January 13, 2025
ROSWELL, Ga. — Dustin Schadt, lead pastor of Northside Church in Roswell, has a message for believers. To share the gospel, we need to truly see those we are sharing with. In his book,
The Christian Index asked Schadt a series of questions about his thoughts on "outrageous kindness." What follows are those questions and his responses.
You recently wrote a book about reaching people for Christ through kindness. What prompted you to write the book?
We all know the power of a person who takes time to see us. I’m not sure where I would be if it weren’t for a couple of key people taking the time to slow down and invest a part of their lives into mine. Unfortunately, kindness like this seems to have become a precious commodity. Screens, packed schedules, and distractions abound. I wrote this book to help build bridges between people, and prompt friendships and moments for gospel-sharing.
The title of the book refers to “outrageous kindness.” How is that different from regular kindness? What do you mean by “outrageous?”
Outrageous kindness happens when we value people, focus in on real people, and respond to the needs that arise. This is more than just saying hello. Outrageous kindness happens when we see a trip to the grocery as a gospel mission, and we have our eyes and ears open to the people and needs around us. We have more opportunities for gospel conversations and gospel kindness when we live sent by the power of the Holy Spirit, and He prompts us toward acts of kindness, endearing words, and thoughtful interactions.
In today’s society, it often seems as if people use others’ kindness to take advantage of them, and kindness can be seen perhaps as a vulnerability to be exploited. How would you encourage those who are skeptical?
There aren’t many books written on this topic of kindness by men. Perhaps some feel that kindness is antithetical to toughness or strong leadership. I’d say the opposite is true. We see people in Scripture who showed flashes of selflessness and kindness. Noah built the boat. Abraham took his family and left. David stood up for the Israelites to Goliath. In 1 Timothy, we see gentleness as a qualification for pastoral leadership.
How can one balance kindness with pragmatism?
Kindness can go with us wherever we go. We don’t have to add anything to our schedule to be outrageously kind. Remembering your barber’s birthday, bringing a gift to our everyday barista, or self-designating yourself as the household dishwasher loader doesn’t take any more time in our day. While we’re pragmatic, let’s look for ways to be outrageously kind.
How would you respond to those who might see kindness as tolerance, or even acceptance, of sin?
In John 8:32, Jesus said that when we know the truth, the truth will set us free. Sometimes the most kind thing we can do is be truthful, even when that truth is hard. Most often, that truth is best communicated in the context of a relationship that is based on kindness, gentleness, and love. Tolerating sin would then be the opposite of kindness. This book will help further develop relationships that can bear the weight of difficult truth conversations.
In your own life, can you share when you have received or given kindness and the impact that it had?
When I was 18 years old, I met a guy named Jimmy. I was a brand new Christian, and Jimmy was the most normal Christian that I had met up to that point.
Jimmy took me to lunch, wasn’t distracted by his phone or the people around us, and listened to my story. He invited me to family meals, taught me how to read and memorize the Bible, and helped me learn to share my faith. I never felt used by Jimmy, and I never felt like a burden. The Lord gave us a season of life together where the impact has lasted for decades.
What would you say to someone who struggles with being kind or generous?
Kindness and generosity can look a little different for different people. Sometimes it's an issue of finding out what kindness and generosity look like with how God made you. A booming extrovert may be more comfortable making 10 new friends a day, while an introvert who sees people may go deeper with 1-2 new friends each year. We do have to be careful about what we value. Human beings are image-bearers of God, and as such are more important than jobs, tasks, and objectives.
At Northside, how does the concept of “outrageous kindness” carry over into ministry?
We talk about seeing people in all of our environments. We encourage our kids ministry volunteers to not only do the tasks of their position, but also “see” the kiddos that the Lord brings to them each week. Seeing people is a part of their onboarding and training. We equip our student ministry volunteers to see the young people in their small groups and to spend extra attention on those who appear to be less seen than others. In our pastoral staff meeting this morning, we talked about people that we are seeing in the life of our church.
Ultimately, of course, the goal is to make Jesus known and see Him glorified. What would you say was “outrageous” about how Jesus showed kindness?
Jesus never seemed to be in a hurry, but always moved about with purpose. Whether it was the woman with the bleeding condition, Simon and Andrew, or the woman at the well, Jesus spent intentional time showing people that He valued them, focused in on them, and responded to their needs in exactly the right way. Ultimately, Jesus gave His life for us so that we may have eternal life. This is the ultimate act of kindness.
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Dustin Schadt is the lead pastor at Northside Church in Roswell, Ga. He is the author of
