Posts Tagged ‘radical christianity’

The example of Jesus

Posted: June 9, 2021 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, wilderness
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The Example of Jesus Christ…..He existed in the form of God, yet he gave no thought to seizing equality with God as his supreme prize. Instead he emptied himself of his outward glory by reducing himself to the form of a lowly servant. He became human! He humbled himself and became vulnerable, choosing to be revealed as a man and was obedient. He was a perfect example, even in his death—a criminal’s death by crucifixion! Philippians 2:6-7, The passion translation

Many need to read this, meditating upon it with Holy Spirit opening their eyes to it.

A personal reflection…

One day a Holy conviction shook my heart. Holy Spirit pointed out how I was chasing the recognition, respect and honor of man – basically seeking my own glory.

He showed me how I had spent years studying the fundamentals of the Church i.e. it’s traditions, rituals & culture, not to glorify God the Father rather to draw attention to how knowledgeable I was.

In reality I had become very heart hardened religious fool, an unknowing puppet in the evil ones hands.

I would pray loud long prayers not to bring healing or deliverance to people rather to draw attention to how great I was at praying.

I am so thankful that the Father loves me enough to bring correction and discipline when needed.

My whole desire today is to draw people’s attention to look upon the Lord, for He alone is able to rescue them, to bring healing & deliverance.

He alone is worthy of all the Praise, Honor & Glory!!!

Now, having been captivated by the spirit of religion for so many years, I can recognize it quickly, I can even smell it’s ugly evil presence.

This can be good or be bad, depending on whether one chooses to walk in a high level of mercy.

Or one can incorrectly sit and remain eating from the tree of of the knowledge of good & evil or choose to eat from the tree of life.

Learning from the example Jesus lived as us, I am so thankful & walk daily dependant upon Holy Spirit guidance to remind me it is not the person rather it is the spirit that is holding them in the same prison that it held me in for twelve + years ref 2 Corinthains 10:4, Ephesians 6:12.

Russ Welch

Director of Beaches Rescue & Recovery Mission

www.beachesmission.org

Is the “sinner’s prayer” “superstitious.”

Posted: April 5, 2013 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, Parents, teaching, wilderness
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It was a three-minute video clip that was shared across the evangelical community. In it, Pastor David Platt famously called the “sinner’s prayer” “superstitious.” A few months later, he still finds himself explaining the heart behind that message.

“I believe we simply need to be as biblical as possible (2 Timothy 2:15). Do I believe it is ‘wrong’ for someone to pray a ‘prayer of salvation’? Certainly not,” Platt maintained in a blog post this week.

The 33-year-old pastor, who leads The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Ala., sparked debate earlier this year when he told attendees at the Verge Conference that there is “no such superstitious prayer in the New Testament,” referring to the popular “sinner’s prayer.”

“I’m convinced many people in our churches are just simply missing the life of Christ and a lot of it has to do with what we’ve sold them as the Gospel, i.e. ‘pray this prayer, accept Jesus into your heart, invite Christ into your life,'” he said. “It’s modern evangelism built on sinking sand and it runs the risk of disillusioning millions of souls.”

While some agreed with him, others couldn’t avoid what they saw as the underpinnings of his remarks – Calvinism. Some thought Platt voiced opposition to the “sinner’s prayer” because as a Calvinist, he didn’t want the hopeless unelect to think they are saved through a simple prayer.

He pushed back in his recent blog post, stating that “nothing could be further from the truth.”
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“Any cautions I have expressed with a ‘sinner’s prayer’ have absolutely nothing directly to do with the doctrine of election, and I definitively don’t believe that certain people ‘actually have no chance for life in Christ,'” the Southern Baptist pastor clarified. “Instead, my comments about the ‘sinner’s prayer’ have been deeply motivated by a concern for authentic conversion and regenerate church membership – doctrines which many Calvinists and non-Calvinists, as well as a variety of Christians in between, would rightly value.”

Danny Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, came to Platt’s defense on Thursday. While noting that Platt could have chosen a better word other than “superstitious” in his talk, Akin said he shared his concern about poor gospel presentations and false professions.
But that doesn’t mean he’s against the “sinner’s prayer.”

“I want it to be known that I shepherded all of my sons in praying a ‘sinner’s prayer’ as an expression of the work of God in their hearts as they repented of their sin and placed their trust in Christ alone for salvation,” Akin stated. “I have also preached more than a dozen graduation messages and in each and every one I have shared the gospel, invited people to receive Christ, and even helped them as they surrender their lives to Christ by leading them in a ‘sinner’s prayer.’

“Handled carefully and wisely, I gladly invite people to repent of sin, trust in Christ, and surrender their lives to Him. David and I, I am quite certain, are in 100% agreement with one another on the issue.”
Platt addressed his controversial statements during the Southern Baptist Convention’s Pastors Conference in New Orleans last week.

