table, and a coffee urn slowly brewing disappointment in the back corner.

At 9:00 a.m. sharp, the facilitator bounced up to the front in that overly enthusiastic way people do when they’re getting paid to pretend this stuff matters. She clapped her hands, beaming at the room like we were all about to discover our life’s purpose, and launched straight into an icebreaker.

“We’re going to go around and each share one sentence: Why do you come to work? Just one sentence,” she said, like brevity would somehow make the question less awkward.

People nodded.

A few chuckled nervously. The first brave soul leaned in and said something about making a difference. The next person followed with growing as a leader. Then came contributing to a positive culture, and building something meaningful. All of it was polished and predictable. You could practically hear the LinkedIn buzzwords…