Christianity Today recently carried a story by Matthew Lee Anderson on David Platt, Francis Chan, Shane Claiborne and Kyle Idleman, entitled Here Come the Radicals. I finally got around to reading it, and found the piece helpful in articulating a concern I have.
I’ve read some of all four of these writers and believe their critique of American culture, comfortable Christianity, etc. – is very needed. They also make me just a bit nervous. I think there is a real risk for young leaders (and all four of these guys are young) to push discipleship in a direction that gets mean. We need their prophetic voice – and so I have recommended their books – but we cannot drink the Kool Aide without diluting it.
I’ve always struggled to articulate my concerns on this point. (I’d like to think that’s because I’m much better at calling people to be more dedicated to Christ not “less.) But my sense is that the call to be “sold out” can get a bit mean. Rather than growing in the grace of Christ people can slip into an ascetic legalism. In certain situations their faith becomes competitive.
Steve Hayner told me one of the hardest jobs he faced as president of IVCF was keeping it from being “too radical.” That made sense to me a few days later when I met a student at Trinity College who was calling the entire campus to a 40 day fast. What could possibly be wrong with a forty day fast? Hey, Jesus did it, right? This young man had an infectious zeal for Christ that I loved and wanted to affirm. But… is it a good idea for a 110 pound, 18 year old freshman girl to go on a 40 day fast? Should we really tell a 20 year old – who is taking 20 credits and working 15 hours a week – that if they really love Jesus he needs to attend a daily 4 a.m. prayer mtg? Is it wise to tell these same students that they should give next semester’s tuition payment to the poor?
These are not rhetorical questions. We are way too soft. We need more radical commitment. But…
Anderson catches the edge to the stuff these guys are writing that can push people in the wrong direction. We need their voice, but we also need to be wise and gracious in the way it is understood and applied.