Monk Warriors

For those of you who love Randy Harris and his unique perspective on the Bible, he now has a blog, several actually, so you can feed on his insights into spiritual formation.

The first is http://postmodernmystic.org/.

The other is dedicated to a covenant group of young men that Randy is discipling: http://monkwarrior.org/

The question I'm begging to ask from the latter site is, "What does it take to be a 'Monk Warrior?'"

Seems they anticipated my question by providing a statement describing their committment to their covenant relationship. It is called the "Neophyte Rule" and it goes like this (emphasis is theirs):

Specifically, as a NEOPHYTE MONK WARRIOR, I make the following vows to God and my brothers.

1. I will read the Sermon on the Mount 4 times a week and begin to commit it to memory.

2. I will meet for prayer, confession and encouragement 2 times a week with another monk warrior.

3. I will treat Everyone with respect as ones created in the image and likeness of God. I will value people over technology.

4. In every situation, I will seek to do acts of service, take the lowest place, place others’ needs above my own.

5. I will cultivate the discipline of a warrior. I will do my part to improve our physical benchmarks and excel in school. I will practice the “One”—giving my all. I WILL NOT WHINE.

6. I will cultivate the contemplative life of a monk, by practicing silence, solitude, and fasting. I will enter the dangerous way of prayer. Specifically, I commit to fast one day a week and spend 15 minutes a day in silence before God.

7. As Jesus taught us, I will be a bearer of love, peace, and reconciliation, to those who are Jesus followers and to those who are not—especially to those who in our world are “the least of these.” I will participate in some small way in “The coming of the Kingdom” everyday.

I ask my brothers to hold me graciously accountable to this rule and I pledge to do the same for them, for the sake of the kingdom of God and truly meaningful life.