Radical Together

UNLEASHING THE PEOPLE OF GOD FOR THE PURPOSE OF GOD

1- Tyranny of the Good
One of the worst enemies of Christians can be “good things in the church”

• Aren't sin and Satan the worst of things?
• Our worst enemies are the ones which are “unknown” to us.
• We’ve laid down our defences against then way that the good can hinder the best.
• PUTTING EVERYTHING ON THE TABLE
• We are commanded by the gospel to go to God with everything we have and ask for directions.
• Am i really there? Am i ready to lay everything at the table?
• Amid all the good things we are doing, are there ways to better allign with God’s word?
• (Refer to book of James)
• Might include big sacrifices, or small sacrifices but this is part of the great commission.
• Downsizing our lives for a greater vision

2- The Gospel Misunderstood?
THE GOSPEL THAT SAVES US FROM WORK SAVES US TO WORK

• We need to realize that however much we give, it will NEVER be enough
• This world will never be “all-right”.
• One can never be radical enough.
• We are still ok though, because Jesus died for us
• Based on nothing you have done and everything Jesus has done, by grace alone though faith alone, God will declare you right before him.
• BUT
• We are saved TO work
• Whenever James uses the word “works”- he means it in a positive way (unlike Paul sometimes)
• When one accepts God, he begins to walk with God as a friend. We get a new life, full of joyful obedience and overflowing with love.
• Guilt is garbage- unsustainable.
• We live sacrificially not because we feel guilty but because we have been loved greatly and now we find satisfaction in sacrificial love for others. Not because we HAVE to but because we want to.
• Must avoid becoming “Mary”- Busy “do-ers” without spiritual input....or “Andys”- Claiming and testifying all the time but not really demonstrating it in life.

Chapter 3: God is Saying Something
The word does the work

• The word of God accomplishes the work of God
• Need to believe (examples from the bible) that the long term plan God has is “good”. Even if we don't get to see the results in our lifetime.
• In our current lives, we use bible as a tool. NOT TO BE DONE SO. It is so much more.
• Modern “pastors” use the bible as a starting point, then jump to other quotes and pop psychology and other material. As if the word of God is not enough. Truth is that the basic human problems have remained the same since eternity. We don’t need new techniques, we need the truth!
• God does not promise to bless our plan. He promises to bless HIS plan.
• (So the prayer must be to allign my plan with His plan...not vice versa)
• The key is to TRUST His word. (Scary thing this is- TRUST- FAITH).
• The Word doesn’t make everything easy (for sure). But it never promises to.

Chapter 4: The Genius of Wrong
BUILDING THE RIGHT CHURCH DEPENDS ON USING THE WRONG PEOPLE

• Belief in the world of God’s Spirit through God’s word in God’s people
• The initial church wasnt built of “professionals” and did the amazing work of spreading the truth. Jesus did not check resumes before getting his disciples. The idea is that the work of God is often done by not the fixed folks. That is encouraging.
• This is not a show. It is life. So it cant be scripted just right. There will be mistakes. And it has to be done by real people. No hypocrisy
• Performance has NOTHING to do with it. People have EVERYTHING to do with it. (It= spreading God’s word, saving folks, making disciples, spreading the truth)
• What is “enough” for me? At what point will i say “ok, any more i get goes straigth to others”?
• Huge church buildings are never prohibited, but never encouraged either
• Discussions with people who live with less resources show that they have a deeper trust in God. Those who have gone through persecution (material,physical, ideological) tend to seek God more as He is their last resort.
• Jesus never looked to talk to mega million crowds. He focused most of his energy on 12 disciples. Concentrated on them. The idea of quality vs. quantity.

Chapter 5: Our Unmistakable Task
WE ARE LIVING AND LONGING FOR THE END OF THE WORLD

• It is about taking risks for our faith. Living outside of the comfort zone for our self
• We are truly living for the end of the world- when Christ returns-because everything will be fixed then.
• The great commission was not to take it to as many people as possible..but to take it to all the people groups
• Since Christ has not yet returned, the mission is not accomplished
• Satan is definitely delaying it (cause once Christ returns, he will be out of action)
• The easiest way Satan can do it is by distracting and discouraging us. Or making us complacent.
• So, in we want Christ to come asap, our biggest goal must be to spread the word of God to all people groups.
• The focus needs to be local as well as international.
• Story of Baptist couple who went to Africa to evangelize, ended up being cannibalized. The next couple who went though ended up helping save tons of folks.
• Will i be wiling to give up some of the freedoms i have (alcohol, dressing,meat) if it means making me more “acceptable” to someone with another faith, so that i can then share my faith with them?
• What is the “heart of Christ”?
• Short term missions have a bad rep. But they do have a long term impact. Help strengthen the disciples.
• We are living- and longing for the end of the world!

Chapter 6: The God who exalts God
WE ARE SELFLESS FOLLOWERS OF A SELF CENTERED GOD

• Selfless because we “died to our selves”
• God -Trinity- CS Lewis concept of trinitarain dance
• Am i truly “loosing my life” or am i “sipping my latte”?
• What happens when my vision actually changes? When i see the future not based on “me” but on what God wants?
• God does not exist to cater to my needs!
• Lets show people the most biblical, holistic, clear and captivating vision of God we possibly can, and trust HIM to take care of the seeking.
• Idea of spreading the word...and then the responsibility of leading the disciples.
• Nothing advances the gospels better than true believers and their lives in action.
• Constant dependence on God
• Continuous prayers- really essential

Full spectrum of life. No putting God in a box. He ain't my genie. He is my creator.

“I have posted watchmen on your walls oh Jerusalem

They will never be silent day or night

You who call on the Lord

Give yourself no rest

And give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem

and makes her the praise of hte earth

• We want to be people who give God “no rest”. Constantly ask Him. Pray.
• Prayers need to be a non negotiable priority
• Why are we involved in this? God doesn't need me. He could have used anyone. It is a blessing. We are involved in the great commission because we are loved.

The highest prize of our lives is HIS global praise.


Quotes

“God exalting men and women do not have time to waste their lives pursuing a Christian spin on the American dream.”

“We must be willing to sacrifice good things in the church in order to experience the great things of God.”

“A church is a community of individuals who have lost their lives to follow Christ. Surely it follows that we would be willing to lose our programs and our preferences, to sacrifice our budgets and our buildings, to let go of our most cherished legacies and reputations if there is a better way to make his glory known in the world.”

“At Brook Hills we have learned that letting go of good things is one of the hardest things to do in the church.” page 14

“The only basis for an act of radical obedience is God himself -the author, creator and ruler of our lives- commanding such action.” page 44

“What this means. then, is that church leaders are intended by God not to plan events but to equip people. Leaders do not exist to provide services but to serve people.” page 71

"Is it really possible to have all the trappings of the church and yet miss the heart of Christ? Is it possible for church people to be so focused on personal comforts and so fearful of potential cost that they virtually forget the purpose of God among all the peoples of the world?” page 79