John Stott is radical in a different way from Shane Claiborne. I find Stott's radical more balanced (one of his chapter titles), which may seem odd - a balanced radical!
We do need to be radical in our discipleship, but I always find error creaps quickly in where we are not well balanced.
In the preface Stott comments on the difference between 'Christian' and 'disciple':
Both words (Christian and disciple) imply a relationship with Jesus, although perhaps 'disciple' is the stronger of the two because it inevitably implies the relationship of pupil to teacher. ... One wishes in some ways that the word 'disciple' had continued into the following centuries [after the time of the apostles], so that Christians were self-consciously disciples of Jesus, and took seriously their responsibility to be 'under discipline'. (p. 16)
An interesting challenge about how we think and talk about our Christian living, or our lives of discipleship!
John Stott's book are always worth reading, over the years I've found his work invaluable and would commend any of his books most warmly. To a radical disciple then, let me say thank you.
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