Are you a Barbarian?

I have just finished reading Erwin McManus' book, The Barbarian Way. If you have not read this book, you need to stop reading and go buy this book and digest every word that is written! He has put into words the way that I have been feeling for the last several years. Christians have become civilized and the Church has become irrelevant.

A barbarian is one that does WHATEVER is necessary to reach and obtain their objective. They don't fight fair nor do they care what others say or do. One of my favorite movies of all times is The Patriot, with Mel Gibson. One of the best scenes of the movie is when the British army is trying to figure out a way to stop the soldiers of the colonial army led by Gibson. The British Lt. Col. makes this statement. "We can't fight them because they are not fighting according to the Articles of War. They are just popping up out of nowhere and are killing our men."

The Church has lost that "popping up" affect. The enemy knows our every move. We have become civilized when it comes to Christ. We are more concerned with our performance than we have our passion to see lives changed for the Kingdom of God. Jesus did not suffer and die so we could build our OWN little haven of comfort and security. It does not take much to see the churches that are building for themselves and not the Kingdom. You don't have to listen hard to hear what is really being said. If the words "my" and "competition" are the most used words you hear......get out. Kingdom building is not a competition between churches or ministries. It is a companionship. If the enemy can reshift our focus off the task of changing people's eternal destination, then it does not matter how many churches are started.

Jesus himself was a barbarian. The people he chose to be around him were barbarians. Even the one that led the way for Christ, John the Baptist, was a barbarian. Are you willing to take a chance and go against the grain of religiosity and against the rules that civilized Christians have established.

I have determined that I have one life and I will be the most barbaric man of God that I can be to change the lives of the people that I meet. No matter who it offends.


Peace out..............