I was perusing the books in the Christian section of a Barnes and Noble last week, noting what a wide array of “self-improvement” titles were available to those of us seeking a deeper relationship with God. One book caught my eye with the promise of telling me how to be RADICAL for God. I snatched it up with great fervor, expecting to be inspired. I was immediately deflated.

In the back of the book, the author had a “challenge” with five steps to being “radical” for God. Of course, I skipped right to this section, since that was where the “wow” was to be found. (In my previous post, I shared my impatience problem.)  As I read the formula, I couldn’t help but feel like I was in Sunday School as a child again. To summarize, being radical basically requires that you read the Bible from cover to cover, go to church regularly, tithe when you go to church and find ways to serve.

Please don’t misunderstand what I”m saying here. I’m not intending to be overly critical or suggest the author’s work wasn’t true to God’s word. I’m not suggesting there is anything inherently wrong with “Sunday School” or with any of the things the author suggested you do to be “radical.’

The problem I have with this line of thought is that I have attempted to do the things the author suggests and in no way moved closer to God. The problem is that most of these things can be mechanical and ritualistic. They can be surface level. They can be chores or checklists. They can be something we do out of obligation (in the name of discipline). Very easy to “go through the motions” and skim the surface. And yes, I fully realize I’m using a lot of “quotes” in this posting. I’m “sorry” but I can’t seem to “stop.”

Yes, feeding yourself with God’s word is good. Giving is good. Being in community is good. But if all of those things are executed in the way that I have consistently witnessed in my past, I don’t see how “radical” is the outcome. I see a much better chance at conforming to the norms of worship on Sunday mornings and the daily “to-do lists” related to your spiritual walk. I just don’t see true revival and closeness resulting from it.

On a positive note, I do think radical is the right word. The status quo of relationship with God as we’ve been programmed to approach it by our society and our religious institutions falls woefully short of what God wants to share with us. It does take a more radical departure from conventional wisdom or tradition.

For me, the following is how I’m striving to be “radical” in my approach. You’ll notice these aren’t necessarily radical steps, unless you compare them to normal protocols of religion and what you might have done if following your Christian handbook. By the way, in my experience, if you are able to achieve a more intimate relationship with God, most of the things “church” wants you to do will come naturally.

STEP ONE: Be purposeful. Intently pursue God. Ask, listen and obey. Invite Him to have a deeper relationship with me. Put aside any daily rituals or prescriptions. Interact directly and personally with Him.

STEP TWO: Be aware. Continuously question my motivations, examine actions, seek the cause and not the effect. Stay tuned in and focused, alive and awake, open not closed.

STEP THREE: Be real. Share my flaws, wounds, gifts and victories. Engage with others in a transparent way. Refuse to allow surface-level relationships with my community.

STEP FOUR: Be selfless. See a need, respond. As Jesus says in Matthew 10:8 – Freely you have received, freely give. Not talking the 10 percent equation here. In every way possible, as often as possible, give of myself.

STEP FIVE: Be thankful. Celebrate what God is doing. Pay close attention to how He is working, moving, acting. Give Him credit and acknowledgement for blessings, answered prayers. Continue connecting dots and deepening the understanding of how He is guiding and providing. Journal if needed, to ensure total recall of how He has intervened over time.

If I could somehow manage to stay true to these five steps in my faith walk, I guarantee you would notice. And you wouldn’t notice it in a “Wow, he is really plugged in at the church,” kind of way. You’d notice it in a “Wow, that guy is experiencing God” kind of way.

I’m finding it very hard to “practice what I”m preaching” here. And also still finding it hard to stop using “quotes” for everything. (Hopefully I can keep that habit isolated to this post.) Seriously though, what I described above is terribly frightening and difficult and in some ways unnatural and uncomfortable. But I feel like it’s how God wants me to truly experience Him. So, every day I wake up and try…to be “RADICAL”.