“In my youth, I know that I am prone not to be careful with my words (particularly when they can become three-minute youtube clips!), so I want to be very careful with my words today,” he said in his introduction.
He went to the New Testament book of John to show evidence of devout followers of Jesus who were not born-again.
John 2:23-24 states: “Many trusted in his name … Jesus, however, would not entrust himself to them.”
“Clearly, from the beginning of the gospel of John – this gospel that revolves around the necessity and centrality of belief in Christ – John makes clear to us that there is a kind of belief, a kind of faith, that does not save,” Platt explained.

“Is it possible for people to say they believe in Jesus, to say they have accepted Jesus, to say that they have received Jesus, but they are not saved and will not enter the kingdom of heaven? Is that possible? Absolutely, it’s possible. It’s not just possible; it is probable.”

Platt, who has a passion for global missions, expressed concern that there are millions of people who are being deceived to thinking they’re saved when they’re not because of a prayer they prayed or decision they made years ago.
At the same time, he made it clear that praying a prayer or making a decision aren’t in themselves bad. In fact, that’s how many believers called out to Christ and became “justified” through faith in Jesus.
But the question, he said, is: “What kind of faith are we calling people to?”

“In a day of rampant easy-believism that creates cultural Christians who do not know Christ, who have never counted the cost of following Christ, we must be biblically clear about saving faith, lest any of us lead people down a very dangerous and potentially damning road of spiritual deception.”

True, saving faith, the Alabama pastor explained, requires first understanding man’s condition before God – that they are dead in sin.

“We cannot dumb it down,” he stressed. “We are morally evil.”
To be born-again, one must repent – turn from sin and self – and believe – “trust in Jesus as the Savior who died for us and the Lord who rules over us.”

“We tell men and women, boys and girls everywhere: repent and believe in Christ. Whether we say, ‘Pray this prayer after me,’ is not the issue,” Platt highlighted. “The issue is that together we say, ‘By the grace of God in the cross of Christ, turn from yourself and trust in Jesus. Come from darkness to light. Come from death to life.’
“Now we can debate all day long how these words are used in what senses, but the testimony of Scripture is absolutely, fundamentally clear: God loves the world, and everyone in the world who trusts in Him will be saved.”
And those who are truly saved, he added, will be compelled to boldly preach the Gospel. They don’t have to be cajoled to do it.

Amid debate on the “sinner’s prayer,” Southern Baptists chose to adopt a resolution this month affirming the prayer as “a biblical expression of repentance and faith.”
Notably, Platt voted for the resolution.

“It was encouraging to see pastors and leaders together say that we need to be wise in the way we lead people to Christ, but such wisdom doesn’t necessarily warrant that everyone must throw out a ‘sinner’s prayer’ altogether,” he stated.

By Lillian Kwon , Christian Post Reporter

Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/david-platt-still-addressing-controversy-over-sinners-prayer-remarks-77462/#BX1QdE6gMYrkVqXG.99

The Radical Christian

Posted: February 22, 2013 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, teaching, wilderness
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1. What is a radical?

“Radical” is one of those words that’s thrown around so casually now that it’s lost nearly all of its force and its distinctive meaning. In general use, it is close to a synonym of “good”. But its true meaning is to do with the concept of a root. A radical change is one that comes from the root; a radical politician is one who wants to change the roots of the political system; and a radical Christian is one whose roots are in Christ.

So the key question for us is this: what is the root of our lives? What does everything else grow from?

Paul draws out the importance of our root in the letter to the Colossians:

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness
— Colossians 2:6-7

And Jesus describes it in the parable of the sower:

[Jesus] told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. […] Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.”
[…]

“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means […] The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.”
— Matthew 13:3, 5-6, 18, 20-21

For us, as for plants, every aspect of our health and growth is determined by the nourishment we get from our root. A plant with no root will die, and a Christian whose root is not in Christ will find his faith dying. It is as simple as that.

A radical Christ hears the radical call of Jesus and obeys, not because he manages to persuade himself that it’s the best thing, or out of a sense of duty, but because his root is in Christ and so following the call is the obvious, natural thing to do.

The call of Jesus is as demanding to us to today as it was to his first disciples two thousand years ago:

Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
— Matthew 16:24

I want to be clear that being radical, in this biblical sense, is very different from being weird. Christians come across as weird when they’re trying too hard to be something they’re not, to force themselves into a spiritual or cultural mold that doesn’t fit their real identity. But being radical means nothing more or less that being true to the identity that God has given us.

2. How radical does God expect us to be?

In the opening section of his classic 1981 book The Radical Christian, Arthur Wallis writes:

If any man professes to call himself a child of God, a disciple of Christ, or a citizen of the kingdom, and yet is bereft of this radicalism, he would be well advised to take a long hard look at his Christian profession. Can it be real gold without this hallmark?
[…]

The radical Christian […] is not a special Christian. He simply qualifies for New Testament normality.
— Arthur Wallis, The Radical Christian, p15

The bible doesn’t envisage any other kind of Christian than what we’re calling “radical”. In the New Testament, radical Christians would not be called radical, they’d just be called Christians!

