The Year of Radical

When we think about the term "radical" or "radicalized" today, there are some pretty heavy connotations linked with these descriptive words. But what if living radically or becoming radicalized was actually the very thing our generation needed in order to experience the transformation we all long for?

The type of radical living I'm talking about, however, has nothing to do with politics though I'm sure our current political climate would greatly benefit from it. Nor am I referring to extreme outbursts meant to prove a point or spur on loud movements while neglecting the damage done along the way to prove said point or spur on said movement.

So, what type of radical living am I referring to?

Well, the type of radical living that sends a relationally & sexually broken, oppressed, and outcasted woman racing back to the very townspeople that shunned her, in order that she might tell others of the transformative encounter she had just experienced (John 4: 45).

The type of radical living that sends a healed man running through his city, leaping for joy and declaring the transformative encounter that he had just experienced (Acts 3:1-10).

The type of radical living that spares a condemned prostitute of receiving the death penalty, all because of the transformative encounter that she had just experienced (John 8:1-11).

The type of radical living that leads a hated tax collector to give away over half of his possessions to the poor and repay the very people that he improperly withheld money from, all because of the transformative encounter that he had just experienced (Luke 19:1-10).

The type of radical living that compels a murderous religious zealot to turn from his ways and instead serve the people he once sought to kill until he himself was murdered for his service, all because of the transformative encounter that he had just experienced (Acts 9: 1-19). 

Imagine a world led by such radical living...a world where lost identities were restored, ailments were healed, second chances were given to the least deserving, wrongs were made right, and struggles were turned into powerful ministries that helped countless others?  What a world that would be!

There was a point in history, when a man named Jesus led a group of his friends in such a way, that these radical events occurred everywhere they went.  As you can imagine, it sent the culture of their time into complete and hostile chaos by challenging the corrupt political empire, exposing the hypocritical religious leaders, and shedding light onto the utter darkness of their generation.  They were described as being "men who (had) turned the world upside down" (Acts 17:6). While thousands supported their message which brought truth, light and hope into the evil of the world, those who were being exposed (like the political leaders, religious leaders, and evildoers of their time) wished to silence the men by imprisonment, intense persecution, and even death. Which, by the way, is exactly what happened.

But that didn't stop their powerful teachings and word of their radical living from continuing to spread. In fact, the persecutions only further fueled transformative revival across the entire world. The craziest part? Millions continue to experience radical transformation and revival even today, because of these men. So what exactly was it about these men, their teachings, and their lives, that led to such world-wide radical revival?

Join me for a 12 months series titled, "The Year of Radical" to find out :)