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Dear aspiring disciple of Christ and potential student,
Are you ready for discipleship and life training, which is far from the mundane, enclosed, and air-conditioned learning environment that we know so well? Do you desire tangible, hands-on training, which will allow you to test what you learn in real life situations, and not by paper and pencil? Are you willing to step away from what you know for a time to slow down and get to know God, his heart for you, and his call on your life? If you can genuinely say yes in your heart to these questions, I rejoice and give thanks to God that you’re one more aspiring disciple of Christ, who seeks real, raw truth and not the Christian status quo. I’m not attempting to discredit other discipleship schools, but how many of you can vividly remember, or even better, put into practice what you learned through your years of school up until you received your diploma? True, some of you may, but more than likely not because the opportunity to test what you know with tangible results was more than likely not provided, unless you attended a school for the gifted. Either way, I hope you see my point. Again, I thank you for taking the time to look into RAD and allowing me to share my experience at RAD thus far with you by reading this.
I’m currently halfway finished with my nine months at RAD, which has worked a number on me, but I know my adventure still has many unwritten chapters that are waiting to be filled. I came to RAD a downtrodden, timid, and an utterly emasculated man. Although if you ‘d met me before, you would have presumed I was a Godly man, who took great charge in my life, let me assure you I was masquerading that image, when all the while I was walking alongside myself. Underneath it all, I was one of the most complacent, apathetic, and virtually hopeless people I’ve ever known. Of course, I also had my skewed idea of life and following God, which was as empty and dull as I felt inside. However, by thrusting me into sink, or swim situations, RAD continues to change the way I look at life daily. And by pulling away from what I’ve known for so long and seeking God away from everyday life, my eighteen years of programming are also changing daily. I’m coming to know God is much more beautiful than the eyes of my wounds and brokenness would allow me to see and that I truly am a man of valor with unique passions and gifts that Jesus has kept for me alone. I’m learning that I was created uniquely different to be set apart from this unfortunate Christian norm, which has been built around standard, which is something God doesn’t have.
Let me encourage you to leave all expectations you have of RAD at the altar. Believe me that I know it isn’t easy, but please try. You can potentially miss out on so much adventure that you could feel left without much of an experience. Trust me when I say that God will change your life through RAD, as much as you will let Him. I know for me that RAD has been amazing, but I certainly could have dropped the thought of the next day, or even five minutes and simply seized the moment and learned so much more. But it is, however, a learning curve. Please continue to seek the Lord about coming to RAD, get covered in prayer, and may God bless your decision, either way. God bless you, fearfully and wonderfully made creation, uniquely chosen and set apart for the things of God!
Sincerely,
Matthew “Yogi” Griffis
