Are you a Revolutionary?

The following is taken from George Barna's latest book Revolution:

“Revolutionaries have no use for churches that play religious games whether those games are worship services that drone on without the presence of God or ministry programs that bear no spiritual fruit. Revolutionaries eschew ministries that compromise or soft sell our sinful nature to expand organizational turf. They refuse to follow people in ministry leadership positions who cast a personal vision rather than God’s, who seek popularity rather than the proclamation of truth in their public statements, or who are more concerned about their own legacy than that of Jesus Christ. They refuse to donate one more dollar to man-made monuments that mark their own achievements and guarantee their place in history. They are unimpressed by accredited degrees and endowed chairs in Christian colleges and seminaries that produce young people incapable of defending the Bible or unwilling to devote their lives to serving others. And Revolutionaries are embarrassed by language that promises Christian love and holiness but turns out to be all sizzle and no substance.”

Seven Passions of Revolutionaries (these are taken from Acts and the early Church, which Barna believes God designed to be our model):

Intimate Worship
“NOT a worship service, but a commitment to feel the awe of God’s magnificence, to express gratitude for His love and authority, to acknowledge His control and power, to follow Him with dedication and to enjoy the miracle of His relationship with us”

Faith-Based Conversations
“The evangelistic efforts of the first believers were carried out through preaching, low-key/high-impact conversations about truth and purpose, prayer...(etc.)...and the joy-filled perspective they had toward God and life that created interest in their lives.”

Intentional Spiritual Growth
“(early Church) Believers exhibited a remarkable attitude toward life and people and acknowledged the presence of the supernatural in their everyday adventures.”

Servanthood
“Servanthood also shows the transformation that their faith has wrought within them.”

Resource Investment
“...they shared ‘everything’ (Acts 2-42-47) with those in need, and they used the variety of resources at their disposal- money, food, clothing, housing, relationships, influence, skills, time...”

Spiritual Friendships
“The friendships they (early Church) formed (with each other) provided not only encouragement but also loving accountability for spiritual integrity.”

Family Faith
“In a very real sense, the home was the early Church- supplemented by larger gatherings in the Temple and elsewhere, but never replaced by what took place in the home of believers.”

-Ethan Wiekamp