Rogue /rōɡ/: No longer conforming to a desired standard; a person or organization that does not behave in the usual or acceptable way.
Recently I wrote about my new book The Rogue Christian, which will be available March 17. Let’s look at the heart behind it.
Today’s status quo Christianity has bred isolated, comfortable Christians. Many have little in the way of a prayer life. As we know from the people who come to us for help, many know plenty of Bible verses and doctrine but are empty inside; they lack an intimate heart-relationship with the Lord. Many churches avoid the hard topics, or if they do broach the tough subjects they give little in the way of biblical answers on how to overcome those issues. We teach the Bible but aren’t showing people how to live it.
Just yesterday, Franklin Graham sent out an email sharing the spiritual warfare his ministry is getting hit with:
Some time ago God laid it on my heart to come to the U.K. to preach the Gospel, and for two years we have been planning to do so. But recently, storm clouds began to gather. One by one, venues contacted us saying they had canceled our contracts to hold the evangelistic events there. It became evident that this Gospel outreach is under attack. God’s Word, as you know, always faces opposition. This is spiritual warfare, and we’re not going to back down… As Christians, our most powerful weapon is prayer—and we ask for yours.
Why is it that so many say “prayer is our most powerful weapon,” yet our churches are not the houses of prayer they’re commanded to be in Scripture? (Isaiah 56:7, Matthew 21:13). If pastors and ministry leaders believe prayer is our most powerful weapon, they see the moral collapse, and understand that the spiritual battle has intensified, why aren’t they putting their flocks on their knees every weekend? Why aren’t they equipping people to be spiritual warriors? Don’t just quote me the verses about the armor of God, show me how to use it.
I listened to a broadcast of a nationally known Christian radio show recently. When the guest started talking about the spiritual warfare they were going through, the host redirected the conversation. Why are we so afraid of talking about topics like porn, adultery, spiritual warfare, depression, spiritual abuse, or sexual abuse?
You can study theology and doctrine all you want, but if you don’t have a prayer life, or if you’re are in bondage to sin, if you’re hurting emotionally and no one is helping you, or if you’re clueless to the spiritual battle, or worse, if you’re a proud, isolated Pharisee and no one is confronting you on your stuff, how much impact is your life having for the kingdom?
We’re not being challenged to take our Christian walk to a higher level. The Christian life comes alive when we take risks and do what God’s word says, as the early church did when they constantly met for prayer, fellowship, and the word (Acts 2:42).
A rogue Christian wants more than status quo Christianity. Rogues see the precarious moral high-wire we’re teetering on and know we need more than going to church, singing praise songs, hearing a pleasant sermon that ties everything neatly together at the end, and going home. By instinct, rogues know we’re missing a sense of urgency.
Many of you are already Rogue Christians. You came to Blazing Grace because your church wouldn’t deal with sexual issues or didn’t know how to. In some cases, you were wounded by your church when you sought their help. You knew that if you didn’t get outside help your marriage and your family could suffer serious consequences. The status quo failed, and you needed more.
This is the heart behind The Rogue Christian. The book exposes the madness we’re living in, pulls the curtain back on why the church has lost its salt, equips you to be an overcomer, shows you how to draw closer to God, provides ways for those who are wounded to heal, challenges you to take your walk with God to a higher level, and provides the action steps every believer can take to make an impact. The Rogue Christian is a book of action; there is a sense of urgency that we can’t keep sitting in the pews and getting our theology fix during our weekend services while Satan continues to take more ground at an alarming rate.
We are a church at war. It’s time to act like it.
The book will be available next month.