The younger generations, especially Gen Zs, are surrounded by social media and electronics. How can Christians of this generation keep their faith and pursue an intimate relationship with God in the midst of their busy lives? Former NBA star Jeremy Lin appeared at the Taipei Bread of Life Church to share his personal testimony and to encourage the passionate and growing young Christian community.
In September 2024, Jeremy Lin participated in a special interview at the Taipei Bread of Life Church. Together with Pastor Jonathan Chow, he shared his deep reflections and insights on “the Nazirite Generation”. This interview not only attracted many fans but also moved many young Christians present at the event.
Pastor Jonathan Chow started off by introducing the concept of “the Nazirite Generation”. Sourced from Numbers 6, a Nazirite is a person who makes a special vow to God out of his or her free will and dedicates their life to God completely. Pastor Jonathan shared that, the Taiwan churches have started a 21-day prayer and fasting walk since March, and have seen many young people joining, revealing their zeal and devotion to God. In this movement, God raised a Nazirite generation that was passionate about living for God.
Jeremy recounts how he felt God’s calling one day during a down basketball season, and he remembered a Nazirite vow he made to God many years ago. The vow included no social media, no video games, no alcohol, no crude music, etc. He shared honestly how he had forgotten the vows in the past six to seven years, but moved by the calling, he decided to return to those vows, a week at a time.
Jeremy Lin shared how he started to pick his vows back up. At first, he felt very bored and tempted, but as time went by, he found that he could focus on his relationship with God more, and there was calmness and God’s presence in his heart. He especially mentioned that, in this time period, he realized how reliant he was on his phone and on social media. So, he learned how to communicate with God and pray more without their influence or distractions.
He also shared how he deeply felt that, to be a Nazirite doesn’t mean you add more to your life, but to reduce the impurities, make life simpler, and therefore be more purely dedicated to God. He hopes that through his sharing, more young people can seriously think about their relationship with God and boldly pursue a more intimate connection with Him.
Jeremy also mentioned his prayer group at New Taipei Kings. He emphasized the importance of prayer in his life, shared how he made the prayer group in his team, and how he and his team members are supporting each other in faith and growing together.
