Radical Excerpt

Have you read the book, "Radical" yet? This is my second time through and I have the joy of being convicted all over again - and sharing that with our small group. This week we are reading Chapter 4 - one that left me with some deep thought about the future career choices of my children (who are small now, so there is a lot of time).

This is the section that just left me shocked; ok, this entire book is filled with shocking revelations but this is one that stood out to me in particular. It is about David Platt (the author of the book) speaking to a church about his recent missionary experiences. After you read this, I'd love for you to comment and give me your thoughts.

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The next morning we arrived at the church building, and the worship service began. The pastor rose to welcome everyone, and during his introductory remarks he began talking about how thankful he was to be living in the United States. I am not sure what sparked the rousing patriotic address that followed, but for the next few minutes he told the church that there was no chance he would ever live anywhere else in the world.  'Amens' were firing left and right from the crowd. Engulfed in nationalistic zeal, I was just waiting for Lee Greenwood to burst into song in the background.

Minutes later I got up to preach on going to all the nations with the gospel. When I finished, I walked down to the front while the pastor got up to close the service. These were his words: "Brother David, we are so excited about all that God is doing in New Orleans and in all nations, adn we are excited that you are serving there." He continued, "And, brother, we promise that we will continue to send you a check so we don't have to go there ourselves."

He wasn't finished.

"I remember a time at my last congregation when a missionary from Japan came to speak," he said. "I told that church that if they didn't give financial support to this missionary, I was going to pray that God would send their kids to Japan to serve with that missionary."

Wow.

Did that pastor just threaten his congregation with the punishment of going to the world?

He continued, "And my church gave that man a laptop and a whole lot of money."
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Wow is right! This section of the book started to make me wonder how I would feel if one of my girls told me she wanted to be a missionary to China or Iran. Eek!

Do I give money to missions so that I do not have to serve on the mission field or so that my girls will stay home with me where it is 'safe'?

God has really worked in my heart on this one. Now I pray that my girls will want to be missionaries, at least for part of their lives and that my husband and I will also get opportunities to serve this way. What a great way to serve our great God than to spread the good news of Jesus to all the nations?


So what are your thoughts?

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,

baptizing them in the name of the

Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit"

Matthew 28:19