A Review of The Radical Disciple: Some Neglected Aspects of Our Calling
Note: Originally Posted at the Gospel Coalition Review site.
Book Details
• Author: John Stott
• Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D. www.rpmministries.org
• Publisher: IVP Books (2010) (138 Pages)
• Category: Christian Life, Discipleship
• ISBN: 978-0-8308-3847-9
• Retail Price: $14.99
Despite its brevity (a mere 100 pages of text), John Stott considers The Radical Disciple something of his opus. After decades of pastoral ministry and writing, he desires to encapsulate what it means to be a thoroughly devoted follower of Christ.
Eight Marks of Radical Discipleship
He begins by highlighting the intriguing truth that “Christian” is used of the followers of Christ only three times, while “disciple” is used scores of times. “Radical,” as Stott notes, from the Latin radix meaning “root,” implies that the follower of Christ goes to the root and is thoroughgoing in commitment to Christ. So his purpose in the book is to consider “eight characteristics of Christian discipleship that are often neglected and yet deserve to be taken seriously.” Those eight are:
• Non-Conformity: In the world, but not of the world. Engagement without compromise.
• Christlikeness: The will of God for the people of God. What is our grand purpose?
• Maturity: Growth with depth. A mature relationship with Christ.
• Creation Care: Our duty to care for our created environment. Dominion over and stewardship of the earth.
• Simplicity: Rejection of materialism. Focus on generosity and sacrificial sharing rather than hoarding.
• Balance: Living out our comprehensive identity in Christ through: individual and corporate disciplines, worship and work, pilgrimage and citizenship.
• Dependence: Reliance on God’s grace. Mutual “burdensomeness.”
• Death: Life through death—death to self. If we want to live; we must die.
Begin at the End
Stott’s conclusion is best read first. Discussing his eight characteristics, Stott notes, “To be sure, I have been selective, and my selection has been somewhat arbitrary. . . . You will no doubt want to compile your own list. Hopefully it will be clearly biblical, but still also reflect your own culture and experience.”
Thus these characteristics of radical discipleship are not the eight. They are John Stott’s eight—vital for him as he reflects back on 90 years of life and 70 years of ministry. While readers might quibble with his list, perhaps two thoughts would be more productive. First, “For me in my culture, what would my list of the most important characteristics of disciples consist of?” Second, “Given the life and ministry of John Stott, what can I learn and apply to my life from his list?”
Perhaps the personal nature of the list explains what at times seems like somewhat choppy, uneven chapters. The chapter on Christlikeness reads like a sermon and indeed was a Keswick Convention message. The chapter on simplicity is basically a cut and paste of the 1980 International Consultation on Simple Lifestyle.
Rather than being frustrated by this, and instead of comparing The Radical Disciple to Stott’s theological opus, The Cross of Christ, I pictured myself in a room with John Stott thumbing through the scrapbook of his life and ministry and pointing me to eight very personal pages that he wanted to share with me.
Like a wise, loving grandfather, he points to the page on non-conformity and shares pearls of wisdom about trends which make non-conformity difficult today. In the same sage tone, he turns the page to remind me that we’re not only not to be conformed to this world, we are also to be conformed to Christ.
With a knowing smile, he asks if I know God’s purpose for His people. In response, he points out three portraits in his scrapbook—the three tenses of Christlikeness—our eternal calling, our present progressive sanctification, and our future glorification.
Turning yet another page, he chuckles as he tells me, “Too many of us are pygmy Christians because we have a pygmy God. We need a vision of God as large as God. We have growth without depth.”
Then he tells me, “I know, you’ll think I’m a tad out of touch here, but look at this page—creation care. It’s a neglected area of our Christian calling, I’ll tell you. We need to avoid the deification of nature but also the exploitation of nature.” And, “God wants us to work and worship. We transform the earth through work and God transforms us through worship.” And, “God intends our care for creation to reflect our love for our Creator.”
Turning to the scrapbook page of simplicity, he quotes the non-Christian Hobart Mowrer, “The church has never learned the secret of community.” And I sit beside him soaking it all in.
How to Read The Radical Disciple
Read The Radical Disciple as a theological treatises, and you’ll likely be disappointed. Read it as a sage saint passing the torch of lifestyle Christianity to you, and you’ll likely be transformed. Read it as an elder statesman leaving a legacy of loving Christianity and you’ll likely be prompted not only to apply his words, but also to ask yourself, “What are my marks of radical discipleship and how well am I pursuing them?”
