Radical Discipleship: Nonconformity
May 28, 2010
Radical Discipleship is the title of John Stott’s most recent and last will and testament.
In chapter one, Nonconformity, Stott challenges his contemporary Christians for look and refrain from four issues that plague the Church today.
We are not to be conformists to the ways of life in the world. But we are also not to be escapist in our existence in the world. He says “We are neither to seek to preserve our holiness by escaping from the world nor to sacrifice our holiness by conforming to the world”.
He challenges the Church today to be nonconformist to four issues facing us. I only deal with two for now.
1. Pluralism: The reality that many believe that Christianity is not unique among the world religions but only a way to live a good life. He discourages personal superiority while calling us to great humility. Much about Christianity is unique: Jesus Christ, his incarnation (the one and only God-man), his atonement (dying for the sins of the world), his resurrection (conquest of death). Radical discipleship is radical nonconformity to our culture, which is only artificially discerning between systems of belief, and ways of life.
2. Materialism: Our lack of resistance to consume more than we need. We must re-develop a “lifestyle of simplicity, generosity and contentment… learning to be content with what we have. Here Stott echoes Nouwen and many others who have said: We are not what we own, we are not what we achieve, and we are not who others say we are.
Do you think Stott is on the right track is naming the challenges facing the church today?
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I think he’s spot on here. Nicely balanced.