THE FANATIC

Written while working as a youth pastor at age 19. I was considered a fanatic at my school,

home, and church. I preached a sermon in the youth class entitled "How to be a successful fanatic", and

wrote this poem to go with it. This became a chapter in a book I wrote at that time.

A FANATIC YOU SAY, THAT'S WHAT I AM?

I'M NUTS, I'M WEIRD, I'M A JESUS FAN?

WELL, FRIEND, YOU DON'T LOOK VERY WISE;

OH, I KNOW, YOU SAW IT IN MY EYES.

YES SIR, YOU'RE RIGHT; I'VE FLIPPED MY GOURD.

A STATE OF INSANITY -- I'M CRAZY FOR MY LORD.

I PREACH, I SING, AND SHOUT HALLELU!

I CRY OUT IN PRAYER, UNTIL I PRAY THROUGH.

JESUS, MY SAVIOR, ALONE WILL I FOLLOW

IS HE HATED TODAY? THEN I TOMORROW.

WHAT'S THAT WORLD? "SHUT UP!", DO YOU SHOUT?

O, IF I WOULD, THE STONES WOULD CRY OUT!

YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, THOUGH IT SEEMS SO CLEAR;

BECAUSE OF HIS LOVE, I HAVE NO FEAR.

THE WORD OF THE LORD, AS A SWORD, WILL PIERCE;

AND WILL ENDURE THROUGH ONSLAUGHTS FIERCE.

YOUR HEARTS ARE WICKED, O HUMAN RACE;

YET, YOU TOO, SOMEDAY, WILL SEE HIS FACE.

THEN, AS YOU BEFORE GOD'S SON DO FALL,

YOU'LL SEE...I WASN'T CRAZY AFTER ALL!

MARK BULLEN