Renowned Hollywood Pastor Condemns "Civilized Christianity"

By Justin Camacho, Christian Post Correspondent Monday, January 17, 2005

Hollywood-based pastor and author Erwin McManus, referred to as a “guru” to young American church leaders and the “cultural architect” of one of the most innovative and creative congregations in America, will be releasing to bookstores this February his most controversial work to date: The Barbarian Way - an entirely new, brutally honest counter cultural gospel message that challenges what the author calls “civilized Christianity.”

“I want to destroy the influence of the Christian cliché ‘the safest place to be is in the center of the will of God,’ ” said the ‘non-PC’McManus. “We’ve created a religious culture in which—even though we’re the most blessed society in the history of the planet—our bestselling literature still focuses on how we can be more blessed.”

“The civilized view of Jesus is that He always comes through for us. His purpose is to ensure our safety, our convenience, and our comfort… Have we become so refined and so civilized that the benefits of our faith have become more precious and valuable to us than the Benefactor of our faith?”

McManus is the visionary behind Mosaic—a radically innovative, multi-ethnic congregation in the heart of Los Angeles. With nearly 60 nationalities represented, an average age of 25, and a disproportionate population of artisans, innovators, and entrepreneurs, the unorthodox Mosaic is a true reflection of its passionate and straight-forward leader.

Other books by Erwin McManus include Uprising: A Revolution of the Soul (Nelson Books, 2003), which served as the catalyst to the 2004 Promise Keepers movement, Seizing Your Divine Moment (Nelson Books, 2002), and An Unstoppable Force (Group Publishing, 2000), which was a Gold Medallion Award finalist.

Published by Nelson Books, The Barbarian Way hits stores February 1st, 2005. Hardcover: $16.99. ISBN 0-7852-6432-9.