Radical Christianity: Not famous but faithful
In his book, 21 Servants of Sovereign Joy, John Piper shares with the reader the difference between an “adrenaline Christian” and a “coronary Christian.”
He writes:
“Not that adrenaline is bad... it gets me through a lot of Sundays. But it lets you down on Mondays. The heart is another kind of friend. It just keeps on serving - very quietly, through good days and bad days, happy and sad, high and low, appreciated and unappreciated. It never says, “I don’t like your attitude Piper; I’m takin a day off.” It just keeps humbly lub-dubbing along. It ENDURES the way adrenaline doesn’t.
Coronary Christians are like the heart in the causes they serve. Adrenaline Christians are like adrenaline - a spurt of energy and then fatigue. What we need in the cause of social justice, and the cause of world missions, and the cause of personal holiness and evangelism is not spurts of energy but people who endure for the long haul. Marathoners, not sprinters.”
Right now, I connect with his words in such a profound way due to the fact that I Just trained and ran a marathon last November. It can be exhausting no doubt. Many hours of running. It is not glamorous. It is not a party. It’s about pacing yourself. About staying true to your cause and no matter how you feel, to faithfully stay committed to your destination.
This last January, I had the opportunity to attend the Passion Conference in Atlanta, GA, for the first time in my life. Thousands upon thousands of young adults gathered around the country to hear some of the best musicians, speakers, and performers in the world. I was blown away by the amount of energy and, literally, the passion that filled the arenas. It was indeed a great experience and even a small taste of heaven. However, as great as it was, I did ponder what happens in these thousands of young people's lives once the music fades, the lights go out, they travel back home, and then it's just them and the Lord. In the quietness and challenges of life. Do they begin to get involved and learn the fundamentals of the Christian life found in God’s Word? Or do they, like many, fall back into “their old ways,” waiting for the next mountaintop experience to lift their hearts one more time?
When we think of someone who is radical, we think of people who go to extremes for the causes they believe in and share. They sell all their belongings and go overseas. They become an evangelist or pastor and preach all of their days. There are many different ways a follower of Jesus can be a radical for the cause of Christ.
But out of all these things, I want to share what I believe are some of the most radical things a person could do nowadays in our country. The next several blogs will be in accordance with this theme of Modern-Day Radical Christianity. If you do read them, agree, disagree, or have questions, please do not hesitate to ask or share them with me. My email address can be found on the homepage option titled…wait for it… “Contact.” I invite you in on this study of how God, through His Word, has instructed His followers to live on this earth and to be a light in the darkness, making our lives count for His glory.
