Manifesto Value: Passion
When the KC Underground launched in 2019, part of our formation was to adopt the Underground Manifesto created by the Tampa Underground. The Manifesto is comprised of eighteen values that reflect our theological convictions. These values bind us together as a diverse and creative network. This prayer guide will cover one of those values.
Read: Spend some time slowly reading and rereading this value:
Passion
With Jesus as our model, we want our lives to be characterized by passion. In the most surface sense, it means that we should be moved by our relationship with God and maintain a high level of dedication in all we do for Him. In a deeper sense, it means that we value suffering and sacrifice. We see Jesus’ willingness to suffer for the lost and the hopeless as a model for all who would come after Him and that we, likewise, are to take up our cross and walk the way of suffering. Not seeking pain or persecution, but not shrinking back from it either. We are convinced that the clearest expression of the gospel is love and that love is forever re-defined by Jesus in His death for us. We value the kind of radical faith that expects every believer to be ready and willing to suffer and sacrifice for Jesus, His name, and His kingdom. We realize that this value is not mainstream and that it contradicts the cultural current of prosperity and the idea that in all things, God wants to give us personal success. We denounce this idea and affirm that the Kingdom will not be built through selfish ambition but through passionate, sacrificial love.
Retell: As a practice to embrace what you are reading, grab a journal and write the value out in your own words.
Read: Choose at least 3 - 5 of the following supporting passages and read through them.
Biblical Foundation
Psalms 63:1, Matthew 10:22, Matthew 16:24-25, Matthew 26:38-39, Romans 5:3 and 8:18, Luke 9:61-62, Luke 14:27, Romans 12:1-2, 2 Corinthians 1:5, Ephesians 5:1-2, Philippians 2:3, Philippians 3:10, Colossians 1:24, Colossians 3:17, 23, 2 Timothy 2:3, 2 Timothy 3:12-15, 1 Peter 3:17, 1 John 3:16
Consider: As you read and rewrote this value, what stood out to you the most? What did the Spirit highlight as you read the supporting passages from Scripture? What do you sense the Spirit is saying to you? Take a few minutes to journal your thoughts.
Pray: Now that you have had a few minutes to consider what the Spirit might be saying to you, turn these thoughts into prayers.
Perhaps it is a prayer of repentance: Jesus, I come before You, acknowledging the ways I have sought comfort, ease, and personal success over a life of sacrifice and obedience. Forgive me for hesitating to take up my cross and follow You fully. Forgive me for the times I’ve shrunk back from suffering or avoided opportunities to show sacrificial love. Father, I repent of any selfish ambition or desire for worldly recognition that has crept into my heart. Cleanse me of pride and realign my priorities with Your kingdom. Teach me to embrace the path of humility, sacrifice, and service, trusting that Your glory is revealed through surrender. Restore in me a passion for Your name that leads me to love as You love, even when it costs me.
Perhaps it is a prayer of invitation: Holy Spirit, I invite You to lead me deeper into a life of passionate love and sacrifice. Shape my heart to reflect Your own, a heart willing to suffer for the lost and hopeless. Show me how to walk the way of the cross, not seeking pain but embracing it when it comes for the sake of Your Kingdom. Holy Spirit, fill me with the courage to say ‘yes’ to whatever You ask, even when it requires sacrifice. Ignite in me a radical faith that moves me beyond convenience and comfort into bold, selfless love. I surrender my ambitions, my plans, and my fears to You, inviting You to use me for Your glory and Your purposes.
Perhaps it is a prayer for strength in sacrifice: Father, I pray for strength and perseverance to walk the path You’ve called me to, even when it’s hard. Help me to see suffering and sacrifice not as burdens but as opportunities to participate in Your work and reflect Your love. Father, give me joy in serving You, even when it requires letting go of my own desires. Remind me daily of Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice on the cross and how His love redefines all that I do. May that love compel me to serve others selflessly, to speak Your truth boldly, and to give generously of my time, energy, and resources for the sake of Your name. Let my life be a living testimony of Your passionate, sacrificial love.
Each of these simple prayers can be a springboard into more. Use the thoughts you journaled above to help guide your prayers. Take some extra time today to pray for the microchurches across our network, that we will be known as a passionate people, willing to live in countercultural ways guided by sacrificial love.
Respond: If Jesus highlighted a particular way for you to respond in obedience to Him today in light of this value from the Manifesto, consider sharing this response with another disciple-maker.