McManus issues a challenge to live the christian life on the edge, full throttle, and with all one's heart. According to him, many believers settle for a domesticated, civilized and polite faith that offends no one and accomplishes nothing. The life of faith should be exactly that, full of unbridled passion in spite of unknown dangers and powerful conflicts. For a pulpit to print book, it is a quick read that leave the application to reader. Because there are many books that call believers to radical discipleship, I did not find much new apart from the "barbarian" terminology and imagery. ( )

I honestly wish I could say that I loved this book. I had heard from friends in the States and abroad that this book would dramatically change my way of living for Christ, but sadly, it didn't. For me, the book was far too abstract and didn't give any hardcore examples of what living like a barbarian really looked like. In addition to that, I didn't particularly appreciate the "holier than thou due to my barbaric ways" tone of McManus, although I highly doubt it was his intention. ( )

Last year, while attending the Willow Creek Leadership Summit with Steve Zerbe, I got to hear Erwin speak and was dumbstruck by his communication method. I have since done all I can to dive into atleast one other McManus book - UPRISING - which is actually the book we’re going through as a small men’s group Bible Study!

I picked this book up at Willow Creek two weeks ago when I was there for the NEXT GENERATION conference and had the opportunity to hear McManus for the second time.

This book, “The Barbarian Way” is based on what I heard McManus speak about last year at the Leadership Summit.

The fact that I started AND finished this book should be proof enough that it was a VERY great book!

“The Barbarian Way” is Erwin McManus’ attempt at explaining the need for another “breed” of Christian - since the term “Christian” has become little more than a term representing “good people”.

The basis of the book - each of us that call Christ our King have an in-grown need to “fight for the heart of our King”!

Some of the highlighted paragraphs that are now in my book:

# “Perhaps the tragedy of our time is that such an overwhelming number of us who declare Jesus as Lord have become domesticated - or, if you will, civilized. We have lost the simplicity of our early faith.”(p.12)
# “…there is within you a raw and untamed faith waiting to be unleashed.”(p.13)
# “Christianity has become our Shawshank, and our redemption will only come if we find the courage to escape the prison we have created for ourselves.”(p.17)
# “Some barbarians survive the night in the lion’s den; others experience their darkest night and wake in eternity.”(p.41)
# “We’ve created a religious culture in which - even though we’re the most blessed society in the history of the planet - our best-selling literature still focuses on how we can be more blessed.”(p.48)
# “Innovation is a life skill. When we’re surrounded by civilization, innovation tends to be motivated by boredom.”(p.52)
# “But I want to warn you, the closer you walk with Christ, the greater the faith required. The more you trust Him, the more you’ll risk on His behalf. The more you love Him, the more you will love others.”(p.53)
# “How is it possible that, for many of us, being a good Christian is really nothing more than being a good person?”(p.65)
# “I think there’s a problem when people talk about meeting God or knowing god and yet remain unchanged by God.”(p.66)
# “If you are a follower of Christ and you have allowed yourself to be domesticated, you have lost the power of who you are and who God intends for you to be. You were not created to be normal. God’s desire for you is not compliance and conformity. You have been baptized by Spirit and fire. Asleep within you is a barbarian, a savage to all who love the prim and proper. You must go to the primal place and enter the presence of the Most High God, for there you will be changed by His presence. Let Him unleast the untamed faith within you.”(p.82)
# “Jesus was anything but the poster child for status quo.”(p.114)

I would DEFINITELY recommend putting down the $16.99 for this book (actually, the receipt says I only paid $13.59 + tax!) ( )

McManus always offers narrative gems that inspire my preaching. This simple and straightforward book lays out direction for the beginning Christian life, or for the life of faith gone stale. The call is to go beyond the bounds of safe religious notions, and to pursue God's way into the uncharted realms of front line Kingdom living, work, and service. ( )

A good book, but not the best book that McManus has authored. It is designed to be inspirational and is comprised of stories that are told to advance faith in its readers. It succeeds in doing that, but does not provide a lot of depth nor does it offer a lot of practical application. It is worth the read, especially for those that are struggling with their faith or are new to the faith. ( )