Do you ever feel like you are a spiritual extremist? Some days you’re running so hard and fast toward Jesus, and then you get tired. Or you mess up. Or someone says something to throw you off and you stop. And putz around a bit. And get discouraged. But then you get convicted and you start sprinting until you . . . don’t.

This back-forth, sprint-stop can be exhausting.

Josh Kelley, author of Radically Normal, talks through some of this “obsessive Christianity” and “complacent Christianity.” What is the difference? How can we halt the extremism cycle?

It was a conversation that made us all think. And laugh. (We play a game called “Christian or Secular” and the team has to decide if the lyrics belong to a Christian or not Christian song. Enya seems to walk the line of both.)

Highlights:

• “I face more temptation going to a Bible study than going to the bar. And this is why: I was a smart kid, and my identity was being this smartest one in the room–knowing more about the Bible. Every time I walk into a Bible study or walk into a church, my temptation to prove myself or to prove my spiritual astuteness is overwhelming.” –Josh Kelley
• “Whether it’s a bartender or a barista or a pastor or whatever God has called you to, you can be 100 percent completely devoted to God in that place. The only thing that’s preventing you from being a whole-hearted follower of Jesus is not your education level, it’s not where you live, it’s not your job, its whether or not you choose to follow Him . . . with your whole heart.” –Josh Kelley

Do The Next Thing:

• Read Josh’s book! Radically Normal: You Don’t Have to Live Crazy to Follow Jesus
• Check out Josh’s site!
• Check out our Journey Well Workshops. We have been training churches large (12k+) and small (1,000 or less) with an answer to the question, “How? I believe God’s design for marriage and sexuality, but how do I live it out?”