Sometimes I wish I were a talk-radio host — a Christian talk-radio host. I’d have the advantage of people expecting me to talk on and on about my favorite topics. I’d get to pontificate ceaselessly. And I’d get to be goofy for money. (Side effects for the Christian host may include crossover of put-on radio persona into real life, and increased susceptibility to un-Biblical pride.)

Perhaps best of all: I’d have access to the Sound Board, a very powerful instrument capable of interjecting fun effects into my vocal performance. Even better, the Sound Board can ascribe fun, possibly memorable ditties to underscore, literally, whatever point I’m making.

Case in point: Todd Friel, host of Wretched Radio. He himself would jovially admit it’s a less-than-perfect show.¹ One thing he does well, however: seeking Biblical balance and infusion of Gospel-based grace into every teaching Christians do. And speaking of do, that’s his new ploy:

“Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do …”

… Playing that frequently, when discussing some Christians’ (real or not) constant refrain to “do, do,” while either not mentioning, minimizing or overtly opposing basing this on the Gospel.

First it was something by The Police(?). Then it was a song by something called Duran Duran.

Either way, now it’s stuck in my head. And I’d like to share this joy. Seriously, it’s helped me remember: some Christian leaders, books, sermons and other teachings only encourage us to Do, Do, Do. And often it’s almost like they intentionally ignore Jesus Christ’s Done, Done, Done.

This isn’t just those darned Emergents, either. I’ve noticed some orthodox Christians falling into this (and should it surprise us that we struggle too?). And in their case, it’s not so much failure to believe the Gospel, but failure to remember it as having higher importance than all the encouragements to Do, Do, Do. The results not from a “lie” of commission, saying “the Gospel doesn’t matter as much as what you do,” but of omission: simply ignoring other Gospel truths.

Todd Friel himself, this past Monday, put this truth together with at least three things I’ve been considering for some time. And yet even his admittedly-often-disorganized mind did this very well. All I can do is quote him, after a laborious (and only slightly edited) transcription.

Why is it these days that in Christendom and in politics and in our society that if we’re doing anything to be considered big and important, it’s got to be something like politics or Hollywood? Or “hey, if you’re gonna be a pastor, if you don’t have a megachurch, or if you don’t have a bestselling book or if you haven’t made a movie — well, I guess you can stay, but you haven’t done something big for God.”

We gotta watch out for that. Faithfulness is what God is asking for. And that is plenty.

And we have got to resist the temptation of thinking that if we’re to be radical Christians, fanatical, sold-out, on-the-narrow-road Christians, that it requires doing something big. That it requires being in politics. Don’t get me wrong — nothing wrong with being in politics. Go ahead and do that. But staying home and taking care of your kids: that’s a big thing too. That’s an important thing. And doing your job, and being faithful at your church, and raising your family.

Continued tomorrow:  Beware turning “do hard things” truths into “do obviously big things.” …