Being a radical Christian is not a special, high call that’s just reserved for a few special people. It is what God desires for each of us, expects from each of us, and has equipped each of us for. There is no real alternative.

When Dave Nunn (leader of the Bermondsey NFI church and helping with this plant) was a new and enthusiastic Christian, someone suggested that he should read Watchman Nee’s book The Normal Christian Life. He didn’t bother, because his attitude was that he wasn’t interested in just being a mundane, ordinary Christian; he wanted more than that from God. But years later, when he finally read the book, he found that that was precisely the book’s point:

What is the normal Christian life? We do well at the outset to ponder this question. The object of these studies is to show that it is something very different from the life of the average Christian.
[…]

The Apostle Paul gives us his own definition of the Christian life in Galatians 2:20. It is “no longer I, but Christ”. Here he is not stating something special or peculiar – a high level of Christianity. He is, we believe, presenting God’s normal for a Christian, which can be summarised in the words: I live no longer, but Christ lives His life in me.
— Watchman Nee, The Normal Christian Life, opening words.

2 Corinthians 5:17 says “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” We are new people – God has given us a new root. Now he expects us to live from that new root instead of continuing to live our old lives from an old root. Doing this is nothing more than being true to what we are. It is holiness in its sense of wholeness.

3. How important is it to be radical?

In the first letter to the Corinthians, Paul spells out how important the way we live our lives is:

Each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
— 1 Corinthians 3:10-15

This is a stern warning. The message here is that it is not enough just to cruise through a Christianised life on autopilot. Comfortable, middle-class church-attendance is not going to impress God. The warning to the Laodicean church in Revelation is even more thought-provoking:

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, “I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.” But you do not realise that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
— Revelation 3:15-17

We must not sing “Jesus be the centre” and then make him peripheral, one ingredient among many in our lifestyle. If we inventory our lives and find that we’re going: family, job, God, football, then something is desperately wrong.

Treating Jesus as an optional extra, a “lifestyle accessory” may be the single greatest hindrance to our evangelism. Although there are many styles of evangelism, there are ultimately only two basic approaches. The first can be characterised by the phrase “ask Jesus into your life”, and is all about adding him in to whatever else our lives already consist of. The is completely unbiblical. Jesus never offered anyone anything like that. The second approach can be characterised by the phrase “give your life to Jesus”, and is an accurate representation of the offer that he made then and still makes now.

We must be ever vigilant against the tendency to drift from the second of these approaches, which can be perceived as threatening and confrontational, to the first, which is much less demanding for the people we’re talking to. When we present the gospel in terms of “here’s something nice you should add to your lifestyle”, we offend God, deceive our hearers and waste our time. The gospel of Jesus is much more stark: “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand!”

4. What is a radical Christian like?

The number one characteristic of a radical Christian is that he or she loves God more than anyone or anything else. In Paul’s case, his passion for God was so great that he actively looked forward to his own death:

To me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labour for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
— Philippians 1:21-24

The second characteristic is that a radical Christian works hard at the work God has given him or her to do. That’s not the same as burning out on meeting other people’s needs, but a recognition of God’s call and a response to it. Again, Paul is an excellent example:

By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of [the apostles] – yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

— 1 Corinthians 15:10
We see both of these attributes together in a single, paradoxical verse from the letter to the Philippians, in which Paul tells them:

Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you.
— Philippians 2:12-13

Here, the motivation to work hard is that God is already at work in us, and has already worked in us; but our response to that is not laziness but a determination to respond to God’s work in us by working at what he has given us to do. Again, please understand, this emphatically does not mean that we work to earn God’s approval. Quite the converse: we work hard as a response to the fact that God has already given us his approval. We’re not trying to earn love, but to please someone who already loves us.

These are quite abstract descriptions of what a radical Christian is like. That’s how it has to be: there is no “badge of office”. I knew four people in the church at Bermondsey who were (and still are) radical Christians.

One is a full-time worker for the church and an outstanding preacher and worship leader.

Another is less visibly involved in public ministry but does a lot of work behind the scenes with groups like homeless people.
A third has, so far as I’m aware, no formal role within the church at all except as a member.

The fourth went alone to Africa to be a missionary in a Muslim country.

In each of them, the radical Christianity that God called them to is expressed differently. That’s because God deals with each person individually. Not everyone is called to be a missionary in Africa; but everyone is called to live a radical Christian life with Jesus at the very center of it.

5. How can we be radical?

When Nick asked me to preach this week, he wanted me to be much more practical than I usually am, and asked me to include “top tips for holiness”. I’ve thought about this, and the fact is I just can’t do it. The kind of radicalism I’m talking about here must by its very nature start at the root and work its way upwards and outwards. We can’t get there by imposing rules on our behavior.

So what can we do? It’s very, very simple. God says:

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
— Jeremiah 29:13

That’s all.

