You Can't Slide Into Home From 2nd Base!

Throughout this Radical Series, I can begin to sense a shift in our church atmosphere. It's not a comfortable atmosphere, but it is a God-inspired atmosphere that seems to be asking us the question, "What is the Father asking you to invest in?" This question causes us to become alert to Him and to also realize we are not close to home plate yet. Let me explain what I mean.


Church history gives us many indications that the days we are now living in are crucial days with watershed moments seemingly occurring on a daily basis. However, using a baseball analogy, we have really only turned around 2nd base and we're headed for third base with Father God cheering us on from home plate - empowering us forward. Unfortunately, my sense is that many of us are already sliding into home plate, but you can't slide into home plate from 2nd base! Let me share a Biblical example.


Please take a moment and read Joshua 7:1-26. This chapter from Israel's history recounts how Israel was beaten in war by the city of Ai after God had promised that Israel would prosper under Joshua wherever he set his foot in the promised land (Joshua 1:7). After Israel is defeated by Ai Joshua falls on his face, tears his clothes and complains to God, "Oh, that we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan!" This was the equivalent of saying, "Haven't we done enough God? Can't this just be over?" In a sense Joshua wanted to slide into home from 2nd base, but God had only just begun with Joshua. In fact, a couple chapters later we see a tally of all the kings God empowered Joshua to defeat - 31 of them! So, when God finds Joshua on his face complaining, He has a simple directive and a question, "Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face?" God then explains that someone in Israel's army sinned against Him by taking valuables that God commanded to be set aside to Him. This was the reason for their defeat at the hands of Ai. Once this was dealt with Joshua’s conquests continued.


What about you? What about me? Are we just trying to slide into heaven from 2nd base? Let's listen to the Father and get up and get on with investing our lives into Kingdom activity. It's not time to slide. It will be one day, but not today.


- This blog was written by Eric Scott as a part of the Radical Series. Eric is the Care Pastor at Elim Gospel Church.

Your New Face

In mid-August, most news outlets carried a story about an amazing medical marvel. A woman who had been mauled by a friend's chimpanzee so badly that her face was completely disfigured had been given a full face transplant.  Before the transplant, she wore a cloth over her face to cover up the disfigurement of her face. Now she has an almost completely normal looking face, but it looks nothing like it did before the attack.

Can you imagine receiving an entirely new face?

We are so accustomed to identifying ourselves by our own appearance that even a haircut can make us look twice in the mirror to make sure we are looking at ourselves and not someone else.  It would be quite shocking to see a brand new face when you looked in the mirror!

You may not realize it, but if you are a Christian, you have already received a complete face transplant. Sin had disfigured your soul beyond recognition, and if you're like most people, you tried to cover it up as much as possible so that others didn't see it. But now, Christ has redefined your identity and you are made completely new (2 Cor. 5:17).

Are you getting adjusted to your new face?

You have a beautiful new identity, but are you living like the saint that God has turned you into? It’s not a matter of acting like something you are not, because God has made you holy and redefined your identity. When we sin, we are actually breaking with our new identity that Christ bought for us with his blood.

Be who you are.  Be loving. Be generous. Be pure. Be kind. Be courageous. Be full of faith.

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” -- Ephesians 5:8

- This blog was written by Josh Cummings for the Radical Series. Josh is the Technical Director at Elim Gospel Church.

The American Scam

A big house with a white picket fence, 2 cars, and a garage. They call it the “American Dream” and many Americans have been deceived by the race to the top. We’re told by advertising everywhere we go that we’re not content, but if we just get this next “big thing” we will be happier. The thing is, no matter how many times I read the Bible I can’t find this attitude encouraged. American Capitalism doesn’t line up with what Jesus preached.


What did He teach? Your treasure equals your heart.


Jesus said in Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and dust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven...For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”


If your treasure is in material things your heart will be wrapped up in the things of this world, but if your treasure is in God your heart will long for the things of the Kingdom. Servanthood equals greatness.


In Matthew 20:26-27 Jesus said, “Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave.” The only time Jesus talked about setting an example in the Bible was when He did the job of a servant and washed His disciples’ feet. Sacrifice equals eternal glory.


In Matthew 19:29-30 Jesus says to His disciples, “Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.” Many people sought after Jesus - He was constantly surrounded by crowds, but few stayed with Him as followers because that meant taking what He said seriously. It meant making sacrifices.


Will you choose to live in a way that goes against the grain of our society? Will you choose to be radical?


- This blog was written by Chris Zeigler for the Radical Series. Chris serves on the staff of BASIC College Ministries.

When I Don’t Want to Obey

The commitment of a disciple is to listen to Jesus, believe Him, and obey whatever He says. But what about when He asks something that we don’t feel like doing? What do we do when he tells us to do things like giving up everything to follow Him, walking in purity, and loving our enemies?

The truth is, we are incapable of following Jesus in our own strength.

One of the concepts that has most transformed my walk with Christ is described in Philippians 2:13 (NLT) – “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.”

God is working in you and me to change our hearts’ desires and to give us the strength to obey Him. Our obedience isn’t rooted in our own strength; it’s found in the grace He gives us. Because of this, I’ve discovered that I don’t have to be ashamed to tell the Lord when I don’t feel like obeying. He expects it… and He’s committed to helping me! My commitment as a disciple is to refuse to settle for disobedience. Even when my heart is hard and I don’t want to obey, I must be committed to persist in prayer until I receive the strength I need to obey.

This understanding birthed a new category of prayers in my life – the “I want to want to” prayer: “Lord, I just don’t feel like forgiving so-and-so… but I know you want me to, and I want to want to obey you. Help me!”

“Lord, I want to want to read my Bible. Please change my heart.”

“Lord, I want to want to share the gospel with my coworkers. Please help!”

I have found that the raw honesty of these simple prayers is all God needs to come soften my heart and give me the grace I need to obey.

“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” – James 4:6

- This blog was written by Tom Warsaw for the Radical Series. Tom serves as an elder at Elim Gospel Church.

And then there is God

"And then there is God"- Pastor Melvin Good

I was not going to be one of "those people"; one of those who went from one local church to another. I made a promise that there was no way I would leave the church I grew up in. The Lord had great things for me in this box and I needed to stay in it to remain in the Lord's will.


In 1998, the Lord had opened the door for me to reach out to youth at a local Mennonite Church. At the beginning I made it clear that if I ever had any thoughts of leaving my home church, I would immediately stop because I was leaving my “box.” After about nine months the thoughts of leaving my church came and I knew I had to stop, because I had made a promise.


There was no way the Lord would have me move out of a non-denominational congregation where I regularly played drums, led worship, and was a small group leader. It scared me to think about joining a denominational structure because of my false understanding of how it worked. I was unwilling to lay down the drums and leading worship regularly and enter into what I thought was a “religious” environment.


Nine months after my "righteous" decision to stop leading the youth, the Lord did something that I have never experienced before or since that day. During a time of prayer in the most unlikely of places (work) the Lord spoke to me in a way that was so clear it was as if I heard His audible voice. He wanted me to make a radical move and leave my box. At that moment I knew exactly what it meant and the purpose for it. This has led to a series of God directed decisions that has placed me in my current position at Elim Gospel Church.


James 4:13-17 cautions us not to make plans without the Lord's leading. I had great intentions to support the church that laid a firm foundation in my life and desired to help them and their vision. Unfortunately this would have been at the expense of the vision that God had for my life.

- This blog was written by Shawn Neitz for the Radical Series. Shawn is the Facilities Manager at Elim Gospel Church.