I recently read a book called Radically Normal, and I found it to be shockingly refreshing.
To be honest, the book was much heavier on story-telling and narrative than most books I read, but I appreciated the insights and ideas that were behind the stories.
The bottom line idea from Josh Kelley is that Christians don’t have to be weird to follow Jesus. We can live normal human lives. In fact, living normally may be the best way to reach out to our neighbors and love others like Jesus.
For example, on page 68, Josh Kelley writes about “Harvest Parties” and “Reformation Day” celebrations as two of the things churches sometimes do to offer a “Christian alternative” to Halloween. I laughed out loud at this because I remember attending “Hallelujah Parties” (instead of Halloween Parties) when I was younger. I always thought it was strange because everybody could still dress up in costumes and we still got candy, but we just didn’t go door-to-door and say “Trick or Treat!” Anyway, John writes that he and his church specifically chose to not have any sort of Halloween substitute at their church because they figured that Halloween was an excellent time to be in the world but not of it. He is absolutely right!
The rest of the book contains similar examples of how we can be Jesus to others in a completely normal way. By doing so, we love people into the Kingdom rather than scare them off with our weirdness.
Each chapter in Radically Normal looks at one area where Christians often behave a little weirdly, and then shows how we can view these things a little more normally. He has a great chapter on parties (and how life and heaven is one big party), about money, evangelism, and several other critical Christian concerns.
To get a copy for yourself, buy Radically Normal on Amazon today!
‘Do NOT submit yourselves to regulations (such as) do not touch, do not taste, do not handle’ Col 2.21.
‘Come out from among them and be separate says the Lord and do NOT touch what is unclean’ 2 Cor 6.17
We need wisdom from above to walk according to these two Scriptures.
We have to be careful, though, to draw certain lines in the sand, and take a stand for righteousness. It is important to note that when Jesus arrived on the scene to be baptized and begin his ministry he did so in the presence of John the Baptist. A man living on locusts and honey out in the wild. He was perceived as a mad lunatic screaming to repent, turn to God, and make way for the Messiah. Then, he is summoned by Christ to baptize Him. We should ponder deeply what Christ would have us to take from that. Strange, isn’t it, that today you very seldom hear a call to repentance, but there is a lot of cheap grace being passed around.
Reminds me of John Wimber’s “be naturally supernatural.”
http://carlmedearis.com/2013/04/john-wimber-my-mentor-2/
Along the same lines, God at Work by Gene Edward Veith.
Why not forget making Halloween Reformation Day….instead celebrate (observe) those feasts and festivals that are actually in the biblical record
Mainly because I’m not Jewish. Those are Jewish feasts. I don’t celebrate Japanese holidays because I am not Japanese. They are welcome to celebrate Japanese holidays though, just as Jewish people can celebrate Jewish holidays.
I have not read the book, but it sounds worthwhile.
We once lived in a city where Satan and demon worship was widespread. Halloween was very strange.
When we moved to San Diego, we discovered that Halloween was pretty much a non-event in our neighborhood. We decided to change that. The past several years we’ve held Halloween parties on our driveway for the neighborhood. Last year over one hundred people attended. This year we’re expecting at least an additional fifty.
Those who come are mostly young families with small children. Most people including mom and dad dress in costumes. I don’t remember any demons or devils, but I do remember princesses, cowboys and super heroes. I remember neighbors gathering and meeting other neighbors they did not know. I remember our street filled with neighbors from the entire neighborhood. I remember neighbors telling us “Thank you so much for doing this for the neighborhood”.
Our theory: If you don’t like what happens in your neighborhood on Halloween, invite your neighbors to your driveway or yard. Fill bowls with candy bars. Fill huge tubs with bottles of water and cold sodas. We also serve steak soup that even kids love, homemade cookies, cider, pumpkin bread and more.
This year promises two driveway parties on our block – Our party and a Smores party at the other end of the block.
Our block has a New Year’s Eve party, St. Patrick’s Day party, Cinco de Mayo Party, summer block party and Halloween party. The Halloween party is the largest, since it includes everyone in the neighborhood.
If you need step-by-step directions on hosting and setting up a neighborhood Halloween party, I can write a how-to post. You may not have a hundred people attend your first party. It may take a few years to catch on. However, people love to dress in costumes, especially kids. People also love to celebrate each other and the neighborhood in which they live. Provide an opportunity to do that and be surprised with what happens.
If you don’t understand what any of this has to do with Jesus, see a a couple of previous posts and follow the links to more: https://redeeminggod.com/using-group-events-to-love-others/
https://redeeminggod.com/loving-neighbors-without-an-agenda/
Dennis Wilson, it might be because you have “liked” my Facebook page AND are a friend of my Facebook profile. As far as I can tell, the posts only get posted one time on each….
oh …OK my end huh.
Might be. You can try unliking my FB page: https://www.facebook.com/Jeremy.myers3 or unfriending me: https://www.facebook.com/Jeremy.myers.author