8 point manifesto for radical christian living

Worship is more than music. Worship is more than words. Worship is the total orientation of our hearts towards our God. It affects every aspect of our daily lives, driving us to pursue him anew each day. Take my love, my Lord I pour At Thy feet its treasure store Take myself and I will be Ever, only, all, for Thee. -FR Havergal 1

There are so many voices competing for our attention... God has spoken, is speaking and will powerfully speak truth into your life once more if you only open your heart and your Bible.... dig deep foundations, and select fine materials, and construct your life steadily on God’s truth. 2

It’s not always easy to pray, especially for people you don’t know.... prayer is powerful and that in praying for others, we learn what it means to love them as God loves us.... pour your prayers out for the people of this world. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:8) 3

So many reasons to stay quiet, to keep our heads down. We can offend. We can lose friends. We can say things we didn’t mean. We might get it wrong, not understand the situation. And yet here’s the acid test of our love. Deep down, are we ashamed of the gospel? Are we ashamed of Jesus and his words? Let’s not be silent. You will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. And so you will bear testimony to me. (Luke 21:12-13) 4

Every christian has a different idea of what heaven will be like, but they all agree on one thing. People from every tribe, tongue and nation will be worshipping Jesus together. So why wait? Risk a little. Step over the barriers of culture and shyness. Take a small step toward making your world a more heavenly place. You are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. (Ephesians 2:19-20) 5

We worship the God who lavishly gives. He gave us form, this world and even eternal life through the death and resurrection of his son, Jesus Christ. How can we ever hope to be like our God without giving? Where you invest your love, you invest your life. He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose. -Jim Elliot Money never stays with me; it would burn me if it did. I throw it out of my hands as soon as possible lest it should find a way into my heart. -John Wesley 6

Christ said that people would know that we are christians by our love. That doesn’t just mean telling people about God’s love, it means showing it as well. We live in a watching world. Don’t underestimate the power of simply serving. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16) 7

These principles can revolutionise us and our world. If you believe that, then share them with others in whatever way you can. Be unashamed. Live your life in public and see the change. Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (Ephesians 4:15-16) 8