2011 Radicalis – Session 2, Rick Warren – Radical Christianity
Faith and love are the two roots of Christianity
- We decided to send people to every nation on mission from our church
- How does a church bring non-believers in and send them out on mission?
— Radical (root) Christianity
What made the church grow so fast in the first 300 years?
- Starting with 120 people in the upper room, Christianity dominated the world in 300 years
- During that time, Christianity was illegal
8 Characteristics of a Radical Church
Acts 1:3-4, 8, and chapter 2
Radical Christianity…
1. …has supernatural power (Acts 2:1-4) – The Holy Spirit will not work where there is not unity
—-Sound of rushing wind
—-Flames
—-Speaking in unknown languages
Today most churches are missing the power of the Holy Spirit. In most churches, all that happens is a lot of talk
Most people don’t do anything outside the 4 walls of the church
2. …uses everybody’s language (Acts 2:4)
—-Acts 2:5-8, 11 – All of the people heard the people speaking in their own native language
—-The message of Acts is that the church will be multi-cultural, multi-national, multi-language
—-Some speak the language of MOPS, business, youth ministry, retirement, social media, etc. We communicate in unique ways for the global glory of God
3. …uses everyone’s gifts (Acts 2:14-18)
— I will pour out my spirit on everyone and they will all proclaim My message… Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved
— The Holy Spirit gives gifts to everybody
4. …offers life-changing truth
— The truth will set you free, but it will first make you miserable. 
— No other message can change human life except Christianity
— I don’t want to just be reformed, I want to be transformed
— The very first sermon of the Christian church (Acts 2:14, 16, 19)
—— What does this mean?
—— What do we do?
—— Preaching is persuasion followed by action
— We have way too much information, but not enough meaning
— Leaders have to explain what’s happening
— Peter gives the gospel (Acts 2)
— About 3,000 people were added to their numbers that day
5. …provides loving support
— They not only loved each other, they took care of each other (Acts 2:42b)
— Paul tells Timothy to teach people how to teach other
— Love each other, look out for each other (Acts 2:24)
— People flock to loving churches
— Shared meals (Acts 2:46b)
6. …enjoys joyful worship
— Worshiped together in the temple courts and house to house
— Worship doesn’t have to be in one place at one time – Temple courts (plural)
— People want to be where there’s joy
— Joy comes from
——- Knowing my purpose
——- Sensing God’s presence
7. …makes generous sacrifices
— Sold their possessions and gave to anybody who had need (Acts 2:44-45)
— Generous churches are joyful
8. …creates exponential growth
— The unbelievers liked what they saw, so every day the Acts church added people to their numbers who were saved
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