Remember that in the passage from Revelation earlier, God says to the Laodicean church, “You do not realise that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” To realise that, and to hunger and thirst for more, is Step One towards biblical, Jesus-centred radicalism – just as in Alcoholics Anonymous’s twelve-step program, step one is to admit that you have a problem. That’s why Jesus says:

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
— Matthew 5:3, 6

If we want to be radical, if we want Jesus to be the root of our lives, then all that is required is that we make him the centre. It’s not necessarily easy, but it’s simple. And it all comes from the hunger for God that Jesus described in the sermon on the mount.

Where does that hunger come from? Well, hopefully from sermons like this one! Also from reading the bible, from anointed Christian music (which does not mean all Christian music), from time spent in prayer. My number one hope for this session is that people will go away from it hungrier for God than before.

Finally, to anyone who became a Christian in response to an invitation of the “ask Jesus into your heart” variety, I was to say this: sorry, you were misled. The call of Jesus to you now is the same it was then, but it wasn’t explained to you. That call is to turn your whole life over to him. Please do.

~Mike Taylor

The Cost of Discipleship

Posted: November 20, 2012 in disciples life, teaching, wilderness
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This is where we come face to face with a dangerous reality. We do have to give up everything we have to follow Jesus. We do have to love him in a way that makes our closest relationships in this world look like hate. And it is entirely possible that he will tell us to sell everything we have and give it to the poor.

… You know that in the end you are not really giving away anything at all. Instead you are gaining. Yes, you are abandoning everything you have, but you are also gaining more than you could have in any other way. … Why? Because you have found something worth losing everything else for.

This is the picture of Jesus in the gospel. He is something — someone — worth losing everything for. And if we walk away from the Jesus of the gospel, we walk away from eternal riches. The cost of nondiscipleship is profoundly greater for us than the cost of discipleship. For when we abandon the trinkets of this world and respond to the radical invitation of Jesus, we discover the infinite treasure of knowing and experiencing him.

– David Platt

So you have a better view than the Lord?

Posted: September 6, 2012 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, teaching, wilderness
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“Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (6:34)

Why is it that we like to use verses that encourage us yet the ones that challenge we close the Bible and put it back on the shelf? Jesus is plainly here talking about not worrying about tomorrow yet I constant hear Christians” speaking with a spirit of fear in regard to the future.

Let’s take it to another level, now speaking to Christian leaders, why do we set an agenda for the Church? Why do we establish monthly, annual and annual topics and agenda’s?

If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Luke 12:28-34)

Oswald Chambers said in light of these passages:

“The great word of Jesus to His disciples is abandon. Immediately we look at these words of Jesus, we find them the most revolutionary statement human ears ever listened to. ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God.’ We argue in exactly the opposite way, even the most spiritually-minded of us–‘But I must live; I must make so much money; I must be clothed; I must be fed.’ The great concern of our lives is not the kingdom of God, but how we are to fit ourselves to live. Jesus reverses the order: Get rightly related to God first, maintain that as the great care of your life, and never put the concern of your care on the other things.

I wonder about what Christian pastors and teachers are thinking when the teach the Bible with their lips, yet their lives are not a demonstration of the very words they are speaking.

I listened as men and women establish ministries and they set an
agenda and then say “God gave this to me”.

Really?

Because all through the Bible I read if how God gave his generals orders for the task right in front of them;

Abraham, get up and go and he went, yet all through Abrahams life God gave him instructions for the next task at hand…. David you are anointed King of Israel….yet at every battle David had to ask the Father for His plans for the Lord only gave Him the plans for the battle in front of Him. Jesus to the Apostles “go and tarry”
Yet we speak as though God sees no need for us to have faith, because He is like a fortune teller and show us from start to finish.

James said:
“Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what [shall be] on the morrow. For what [is] your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye [ought] to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth [it] not, to him it is sin.”

No wonder the world see’s the Church but as a bunch of hypocrites for we profess the scriptures yet we do not live what we are speaking. Or is it because we have been deceived and bought into the Americanized version of the Gospel message that has toned it down and almost completely erased the radical call of Jesus Christ because it is to offensive?

I like what David Platt says in his book “Radical – Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream” – “We desperately need to explore how much of our understanding of the gospel is American and how much is biblical.”

We make our agenda and then cry out to God to show up and when He does not we act like spoiled little children who didn’t get their way and some go as far as opening the door to the father of lies to come and convince them that God the Father let them down.

If we are truly radical disciples of Jesus Christ then we need to radically cross the line of simply professing the Word to the life that lives it. We need to see a radical transformation of Church government back to the foundational teachings of our Lord and His disciples as written in the Word. We need to stop promoting people so quickly because we see that they may have a gift. We need to protect the flock and make sure we do not send out immature Christians to be their fathers and mothers in the faith as their immaturity can turn the new born Christian away from the Faith.

So many pastors are tired and worn out (because they do not see the need of true Biblical elders in place i the Church) that they grab the first one that looks promising not realizing that they may have just welcomed an Ismael into their leadership. Because of this we have seen Church split after Church split.For such immaturity leads to division, strife, envy and jealousy and once they’ve been placed in a position of leadership they will never step down without and all out brawl, most of the time turning “their” followers against the leadership of the Church. Paul warns us and lays out the qualifications for leaders in the Church.

