Isaiah 9:2 – “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined.” NKJV

Mark 16:15-18 – “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”  NKJV

 

We hear a lot about ‘Radical Islam’ and when that term is used it is referring to jihadist who terrorize.  It seems that much of the media world considers any Christianity that is remotely ‘normal’ by biblical standards is ‘radical’.  What is ‘Radical Christianity’ from a biblical perspective?  I believe that what some would call ‘radical’ God calls ‘normal.’  We find in Acts 11:26 that the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch and that was a radical departure from the accepted religion of that day, region, and people.  They were identified as ‘trouble makers’ (Acts 17:6).  The entire city of Ephesus was turned on its ear when they came to it.  (Acts 19 ) We find according to Acts 19:10 that in just two short years every Jew and Greek in the whole of Asia had heard the Gospel of the Kingdom.  In Acts 5 the disciples and believers were used of God in signs and wonders so much so that even the shadow of Peter brought healing to the sick.  Sounds Radical to me but when I read the Bible I find that what we call ‘radical’ God seems to deem ‘normal.’  Maybe I should say they were ‘Radically Normal’ in following Jesus.

RADICAL ANOINTING….

I am convinced that too often we have settled for second best rather than pressing in to receive the anointing God desires us to walk in.  Too often we reminiscence rather than press forward and have adapted and adopted a mentality to let clerical George do it rather than the entire body pressing in.  Isaiah 40 tells us that if we wait on the Lord we will renew our strength, mount up with wings as eagles, run and not be weary and walk and not faint.  Too many times we run before the tank is full and operate on half empty rather than full.

RADICAL CHURCH GOVERNMENT…

I know that is taboo to even bring up church government but the Bible is filled with it in the New Testament and pictures of it are in the Old.  In Acts 2 we have reference to continuing in the apostle’s doctrine.  They had leadership and order and coupled with the radical anointing they began seeing a great harvest and those harvested were being assimilated into the Body of Christ to function.

RADICAL COMMITMENT…

That’s a tough one!  Most of the Christian community today is not focused on ‘commitment’ because we have been taught to be ‘self-centered’.  The Bible teaches a vision of heart that I call Kingdom Vision that transcends me.  The complaint I hear and have heard for decades is “I’m too busy”.  My question is, “When did Jesus change?”  A radical commitment produces a radical lifestyle and obtains radical results but it begins with commitment.  I am not talking about ‘church attendance’ but COMMITMENT.  The Radical Christian fears nothing because he/she knows that God is Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent having overcome the enemy of our souls and relegated him to utter defeat.

RADICAL GIVING…

Surely you can’t expect a preacher to present something without getting to the pocketbook sooner or later.  One major goal of Christian giving is so that everyone in the fellowship has their needs met.  If people in the local fellowship are forced to go to the government for help, it is my conviction that the fellowship is not walking in and practicing fully the pattern, provisions, and promises of God.

It is my conviction that we will also be RADICAL IN PRAYER and that will result in being RADICAL IN EVANGELISM and the reports of souls brought into the kingdom will make us RADICAL IN PRAISE and the end result is we will become RADICAL IN FAITH.  Some might say that what I’m presenting is ‘Radical Thinking’ but I believe it is ‘Normal Christianity’ and not radical at all.

            May God bless you as you go through your day!