From Rocky III
“But then the worst thing happened that could happen to any fighter, you got civilised’ Mick to Rocky
McManus’s book opens with this quote and then goes on to illustrate beautifully the contrast between civilised faith and rugged, raw ‘barbarian’ faith.
Essentially McManus is arguing that the Christian life was never meant to be a life of peace, prosperity and happiness (not that they are bad things) but that it is to be a life of adventure, risk and sacrifice. He uses 4 words to describe a barbarian faith – love, intimacy, passion and sacrifice, but the focus is very much on the element of courage and living on the raw edge.
He begins with a great passage from Judges 11 where Jeptha is expelled for being a son of a prostitute and is not seen as acceptable to the rest of the tribe, but when the people of Ammon declare war on Israel they go and ask him to return – because he is a warrior and can fight. In fact they ask him to come and lead them… McManus makes the point that in times of peace and stability the warrior/barbarian can be a pain in the proverbial, but when it all gets hard and things are looking grim then they are someone you want on your side – in fact in those times you need them to lead.
I wonder if we as the church aren’t living in times that require some barbarian leadership? These are certainly not times when things are going our way and where all is good. These are difficult times and we need these people back in the game. As McManus describes ‘barbarians’, I see them most closely aligned with the apostolic gifting, one that is certainly lacking in many churches today.
I have a feeling that part of the reason church can be so damn boring at times is because the barbarians have either been marginalised and pushed to the edges, or they have opted out because a passive and conservative environment just doesn’t resonate with who they are.
To give you some insights in how McManus describes barbarians here are some quotes:
p. 5 “Christianity over the past two thousand years has moved from a tribe of renegades to a religion of conformists”
P. 5 “A quick survey of the modern church would lead you to believe his invitation was “Come and listen” and his closing mandate would be summarised in the one word “No!”
P. 6 Of barbarians he writes: “They are not about religion or position. They have little patience for institutions or bureaucracies. Their lack of respect for tradition or ritual makes them seem uncivilised to those who love religion”
He spend a lot of time distinguishing between religious people and followers of Jesus.
P. 12 “Perhaps the overwhleming tragedy of our time is that such an overwhelming number of us who declare Jesus as Lord have become domesticated – or, if you will, civilised. We have lost the simplicity of our early faith. Beyond that we have lost the passion and power of that raw, untamed and primal faith.”
P. 22 He describes Jesus as a ‘barbarian in the midst of civilisation and frankly the civilisation made him sick”
p. 43 “The civilised view of Jesus is that he always comes through for us – like superman” whereas the barbarian knows that when you put your life on the line it just might get taken and there are no promises or guarantees.
p. 47 “When religion becomes civilised it moves away from God and oppresses humanity in God’s name”
p. 48 “Is it possible that the transforming power of the church has been lost because we keep inviting people to step into the comfort, safety and security of Jesus Christ?”
As I read even this far my spirit soared because I often feel exactly what he is writing about – that we have (often with the best of intentions) created a systematised and safe religion where we can easily describe the boundaries and where we can keep people in line and make sure they don’t misbehave. Anyone with any strength of will is not going to be attracted to that kind of faith!
Its here where we can learn some stuff from our outlaw friends who ask for your life if you wish to be in the gang – and they ask for it back if you choose to leave… Its an all in commitment and yet it appeals to men who want to be part of something that requires more than a weekend approach.
There is plenty not to like about OMCGs but if we look at why people join them its often because they were outcasts seeking community and purpose… and they didn’t come to us… Maybe if we welcomed the strong, aggressive and firey men we might see the church come alive in a whole new way, but it would scare the crap out of the majority of people already in it!
McManus offers this brief distinction P.78:
* The civilised build shelters and invite God to stay with them; barbarians move with God wherever he chooses to go.
* The civilised Christian has a routine; the barbarian disciple has a mission
* The civilised believer knows the letter of the law. The barbarian disciple lives the spirit of the law.
* The religiously civilised love tradition; the barbarian spirit loves challenges.
* The civilised ares satisfied with ritual; barbarians live and thrive in the mystical.
* For the civilised disciple, religion provides stability and certainty; for the barbarian a life in God is one of risk and mystery, and maybe even a little insanity.
I was asked recently why I can’t be more of a gentleman like (insert a gentlemanly Christian you know of) rather than being the person I am at present. My short answer is that it just isn’t me, but McManus has written a longer answer for me. While there’s nothing wrong with being a gentleman, for some of us there is a different calling and its best not to try to be who you aren’t.
