I'm a freak.

Most Christians know about the underground churches in Asia. Where people can be killed or face life imprisonment for attending church or preaching the gospel. There's places in the middle east where Muslims can kill Christians and have little to no reproductions. I think that lukewarm Christianity is not a problem there; not saying that they don't exist but it doesn't seem like it would be worth it to be lukewarm. I want to take a trip to some of these places and see how God is moving in His people who are persecuted and face death to hear & spread His word.

The idea that I've been toying around with is mimicking these underground churches. Where its not about how big the Christmas pageant is or what kind of music the praise band plays or that the minister preaches in this style. Brining the focus of the church away from the building and bringing it back to the people. Brining it back to the body of Christ. Making the gatherings about studying His word, praying fervently, praising God for the things he does.

I just think its crazy we live in a country where churches spend $10 Billion a year to build new buildings or expand their existing ones, when it would cost $10 Billion a year to make sure everyone, in the world, had access to clean water. Something seems wrong about that, it doesn't seem like the message Jesus preached.

I want to help break this idea of Suburban Jesus. The pale white, blue eyed, frail man preaching a message about how to keep from going to Hell by praying a prayer, telling people that they should live by a set of rules. A 30 year old Jewish carpenter from the middle east doesn't seem to fit that description. The message He preached doesn't seem like it would sit well with the affluent church of America. The life changing message of total sacrifice & love. The man who called out Pharisees on their hypocritical ways. The man who spent 3 years in very close contact to 12 men, making them disciples, teaching them how to live like Him & die like Him (except John).

I mean the greatest thing I can think of would be to live a life, preaching His message, making disciples of all people in all nations. The greatest honor I could think of would to become a martyr on His behalf. To bring glory to Him. I know that might sound radical, crazy or extreme, but I don't think Christianity is mean to be a subdued faith.

I walk this road alone, I would never ask anyone to follow me to calvary, to my cross, but I would like to meet someone who is walking this road as well to know that I'm not the only one.