Oct
12
Typing this post from my “new” computer. Gabe decided he’d rather loan me his MacBook Pro indefinitely than be on perpetual tech support call for my ridiculous Dell laptop that refuses to do any number of things I ask it to do.
Anyway. Chapter 5? ROCKS. Of course I realize that some of you are fed up with this book (and David Platt and all your fellow readers-along). Others of you aren’t fed up so much as overwhelmed. And still others are so far behind you wonder if it’s worth it to keep going.
It is so worth it.
I’m going to write a couple (or three) posts this week on different aspects of this chapter, because I have so much to say. (Shocking.)
*One thing I’ll chat about later is how Bullen (the African guy at the beginning of the chapter who wants to impact the world) reminded me of a teenager we met in Cambodia (and his older brother). Two young kids, fresh out of high school, already impacting the world for Christ.
I don’t want to make this post all about the buzzwords and catch-phrases that appealed to my personality, but I’ll be honest that there was a lot that resonated with me. Like Jesus inviting us to join him on the “surprisingly simple journey” of spending our lives for others’ good and God’s glory (87).
And the “general vagueness” that exists when we start trying to make Glorifying God a real, tangible, in-the-flesh thing instead of just a nice sentiment.
I’m with David Platt when he “marvels at the simple genius” of Jesus “simply, intentionally, systematically, patiently walking alongside twelve men” (93). And when he reminds us that disciples aren’t made overnight. And that there’s no effortless formula for impacting the world for God’s glory. (Darn it.)
Instead of a formula he gave us people and said, “Live for them. Love them, serve them, and lead them. Lead them to follow me, and lead them to lead others to follow me. In the process, you will multiply the gospel to the ends of the earth” (93).
*I’m also going to come back to this quote that just floored me: “Disciple making is not a call for others to come to us to hear the gospel but a command for us to go to others to share the gospel. A command for us to be gospel-living, gospel-speaking people at every moment and in every context where we find ourselves” (94).
Wow. Zers.
And what did you think about this: that “we will multiply the gospel only when we allow others to get close enough to us to see the life of Christ in action” (99). Did that part scare anyone? How comfortable are you with people getting close to you? The real you.
The teacher/nerd in me loves the idea of “the world as a perpetual classroom” (99).
And the exhortation to be a reproducer not just a receiver (102). Gulp.
*And oh my goodness, we could spend all day on how “in our Christian version of the American dream, our plan ends up disinfecting Christians from the world more than discipling Christians in the world… Disinfecting Christians from the world involves isolating followers of Christ in a spiritual safe-deposit box called the church building and teaching them to be good” (105).
Oh. My. Word. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch.
So, basically I’ve shared none of my own thoughts and just parroted all of my favorite quotes and ideas from the chapter. But that’s okay. Because I’m looking forward to dialoguing with you this week about what YOU think of all this.
Here’s what I’m dying to know:
1. How are you struggling with “bringing glory to God” in real, tangible ways?
2. What are some ways you already feel God calling you to make disciples?
3. How could you take steps toward becoming more of a reproducer than a receiver?
4. Do you find yourself (and your kiddos) isolated from the world in a spiritual safe-deposit box? How can we break open that box?
5. Share something God has done in your life/heart in the past few weeks as you’ve read.
I’m really excited to get chatting with all of you. Looking forward to learning from you and growing with you this week!
*The asterisks are just to remind me which points I wanted to elaborate on in the next few days.
Well, I promised you I would fulfill my commitment to the Radical challenge and I am determined to do just that. I was horrified to find I was so far behind, but it is forcing me to read the chapters again so I can actually write an appropriate comment and it is hitting me completely different this time around.
Wow….this chapter. I find myself suddenly in a life where I am surrounded by people of such extreme belief systems. Buddhists, Muslims, Hindi….they are all a part of my normal life here. What I have been wrestling with in reading this book and living my new life is how flippant Western Christianity is about their spirituality. (Don’t be surprised if you read this in a blog post….it has been stirring around in my head so much it’s probably inevitable) The fact that so many Christians don’t ever move beyond the altar experience and aren’t necesarily encouraged to do so by any other Christian in their life. How much discipleship and teaching needs to happen just among the people at “home” let alone the rest of the world. Myself included. I see people here embrace their religion…..they practice it and in some cases they wear it and it’s all for a god or an idea of a god that offers no grace or mercy. That does not offer an eternal life. We’ve been given all of that and more and yet we treat it with such carelessness.
I’m rambling.
The part that hit me the most is the very first part of the chapter where Bullen tells David that he’s going to impact the world. And he means it. I remember feeling that way and I’m horrified by how that fire has dimmed. I get so sidetracked by envy for those whose ministries bring them enormour notoriety. It’s a constant battle for me to know that if I am going to totally be sold out living my life for Christ alone then that means being excited with whatever God has called me to do. That watching other’s ministries and success takes the focus completely away from what God would have me do. He has called me to do His will…..I am honored to do so whatever that may look like. It’s being humble enough to know that “impacting the world” may mean the immediate people in my life and I need to be excited about that. Honored that God would call me to even that small task.
I guess that this chapter has made me reflective about my own attitude and has spurred me on to do a better job being a disciple. I don’t know that this comment even makes any sense. I just want to do a better job of representing Him. Of showing Him to others. I have a lot of work to do.
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Hi Marla -
Am not quite sure how this works, other than being a study of “Radical.” Which sounds like an excellent book, though I’m basing that on things you and Melissa Irwin have said.
How are we trying to do what God wants? The thing he laid on our hearts some years ago was studying the Bible to see what it really meant by “Love your Neighbors.” 3500 verses later, we have a study up on the Internet at http://www.sparkleofnature.com, and we hope that will get published as a book in the not too distant future. (Meantime you or your group are welcome to look at it).
He’s also impressed us to move – which we’re still working on. Have to sell our mfg home first, and for enough to allow us to actually move.
Meantime? He impressed us that, while we’re getting ready for that, we should minister to the kids in our neighborhood. There are a ton of them, many from dysfunctional homes.
So our 2 kids have been watching a couple of them before school, and inviting them in afterwards. Sometimes they stay and take part in our family prayers and listen to our Christian music. We’ve made a DVD for each of them with some of their own favorite Christian songs. It’s been a mix of touching moments, very frustrating ones, and funny ones (“Don’t pray for my mom’s boyfriend; I don’t like him.”)
Best wishes for your blog.
Pete
Thank you SO much to everyone who’s chiming in! I love hearing what God is teaching you–and how you’re putting it into action!! Keep the good stuff–and the not-so-good stuff–coming!