‘Jesus never said we could slice and dice His Gospel and still be His disciples in fact He went so far as to say if we obey ALL His commands we can be His disciple.

Its time to stop playing Church according to mans rules – its time to get back to the blue print that the Father has given us in His Word.

Lets get radical –lets not just preach the Bible – lets be Bible!!!

It’s Time to take it to the Extreme Level of Discipleship

Posted: August 29, 2012 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, Prophetic, teaching, wilderness
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Just about 3 years ago, after spending several months in the Book of Act’s and having read David Platt’s; Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream , Holy Ghost brought me to a place of Holy conviction because my life was not in line with what the Bible describes as a true disciples of Jesus Christ. During this time of repentance and seeking the truth according to the scriptures and not those of men, I made this declaration to my Savior, Lord, King and Master Jesus Christ: “I spent the first 45 years of my life trying to startle the fence between the world and the Kingdom. I want to spend the rest of my life trying to be radical.” When we study the Bible and the great movements of God we find that All history shapers are radical, and I believe it’s time for believers everywhere to take on this attribute.

There have been times during this period that I have lost friendships, been called an outsider, been scorned by the very leaders I had looked up to. It has cost my family fellowshipping with those we had attended Church with for years. There has been a cost and I believe there will continue to be a cost. But I can not remain silent where I see error. I can not stand by and watch good hearted people be drawn to a powerless gospel that will lead them to Hell, when we have been giving the authority to walk in the power of Holy Ghost and release the True Gospel of Jesus Christ, just as He and His disciples taught and lived it.

I adhere to the teachings of Christ, having read and continue in the reading od the thoughts and religion recipes of man. I can not but weigh all things against the Word of God. That which does not line up with His Word, I throw out and sound the alarm that others do not fall into its evil religious trap.

In the Word I read the following commands of the Lord that can not be watered down nor ignored by those who desire to be His true disciples;

The Lord called us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. That’s radical.

Jesus commanded us to love our neighbors as ourselves. That’s radical.

Our Lord God said we are to preach the gospel to every person on earth and turn all nations into His followers. That’s radical.
So the question at hand is “What does it really mean to be radical servant of God today according to the doctrines of Jesus Christ? “A true radical is one who defies the whims of his times and calls people back to root realities and root causes.

To be honest, the Church is not impacting the world in the manner Jesus calls us to. We have built empires unto men, schools that are tainted with worldly philosophies. Today more than ever before the greatest need in the body of Christ is for radical followers of Jesus Christ who are anchored in:

• truth, not emotional, worldly and philosophical based thoughts of man
• grace, not legalistic religion
• faith, not skepticism
• discipline, not indolence
• history, not fads
• hope, not despair.

So we truly see that yes, the greatest need in the Church today is the need for radical disciples of Jesus Christ who are anchored in Christ and the assurance of His global glory. “We who have fled to Him for refuge can take new courage, for we can hold on to His promise with confidence. This confidence is like a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls” (Heb. 6:18-19, NLT).

I am tired of the religion being taught in our Churches today, tired of the seeker friendly message, the feel good messages and the focus on what we can get out of following God rather than what God can produce through us as we line up obediently to what His Word calls us to be. I want to be a truly radical follower of Jesus: rooted in Him, extremely in love with Him, extremely devoted to Him and His cause. The acrostic below spells out for me the components of a radical life fully given over to Jesus:

Revelation. True radicals live by revelation drawn from intimacy with Jesus.

Anointing. True radicals are anointed by the Holy Spirit.

Discipline. True radicals retain that anointing by practicing historic Christian disciplines.

Integrity. True radicals are those whose public persona is matched by private purity.

Courage. True radicals follow the truth, speak the truth and call people to the truth.

Anchored. True radicals are anchored in history and hope; in the Word and the Spirit.

Love. True radicals are driven by the love of God at work in them by the Holy Spirit.

One theologian observed that the great revolutions in the history of Christianity do not occur by discovering something new. Great revolutions happen, he stated, when someone takes radically something that has always been there. Martin Luther took the simple gospel message of justification by faith radically. John Wesley took the simple message of biblical holiness radically. William Seymour took a present-tense encounter with the Holy Spirit radically. There are countless, known names as well as the nameless servants of the Lord who have over the past 2000 plus years as well as in our day, in our day take the Masters teaching in regard ministering “to the least of these” radically.

Brothers & sisters I believe with all my heart that this is the day for us to take Christ’s Great Commission radically. I believe it is the hour for us to go forth with radical faith, radical commitment and radical love and usher in His second coming by making disciples of all nations. We can’t start a revolution by being worldly and full of man made religious doctrines.

Let’s get radical!

