Do you feel that your life is pleasing to God--almost? When you hear about pastors, missionaries, and popular speakers, do you feel just a bit second-class, as if your life appears lukewarm and not as radical as theirs?
You're not alone. A vague sense of guilt is common in the church. We know God's grace is the key to eternal life, but it's so much more than that--it's the key to a joy-filled walk with Him every moment. Josh Kelley shows why you don't have to give away everything you own to be a fully committed follower of Jesus Christ.
| Format: Paperback Number of Pages: 224 Vendor: Harvest House Publishers Publication Date: 2014 | Dimensions: 8.50 X 5.50 (inches) ISBN: 0736959386 ISBN-13: 9780736959384 |
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Do you feel that your life is pleasing to God—almost? When you hear about pastors, missionaries, and popular speakers, do you feel just a bit second-class, as if your life appears lukewarm and not as radical as theirs?
You’re not alone. A vague sense of guilt is common in the church. We know God’s grace is the key to eternal life, but it’s so much more than that—it’s the key to a joy-filled walk with Him every moment. Josh Kelley shows why you don’t have to give away everything you own to be a fully committed follower of Jesus Christ. He demonstrates that…
Discover the joy of radical obedience to Christ in your normal, everyday life.
"How can Christians live faithfully without becoming either too obsessive or too complacent? Is there a middle ground that isn't lukewarm but rather is alive with a radically normal devotion to Christ? In this provocative and timely book, pastor Josh Kelley suggests that the most radical pursuit of Christ has more to do with joyfully leaning into grace than it does with being a self-sufficient Super Christian. It's fashionable today to be radical, to subvert the safe patterns of middle-class Christianity. But truly radical Christianity may not be what you think it is. Embracing God's call wherever God has placed us is the most radical thing we can do."
—Brett McCracken author of Hipster Christianity: When Church and Cool Collide and Gray Matters: Navigating the Space Between Legalism and Liberty
"Through his biblical insight, humor, and humility, Josh Kelley assures us that we can be committed Christ followers without being cooky or uptight. Radically Normal is an enjoyable and refreshing read for every new believer, seasoned Christian, or burned-out ministry worker who needs to be reminded that our everyday lives can be exciting and meaningful when we follow Jesus wholeheartedly."
—Cindi McMenamin, national speaker and author of When Women Walk Alone
“If you’d like help on living for Jesus in a way that’s so surprisingly different from either legalism or complacency that it has to be called radical, then Josh Kelley’s Radically Normal should be in your hands right now.”
—Robert H. Mounce, Bible commentator and translator, president emeritus of Whitworth University
"Greatness is all about being great in the eyes of God. But understanding God's mission, no matter who you are, can be a challenge. In a very entertaining way, Josh Kelley's book helped me to better understand what kind of a Christian God has called me to be."
—Jake Byrne, tight end for the NFL's San Diego Chargers
"In this delightful book, Josh Kelley clearly identifies two extremes we see every day in the church—obsessive Christianity and complacent Christianity. He offers insightful and sometimes humorous illustrations and stories to show what these extremes look like, and he offers solid, biblical advice on how to reach a radically normal balance. This book will help you find that balance in your life."
—Rick Walston, president, Columbia Evangelical Seminary
"If you've ever felt lost in the Christian chatter about living too radically or too complacently, then Radically Normal is for you. Josh Kelley's skillfully written book will help you move past your guilt—or your obsessive tendencies—and discover a joy-driven, obedient life that gets kingdom work done."
—Caleb Breakey, author of Called to Stay and Dating Like Airplanes
"I have always wanted to be radically normal—I just didn't have the right name or a well-considered definition. Now I have both. Read, learn, and inwardly digest...and be ready to pass it on!"
—Graham Kerr, Emmy Award nominated TV host and author of more than 20 books
"In Radically Normal, my friend Josh Kelley cleverly dismantles the either/or thinking that causes us to live half-lives halfheartedly. Having spent the seminal years of my own life struggling to be as 'spiritual' Monday through Saturday as I was on Sunday, I'm thankful that God helped me see the exciting, enjoyable, everyday possibilities of normal Christianity. To experience God in everything is to enjoy a much greater view of spirituality, and my hat is off to Josh for handing out God-colored glasses to everyone!"
—Dave Browning, lead pastor of Christ the King Community Church, author of DeliberateSimplicity
Author: Josh Kelley
Located in: Mount Vernon, Washington
Submitted: February 12, 2014
Tell us a little about yourself. I graduated from LIFE Pacific College with a BA in Biblical Studies and a minor in Biblical Languages. My wife and I met at college and we've been married for 14 years. We have two daughters who are the joy of our life.
Aside from my family and my God, my two greatest joys are reading a good book and enjoying the all the glories of this world God has made - from sunsets to good food and drink with friends.
Since 2007, I've been the the pastor of The Gathering Christian Church. Prior to that, I was an assistant pastor at His Place Community Church. I'm also on the Board of Directors for the local homeless shelter, The Friendship House.
What was your motivation behind this project? When I was about ten years old, my family arrived early at our pastors house for a Bible study and I saw Pastor Arnie sitting in front of the TV watching a football game. Seeing my pastor watch football was unsettling, but I wasnt sure why. I didnt think TV was wrong (I watched Star Blazers every morning) and I didnt have a problem with football (my mom loves football). Nothing was wrong with it, it just seemed so unspiritual. I assumed, in my ten year-old logic, that my pastor must only do spiritual stuff. In the three decades since that day, I have been on a journey to discover what true spirituality looks like. Radically Normal is something like a journal of how I discovered how to grow closer to God by embracing this life. It is the book I wish I had when I was younger.
What do you hope folks will gain from this project? I want my readers to discover the joy-filled path that found somewhere between complacent and obsessive Christianity.
Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors / artists? C. S. Lewis is, without a doubt, my biggest influence outside of the Bible. He had an amazing ability to describe complex things in simple and applicable ways.
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