Most of the Christian culture today will teach you how to be good. Unfortunately, 'being good' has hardly anything to do with the Gospel or the story that God has been telling for the past 6,000 years. Instead God has called us to be something far more glorious…He has invited us to be Holy even as he is Holy.

Living a Holy life is a world changing revolutionary idea!

Today most American Christians are taught to "live defensively". When something bad comes on the television or on the radio they turn it off. Most Christian Americans that I know are good people who don't like what's happening in their nation and so what do they do to change the world?…they muster the courage to take a trip down to the fire station once every four years and cast in their ballots. Voting for good politicians is important. However, for most Christian Americans, that is all that they do to end the injustice and stop the infanticide.

Most Christian youth today are told how to live defensively. For example, when I was in Jr. High I thought that holiness meant that I should not do drugs, not smoke, not drink, not swear, not watch movies, and not have sex till I was married (all defensive measures of holiness). I thought following all the rules was enough. I did not realize I could follow the rules and be far from holy. However, true holiness in the scriptures is far more radical and far more awesome than following the don'ts. Holiness by definition is complete set apartness.

My favorite book of the Bible is Daniel, and I love the story of the three teenagers Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego as recorded in the third chapter. They were standing among at least three thousand bowing Jews. (you know the story) This was an incredibly offensive measure to the world at that time.

Holiness is being on the offence not only the defense. From David to Daniel, from Joshua to Jeremiah every allstar in the Bible was on the offense. Church history is also filled with such radical characters as Dietrich Bonhoffer, who preached against the Nazi regime during the Holocaust, William Wilberforce, taking a stand against Slavery in Europe, Martin Luther King, overcoming racial injustice in America, or Mother Teresa, fighting poverty in Calcutta. Where would we be without such offensive men and women? These Godly Characters are not the exception of how to live, they are the examples of how to live.

Today people don't think of Jesus as being offensive. Instead they see Jesus as a really nice guy that everybody just loved to be around; but in reality his message was so contrary to what the world and the church thought at the time, they literally had him killed for it. They killed him because of his offensive measures, not his pure life. If we live that way, we too will be crucified for it. This is precisely what we are called to do. We are called to follow Christ, proclaiming His message, which will be offensive to some, and to disciple others in the faith.

God is raising up many young people in this generation...young people who aren't afraid to stand out…young people who are available to God...young prophets bringing a message of truth, hope, conviction, and love to their schools and communities.

I look forward to the evening when we will sit around the campfires in Heaven and regale the stories of our lives. I can't wait to hear and tell the stories of faith and love where Christ used our lives to penetrate the darkness. I hope that you will be there. I hope that you will have something to say in front of Noah, Abraham, Ester, David, and the Great King Jesus. What a beautiful time that will be.

Live Offensively for God ministries is about Challenging, Counseling, and Inspiring the next generation to engage the culture and live a sacred Holy life within a dark world.