Jesus does not want Luke warm followers – He desires Radicals

Posted: August 26, 2012 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, Prophetic, teaching, wilderness
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Jesus does not want Luke warm followers – He desires Radicals – in fact He clearly state states that if we are not radical about following Him He shall spit us out of His mouth. (Rev 3:16)

As the return of the Lord draws closer and closer, I believe we the Church are in a very crucial season and the enemy know that is is bringing great confusion into the Body. I see this especially as we look at calling of man verses the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ in regard to “Grow or Discipleship” As we look at what the word disciple means we need to realize the enemy is out to destroy, twist, distort and pervert the teachings of Christ and today we are challenged with some real misconceptions of discipleship and what radical discipleship looks like.

So today let us ask the question what does disciple in the Bible really mean?

The word disciple comes from a Greek word which means, someone who not only learns but becomes attached to one’s teacher and becomes his follower in doctrine and conduct of life. In other words a disciple is someone who walks in the footsteps of his master or emulates his lifestyle.

Let us ask this question of ourselves today – Does my life emulate the life of Jesus?

There are a number of initiatives over the years that have been fruitful and not so fruitful. If we do not allow Holy Ghost to direct us, and together spend time in prayer and the Word we can end up leaning more on mans leadership than that of the Father.

We have seen this in our generation such as the of discipleship teachings that came out of the “Shepherding movement” which brought forth a perversion of discipleship teachings. In all honesty it birthed a season of “perverse and unbiblical obedience” to leaders. Many still struggle with these teachings today. Only the allowance of Holy Ghost to have the freedom to bring forth the Fire of Gods purity into our hearts and meetings can be a safe Spiritual wall against the influence of such dark deceptive doctrines, though they appear to be gentle as sheep these doctrines are wolves who seek to scatter and destroy the Lords sheep.

We must seek the Father guidance and come to the realization that there is more to this Christian life than what many are living. We must realize that the call of Christ on ever person who proclaims Him as Lord is a radical call.

If we open the Word of God and read it under the “Super-Vision” of Holy Ghost, we will indeed see that true Biblical discipleship if anything is radical. This is chiefly because it was taught and practiced by a leader who was more radical than his contemporaries. What he said and did practically blew the myths of leadership, and traditional views of serving God. Christ’s discipleship model is so radical because of its call, the cost and the rewards.

And to quelch the negative narrative that many will try to inject here by claiming that I am speaking about “work-based” salvation, let it be known that I believe that salvation is a free gift from God; you don’t have to do anything to earn it but everything else after getting saved is costly. If you ask the early disciples, the church reformers or any great men and women of God what price you must pay in following Christ, they would unashamedly without any hesitation would echo the very words of Christ who said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever looses his life for me will find it.” Let these words deeply sink into our hearts.

We must not be fooled by the watered down gospel being taught in many Churches today. My friends the Gospel truth is, following Christ comes with a huge price tag attached to it. It calls for a life style of self denial, giving up of our rights, and willingness to go through suffering, pain, heartache and possibly death. What comforts or pleasures are you willing to deny yourself in order to know Christ? It is about time that we stop fighting; grumbling and quarreling among ourselves over who will make the next meat balls and spaghetti meal and as a Church take a deeper look at radical discipleship.

Sadly many “leaders” in the Church are playing a game with the Lord’s sheep today, they are like political leaders vying for the most sheep that they may be seen as a great leader whose Church is the largest one in the city, thus their anointing must be seen as superior to all the other shepherds in the territory. They love titles and you will see them amass them like badges of honor “doctors, bishops, rev, apostles etc – some will even be Rev, Pastor Dr, author, apostle so and so, as though by displaying their titles brings honor – Oh they will get the honor here for sure and then stand before the Father and answer why they sought to steal the honor and praise of His people meant for His Son.

Yet while we sit around deliberating on the merits and challenges of radical discipleship there are literally thousands of our brothers and sisters who are paying the price with their lives because of their obedience to the call of their master. I was moved and deeply challenged by the stand that young Iranian Pastor Yousuf took, though he was offered freedom from execution simply if he confessed that, Mohammed is the great prophet of God but he simply refused to deny his master and prepared to die. What an example of a radical disciple of Christ.

Are your ears open today – Do you not hear the alarm sounding across the land? Do you not here the Master Jesus Christ calling you for a radical discipleship. Are you willing to pick up your cross and follow Jesus? May the Lord help all of us with courage to radically follow Him, even if it means loosing our lives? My prayer is that all of us will hear the words of Jesus at the end of our life’s journey that are recorded in Rev 2:7, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” Amen

So you think your radical

Posted: August 21, 2012 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, Prophetic, teaching, wilderness
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As radical disciples of Christ Jesus we give radically, sacrifice radical, and we are dedicated to radical obedience to God & His Word not because we believe that by such works we shall enter heaven. Rather it if because of the outward expression of the inward experience of all that the Father has poured into their lives via Holy Ghost. I serve Christ not because I am ordered to, I serve because His love propels me to do so with a rejoicing & joyful overflow.

