Radical

One morning after discussing what Emma had read for her Bible-time, I told her, "If we really understood how awesome heaven is, we would sell everything we have and live in our car just so we could spend all our time telling others about Jesus."

She said, "Why don't we then?"

There are approximately 6.8 billion people in this world.

At least 4.5 billion don't know Jesus!

26,000 children will die today from starvation or preventable diseases.

David Platt shared these statistics at our church this morning.  He also talked about the radical changes made in their church after studying the book of James. 

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this:

to visit orphans and widows in their affliction,

and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

James 1:27

He said after going over this verse, he called their county's family services department and found out that if 150 families adopted or fostered 1 child, they would take care of all the children in their system.  His church held an informational meeting and 160 families showed up.

Then they went through chapter 2 of James and covered these verses:

If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?"

James 2:15-16

So what did his church do next?  Cut the budget.  Some areas as much as 80%.  And are using that money to reach the billions who don't know Jesus.

He shared the story of the man in Matthew 13 who stumbled across a treasure in a field.  He hid the treasure and then "in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field."  The treasure in that field is the Kingdom of Heaven.  And we should be willing  joyfulling willing to sell all that we have for that Kingdom.

We bought his book, Radical, and plan to read it as a family this week.  Pick yourself up a copy at your local Christian bookstore or here.