The Barbarian Way is not a scholarly read or a deep book, but its not supposed to be. It is an inspiring and powerful call to live a more adventurous and passionate life. Its a book that every bloke ought to read at least once
(You won’t find any in Koorong as I bought the last 12 in Australia to give to some of my friends!)
cordarone download great buck howard the online outbreak dvdrip
hey hamo,
sounds like you’re having fun on the road!
you’ve touched on something i’ve been thinking about a lot lately… you used the reference “one percenters” and it probably has a very direct correlation with “disciple” in the way Jesus meant it!
sorry, the quote didn’t work – my bad HTML – apologies:
“There is plenty not to like about OMCGs but if we look at why people join them its often because they were outcasts seeking community and purpose… and they didn’t come to us… Maybe if we welcomed the strong, aggressive and firey men we might see the church come alive in a whole new way, but it would scare the crap out of the majority of people already in it!”
You will get what you preach & teach. It’s up to you.
Mark Driscoll says…Jesus is the only perfect man to ever live. Because most men fail to look to Him as our example, there exists 2 extremes in men: chauvinism and cowardice. Driscoll preaches to men about being real men who love God and serve their family well…
Download here:
http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/trial/marriage-and-men
Warning: You will be flamed & whipped
From my favorite barbarian — St. Brendan
St. Brendan’s Prayer
Shall I abandon, O King of mysteries, the soft comforts of home? Shall I turn my back on my native land, and turn my face towards the sea?
Shall I put myself wholly at your mercy, without silver, without a horse, without fame, without honour? Shall I throw myself wholly upon You, without sword or shield, without food and drink, without a bed to lie on? Shall I say farewell to my beautiful land, placing myself under Your yoke?
Shall I pour out my heart to You, confessing my manifold sins and begging forgiveness, tears streaming down my cheeks? Shall I leave the prints of my knees on the sandy beach, a record of my final prayer in my native land?
Shall I then suffer every kind of wound that the sea can inflict? Shall I take my tiny boat across the wide sparkling ocean? O King of the Glorious Heaven, shall I go of my own choice upon the sea?
Brendan’s answer of “Yes!” to a call to risky living sounds a lot like Jesus’ call and not much like today’s church. Sounds like a book I need to read after I finish the three by Tony Jones about spiritual disciplines on my desk now.
O Christ, will You help on the wild waves?
Hi toddy – I agree it is one of the inevitable consequences of any group – a ‘normal distribution’ in regards to commitment and I know we need to give grace to those who are new/struggling etc but then we need to ask if Jesus as calling u to an ‘ideal’ or to a real life that we can live.
I tend to think he was calling us to be one percenters, but it is our (my) predisposition towards self that prevents me from truly living as Chist intends – and I don’t mean that purely on relation to risk/adventure, but also in the simple everyday acts of serving and being kind.
Steve – I tend to think we have created a culture of passivity and acceptance of mediocrity in much of our Christianexperience and I would think that may be reshapwd by some extent by preaching, but moreso by a radically different way of life… Problem is most of us prefer to tweak our current lives rather than completely overhaul them
p. 43 “The civilised view of Jesus is that he always comes through for us – like superman” whereas the barbarian knows that when you put your life on the line it just might get taken and there are no promises or guarantees.
Amen, Hallelujah, Oh YES!! I’m sick of people squealing in a high pitched voice (is this Christian-swine-flu?) when things turn to mush, and just sit on the sidelines waiting to be rescued.
We HAVE been rescued ALREADY!! And it WAS enough! Therefore, we are meant to live out of being rescued, rather than living to be rescued over and over.
This is not to say that it has to be a solo act – that would be counter to Jesus message and to what the bible letter writers were on agbout, but when things go bad, we should be prepared to give thanks for the initial rescue message that gave us the courage to have a crack.
I agree – we are drowning in passivity, with a measure of pacifism as well. The word gutless comes to mind. “Barbarian” maybe not, but rather Christ honouring men walking in the Spirit, strongly taking the lead.
> (You won’t find any in Koorong as I bought the last 12 in Australia to give to some of my friends!)
So can I be one of your friends? (:
got any spare copies hamo?
Prayer of Christian Commitment
“I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power. The dye has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I’m a disciple of His.
“I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.
“My past is redeemed; my present makes sense; my future is secure.”
“I’m finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap living, and dwarfed goals.”
“I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity.”
“I no longer have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded.”
“I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power.”
“My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear.”
“I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed.”
“I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.”
“I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ.”
“I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me.”
“And, when He comes for His own, He will have no problems recognizing me–my banner will be clear.”
john eldredge’s (spelling uncertain) “wild at heart” stated (from memory) that what comes to mind when you think of a a christian man? e.g. nice, good, well mannered…….boring
he stated that God created man with 3 things inherently imbedded within – these things get his blood up, get him passionate:
– a battle to fight
– a beauty to rescue
– a adventure to live
kinda fits in nicely with thoughts expressed so far…….