Radical?!
By: Kat Hnatyshyn, Apostle
What emotions arise when you hear that word? As we have been living into
the missional priorities the team has developed (Link to one-pager), we’ve had many
conversations about that word and the reactions it receives. For some, “radical” sounds
extreme or so far on the edge that we shouldn’t want to be associated with it. For
others, when paired with the word discipleship, it expresses exactly where we hope to
be. Context matters in how we understand and interpret the descriptor “radical.”
When we talk about Radical Discipleship, it may be helpful to begin with what it is not. It
is not a list of strict rules one must follow. It is not a way of life that confines or punishes.
It is not a posture that causes intentional harm to others or to creation.
Radical discipleship is a way of living in our daily lives where we intentionally foster
divine encounters—moments that transform how we see ourselves, our neighbors, and
the systems around us. That may sound like churchy language, but at its heart it simply
means learning to see the holy in all we do. To do that, we integrate practices of
connecting and listening to the Spirit within our own context so that transformation can
take root.
Even so, radical discipleship is not easy. It isn’t a recipe. It isn’t a checklist. It is a daily
commitment.
When we live as radical disciples, we become prepared and willing to
respond to the Spirit’s call— to risk something new, to participate in transformation, and
to help shape lives and systems toward God’s envisioned future. And when we do this
together, the impact multiplies; the transformation that begins in individuals grows and
deepens through the strength and witness of community.
- What does “radical discipleship” mean to you?
- Which of our habits unintentionally reinforce comfort instead of courage?
- What is one bold step for justice or inclusion you can take?
