i enjoy what i do, so sometimes i feel like my whole life is sabbath… but i think sabbath goes further, to not doing anything, and allowing god to really work. i think sabbath truly practiced as an attitude and lifestyle, can really help escape this need to ‘work harder’ radically different from the way the rest of the world operates…

In the past i’ve had a reactionary response to perceived laggards in the church, where something within me says just you wait till i’m running the ship, i’ll show you how much i’m willing to put into it, and that’ll inspire others to also throw in their very best, and so we’ll be a new, more radical, more passionate church.

“lead with diligence” is of course a more healthy statement. It’s not comparative like ‘work harder’ and it carries with it a degree of integrity/honesty with yourself that hopefully avoids manically pouring your guts out for incremental differences.

In light of this post, i guess i’ve been wondering if there are healthier forms or structures where leaders can lead diligently and effectively and be at peace that they are being true to Jesus and being the church.

ie. i recently heard a podcast with craig groeschel talking about how he eats at home with his family 6 nights a week. I wonder how many pastors of smaller or larger churches can say this, as they ‘work harder’, without necessarily producing more results.

Peace

sounds like some deep spiritual formation which can only happen in community. now, what does that look like? does spiritual formation have to be ‘radical’? i mean, isn’t it radical if it goes way beyond the ‘great sermons’, ‘technilogically’, etc. returning to some of the ancient ways. i don’t know, just some thoughts.

brad

That being said, what might a core group of radical followers of Jesus do to be the church and lead others to also be fully committed followers? Is there something more than amazing sermons, more than great examples (thought this one is huge), more than opportunities to ask questions and serve…? maybe that’s really it, but I guess that’s what i’ve been wondering.

Aaron, thanks for tuning in – definitely add me, please do!

It definitely starts with us. Lon, you definitely have that heart, and I think that a leader that is consistently and passionately following Christ and seeking his heart and will can aggressively go after new forms and tools to convey it. The tension that follows I believe is a good tension that reminds us as leaders that the form and the tools are never the answer in themselves. Instead, they are just a means to an end. They can come and go…and they will, so we hold loosely to our forms and our strategies. But Jesus will never change, and we can hold tightly to the goal of being and leading people to be fully committed followers of Christ.

just a guy – thanks for saying that. something i suspected, but needed to hear from another person as well. thanks so much.

Just because our church might be more creative, more current, more engaging, work harder, be more balanced, be more missional, more tech-savvy, more relational, and on and on… I wonder if these changes would still just be incremental?

Of course they will… Jesus and the early church pretty much set a high standard for “radical” and I’d wager that anyone who comes along these days with something “radical” to that degree is probably someone to be a little weary of.

At the end of the day, I think a lot of what you are thinking about is merely “form.” From what I’ve read on your blog you’re not talking about a church that has some new crazy take on scripture or doctrine, but rather you are seeking to plant something that maybe looks and feels a little bit different. That, I think, is just form. The message stays the same, the mode changes.

To that end, I think most change will be incremental… and that’s not bad.

If the church you plants preaches and lives the gospel in the world… then go for it man! We need a whole lot more of those! Heck, now days that is pretty radical!