“We must remember that Christianity… it’s not a cruise ship. It’s a battleship.”

Do you view God as an emcee on a cruise ship, or as general calling you to engage in the spiritual battle?

Dr. David Ireland, senior pastor of Christ Church in New Jersey, shares how our faith should God-centered, not self-centered. He outlines a few of the differences between a cruise ship mentality and a battleship mentality.

On a cruise ship:      

The mentality is vacation.
It’s all about me.
I’m here to relax.
I must be served by the crew.
Prayer is a bother, a pastime.

On a battleship:

We’re at war.
It’s all about God.
I’m here to fight.
I am the crew.
Prayer is a necessity.

David points out one more crucial difference.

“A cruise ship docks during wartime. Battleships sail during war time.”

We are called to an active faith. If we don’t step up into our place, we miss out on the opportunity to grow and partner with God in battle. We miss the opportunity to see God change someone’s heart through our testimony. We miss the opportunity to intercede.

Our culture encourages the cruise ship mentality, but that leads to spiritual stagnancy instead of growth. We’ve been entrusted with spiritual wealth – are we using it to serve ourselves or engage in a larger spiritual fight in which our General has already declared victory?

“We must be able to make sure we see Christianity as a battleship and not a cruise ship.”

Key Scriptures: Luke 22:31-32; Colossians 4:2-3

Featured Songs: Everything is Mine in You by Christy Nockels; Calvary by Hillsong; Find Me at the Feet of Jesus by Christy Nockels

Highlight : Christianity is not a cruise ship

The weapon of prayer