I do not have the right to judge others in regard to the depth of their service to the Lord – but the Word is the weight and measure of all things and when I see those who claim to be sold out to Christ having no compassion for the lost, the helpless, the homeless, the widow and the orphans I often wonder if they have read the same Bible that I have read.

Jesus’s life, death and resurrection call all who call upon His Name and believer that He is the Son the of the living God to a higher standard than that of the world. It calls us to be separated from the fleshly indices, the lure to walk in darkness and the carnality of what this world has to offer.

I have to question how much damage the false, watered down gospel of our day has done to the Body. How many have been fooled into believing they are truly the Lords disciples while they still serve the prince of darkness.

I hear the true stories of the saints in other parts of the world who give their very lives for the gospel. They accept death rather than denouncing Jesus as their Lord. They are beating, tortured, and even watch their family members be put to death because of their devotion to be disciples of Jesus Christ. They are radically in love with Jesus and they have abandoned their lives to a radical service to God the Father.

And then I see the picture of the westernized Church. I have witnessed many who claim to love Jesus, yet their to busy to be His hands and feet. There are to busy with the things of this world to take the time to give a cup of water to one who is thirsty. They need to make sure all their needs are meet first and if that person is lucky they just might give them a few bread crumbs at best.

We see a whole generation going to Hell yet we have no time to mentor, no time to help, no time to serve which in reality makes a loud proclamation that we really have no time to LOVE.

It causes a heaviness in my heart when I ponder how many have said a little prayer that causes them to feel they shall spend eternity in heaven only to get there and here the words “Depart from me for I know you not”?

In the same way how many have been fooled in to a gospel filled with legalism and a salvation that is based upon works and earning our way into heaven shall hear the same words?

If each believer could just tap into the Love of God, if they just cry out to Holy Ghost to baptize them in His mercy and Grace they shall be renewed and for once have a true “First Love” experience with the creator of heaven and earth.

Again, a radical disciples serves out of gratitude, honor and joy for all that the Father has given them in the same way that we would give the world to that special someone when we first experience a love for them.

A truly radical Christian is sold out to the ways of the Kingdom. Their hearts are set to the heights of heaven and they look forward with an eagerness that out weights anything this world has to offer, too spending eternity with Jesus Christ, Their Savior, Lord, King, and Master.

Where is your heart today friend?

Is it more connected to the things of this world or to Jesus?

We must radically love Jesus above everything else, if indeed we are to be known as His true disciples. It is a call to a radical sold out, Christ Jesus or nothing else lifestyle.

We serve a radical Master who is seeking radical servants to whom He can commission to fulfill His desire and will on this earth – yet He is so radical that He calls them not slaves, but friends.

Here is a radical statement – If you cant find the time to love those around you, especially the ones who no one else wants to love – Stop calling yourself a Christian – For Jesus has commanded that all His disciples live a life of radical LOVE

The burden of the seed planter

Posted: August 6, 2012 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, teaching, wilderness
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Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate, And the Lord have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land. But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof. (Isaiah 6:8-13)

I have found that operating in the prophetic and having the gift of evangelism can at times be trying. Especially when you here a directive from the Lord, you feel the intensity of the Fathers passion and you share it to those whom the Lord desires to hear it and there is absolutely no response. I can imagine how the Lord felt when but Peter stepped out of the boat and the others remained in it. There are times when I can look out and see a huge web covering people and when I asked the Holy Ghost about it He said it was a “web of complacency” that was being feed by doubt and self absorption.

For the Father has awesome plans and gifts for all of His Children yet the majority as in over 90% of those who have called upon His Name receive them. Not because He has not desired them to have them rather that they are so busy with their own lives and their own agenda’s they have never asked Him what His desire was.

Many disciples today are like soldiers in the battle field with out ammunition for their weapons because they never took the time to enter the storehouse to get armored up. Like a child with a new B.B. gun they are more interested in playing with it rather than taking the time to fill it, read the directions and use it as it was purposed to be used.

Every week I see countless people who claim the name of Christ walking with down cast spirits, always defeated and never experiencing true joy. I have begun to understand how the Lord felt as He stood looking over Jerusalem weeping. And to really to the full revelation of “Many are called, but few are chosen”. Again it is not because the Lord only desires a few to experience His Kingdom in its fullness for He would all of His Children – it is because few take the time to ask, seek and knock.

O, they might say a quick prayer, they might look for a few minutes and they may tap the doors of Heaven once or twice but they lack the patience and the desire to keep asking, til the Father answers, to keep seeking that He may show them and to keep knocking that the awesome things He has for them may be revealed.

No, the majority of Christians today are birthed into a generation who has become accustomed to instant gratification and desire a “Fast-Food” type religion. They can not begin to grip the understanding of “Wait upon the Lord” or to those who endure,m they shall be counted as those who are the over-comers.

The Churches are filled with illusionist, who paint a picture of Christianity that has no call for sacrifice, no room for the word obedience and no place for faithful labor – they paint a false picture of the Kingdom as being filled with all our dreams being meet by a big sugar daddy in the sky.

