Author: Champ Thornton

Radically Different is an insightful guide for middle and high school students who want to live radically even though life and relationships are complicated. By examining life through the biblical lenses of Creation, Fall, and Redemption, readers can explore how God’s Word untangles the twists of life.

There are so many areas of life to navigate when growing up, and this practical resource full of biblical wisdom helps middle and high school students find encouragement in the everyday challenges of life.

God made everything, including relationships, to be good. But because of the fall, everything—including relationships with parents, friends, and siblings—are also broken. Christ came to make all things new, and because of this biblical perspective, readers of Radically Different can know with clarity they are set apart as unique.

Thornton invites teenagers to consider how they are set apart—especially in a time when Christianity is more and more culturally marginalized. He guides them to embrace what it means to live Christianly in a morally murky and increasingly hostile world.

Radically Different helps teenagers live in and relate to the reality of good, bad, and new, which makes us radically human, radically biblical, and radically different.

About the author:

Champ Thornton is an associate pastor at Ogletown Baptist Church in Newark, Delaware. He has pastored in South Carolina and served as director of SOMA, a ministry training school in Columbus, Ohio. He is host of "In the Word, On the Go," a ten-minute podcast for families and is the author of several books, including The Radical Book for Kids and Pass It On: A Proverbs Journal for the Next Generation. Champ and his wife, Robben, have been married since 1996 and have three children. 

Endorsements:

“A few years ago, many of your children probably read Champ Thornton’s The Radical Book for Kids (if they haven’t yet, they should). Now, those children are young teenagers—and Champ has provided another resource that’s perfect for that age group. Radically Different challenges students to move beyond mere knowledge into deep community that’s grounded in the metanarrative of Scripture. I highly recommend this work!”  ~Timothy Paul Jones, C. Edwin Gheens Professor of Christian Family Ministry, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

“It’s not easy for Christian young people today who want to live in a way that’s pleasing to God. However, Champ Thornton has provided an invaluable resource to help middle school students be distinctive. Radically Different is a practical, hands-on study offering solid insights and biblical guidance for relating to others.”  ~Jim Daly, President, Focus on the Family

“The middle school years can be difficult for kids. It can also be a struggle for many parents to find age-appropriate Christian resources to help young tweens and teens process faith, friendships, and family. Champ Thornton’s new book, Radically Different: A Student’s Guide to Community, is a wonderful way to help teens learn about God and the story of Scripture, as well as how the Bible relates to their daily lives. This book is the exact resource I’ve been hoping to find!”  ~Melissa Kruger, Director of Women’s Content, The Gospel Coalition; author of 5 Things to Pray for Your Kids

“I look back at my middle school years as the years when I made some of the most important decisions of my life in terms of whether or not Christ was going to be at the center of my life. It required that I become radically different from my peers. Radically Different is a great resource for thinking through what it will mean to have Christ at the center rather than the fringes of your life now and for the rest of your life!”  ~Nancy Guthrie, Author of One Year of Dinner Table Devotions and Discussion Starters

“Champ Thornton’s small group study, Radically Different, for middle schoolers is excellent. He uses the grid of “Creation, Fall, and Redemption”—"good, bad, and new”—throughout the study, and everything is discussed through that lens, especially with respect to how one relates to God and to people. The study has good practical suggestions throughout that are always tied closely to the week’s focal Scripture passage. For those who think a strong weekly dose of Scripture might be too much or too impractical for middle schoolers, this Bible study will help them think differently. This is a fine balance between scriptural exposition and application of it to the lives of young people. I heartily endorse this study and will recommend it those ministering to middle schoolers.”  ~G. K. Beale, J. Gresham Machen and Research Professor of New Testament, Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, PA

“I love the fun and engaging format of Radically Different. The side comment explanations and the winsome illustrations are certain to draw the interest of students and invite them in to read. Once they start, the solid biblical truth, aptly spoken, is sure to hold their attention cover to cover. A great youth ministry resource!”  ~Marty Machowski, Family Pastor; author of The Ology, Long Story Short, Don’t Blame the Mud,and other gospel-rich resources for church and home

“Champ is an incredible Bible teacher. In Radically Different, he’s given the church an excellent tool for teaching young men and women about how biblical community is rooted in our relational God and shaped by the redemptive story. This looks to be an excellent resource for student ministry discipleship groups.”  ~Jared Kennedy, Pastor of Operations and Families, Sojourn Church Midtown, Louisville, KY; author of The Beginner's Gospel Story Bible

“I loved this book because it speaks to the heart of youth since the lessons are practical and gripping. At the same time, the book is faithful biblically and theologically. Thornton explains how a passion for God and for his word can transform the lives of youth. Highly recommend!”  ~Thomas R. Schreiner, James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation and Associate Dean, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY; author of The King in His Beauty: A Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments

“Radically Different is an excellent new resource for parents, students, and ministry leaders. Each one of us wants to know our place in the world. This curriculum will help equip the next generation to live in the world by teaching them to see their relationships, both with God and others, through the lens of the gospel.”  ~Russell Moore, President, The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention