Unleashed

Unleashed is a re-release of McManus’ book, “The Barbarian Way.” BookSneeze® provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for review. Reading the first few pages made me wonder if McManus’ observations on the contemporary Church had become the characterization of his own writing experience. “Unleashed” has a bit more “civilized” sounding approach to radical discipleship than the term “barbarian.”
I developed a love-hate relationship with the rest of the book. I hated the idea that McManus felt that such a book needed to be written and loved the style and content of the book.
The jury is still out for me on whether the church is actually “too civilized.” McManus uses a pretty wide brush to paint his picture. As the pastor of a large suburban church I resonate with McManus’ desire to mobilize the church. “When the church is a movement, our stewardship becomes the unleashing of our God-given gifts, talents, and passions. My goal is not to cast a vision that everyone buys into, but to create a visional community where everyone who enters in begins to have wild and God-sized dreams and visions.” p. 103 That is spot on with what the Spirit of God has been recently prompting us to share in our Sunday messages. Our vision is to insure that everyone in our church family is equipped, unleashed and supported in using their SHAPE to serve God wherever He leads.
I would love to put a copy of this book in the hands of everyone in our church. It’s a simple and inspiring read. It would come with one proviso – simply “going” outside our comfort zone does not make us any less a missionary than going outside of our geographic zone. The most vital mission field is the marriage you are in, the children you have been gifted to raise, the work associates with whom you spend a significant portion of your life and the neighbours you rub shoulders with. What brings the greatest glory to God is to do his will and to “be about his business” and that can be accomplished by unconditionally loving those around you. That in itself demands a selfless sacrifice made possible by experiencing the unconditional love of God. I have printed out McManus’ observation on page 61 as an inspiration to strive for intimacy with God. “We have become believers rather than experiencers. To know God in the Scriptures always went beyond information to intimacy.”  Unleash the potential of your experience with God