The sad thing is that in our day everyone wants a place of position being worshiped by others – mere man pleasers, they believe they are owed the reward’s and demand a fire filled revival all to the glory of their name but none are willing to pay the cost. The saddest part of this is that in the end they shall be like the many who did not enter into the promised land, for they desired not to wait upon the Lord.

As it was then, so is today in that the Father is seeking a Joshua mentality, those who will walk in faith regardless of what they see in the natural, for they have surrendered their eyes, ears and dreams unto the Lord and are walking with supernatural vision seeing what shall be, for indeed they know that God the Father has the best in-store for those who desire nothing but His Will.

In the end of my questioning the Lord as to why so few want to take part in the Harvest, He simply said to remain being faithful in planting the seed, Holy Ghost will go forth and water it and in the end each ones is left with their own Will choose. Even if but one seed takes root, is watered and nourished till it grows and produces fruit it have been been worth it.

I thought, Wow if the Father is not worried about numbers why are so many leaders in the Church today concerned with numbers. Holy Ghost responded quickly with “They have their agenda, the Father has His desire”.

None the less I will continue to sow His Word, I will continue to labor in the Harvest and I will continue to weep for those who hear but do not respond. I and many others are not laboring in vain but merely keep on walking in obedience to His call knowing that is but His commissioned call to do so.

The Lord is indeed calling forth a radical generation – men and women who shall deny themselves, the things of this world and follow after Him. even if it leads them to death and all to the Glory of His Name. Their names shall be of no mentioned popularity among the popular crowds, yet their testimonies shall ignite the Fires that shall burn across the Greatest Harvest known to mankind – The Great & final Harvest.

Nature itself is crying out for the Lord’s return – Heaven is thundering in anticipation of the Champion of champions breaking forth from the Throne room to come and claim that which His rightfully His, His Bride!!!!

Are you radical enough to say no to the status quo of Christianity that is being practiced throughout the land today? Purposeless, powerless, passionless, and spiritless religion that has imprisoned the masses but for the glory of men and the prince of darkness?

Jesus never gave the disciples a choice of following Him or someone else in order to be His disciple. He straight forwardly said “Follow Me” and they followed.

Today He is asking the same question, the same way “Follow Me”. Are you willing to forsake everything and follow the Master?

If you said yes get ready to experience the Kingdom like never before – Ask Holy Ghost to take you through the Word of God and Show you the Fathers desire for you, the way to live, think and believe that you to may be numbered amongst the chosen one. Ask Him to birth in you a passion for prayer and a passion for worship that you may be led by the heart beat of the Father.

The reward is eternal – an eternity of being in the presence of the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Master, Jesus Christ.

Yes my friends, today is the day that you can step in the ranks of the Army of God, led by the Champions of champions,, Jesus, the Only begotten Son of the Living God. Take that step brother & sister – that you can mark this day on your calendar as the the day that you become a radical disciple of Jesus Christ – asking, seeking and knocking that you may find your self positioned to be all that the Father intended you to be.

Its time to stop reading about feats of the disciples in the Bible and start living our own – its time to become as radical as the disciples in the Book of Acts – to begin walking in the power & authority that Christ has been giving for us – its time to release the Glory of the Lord til it covers the earth!!!!!

Written by Russ Welch

Living as Those Made Alive in Christ

Posted: July 1, 2012 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, teaching, wilderness
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Since you were brought back to life with Christ, focus on the things that are above—where Christ holds the highest position. Keep your mind on things above, not on worldly things. You have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you, too, will appear with him in glory.

Therefore, put to death whatever is worldly in you: your sexual sin, perversion, passion, lust, and greed (which is the same thing as worshiping wealth). It is because of these sins that God’s anger comes on those who refuse to obey him.[a] You used to live that kind of sinful life. Also get rid of your anger, hot tempers, hatred, cursing, obscene language, and all similar sins. Don’t lie to each other. You’ve gotten rid of the person you used to be and the life you used to live, and you’ve become a new person. This new person is continually renewed in knowledge to be like its Creator. Where this happens, there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, uncivilized person, slave, or free person. Instead, Christ is everything and in everything.

As holy people whom God has chosen and loved, be sympathetic, kind, humble, gentle, and patient. Put up with each other, and forgive each other if anyone has a complaint. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Above all, be loving. This ties everything together perfectly. Also, let Christ’s peace control you. God has called you into this peace by bringing you into one body. Be thankful. Let Christ’s word with all its wisdom and richness live in you. Use psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to teach and instruct yourselves about God’s kindness.[b] Sing to God in your hearts. Everything you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Col 3:1-18)

The Father has made His desire in regard to the life He desires His Children to live in Paul has written here – It could be made no clearer and it is a a Heaven sent recipe to living a Holy Life in Christ inspired through Holy Ghost. To be radical disciples we need the radical transformation of our hearts and minds that we may live such a radically selfless & Kingdom purposed life unto our King.

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