“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” — George Santayana, 20th-century Spanish Philosopher and Poet

“Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?” — Jesus Christ in Matthew 15:3, NASB

Frank Viola, one of the co-authors of this book wrote the preface. In it he first points out that when Jesus walked the earth, there were two leading religious parties of the day: The Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Pharisees made the error of “adding to Scripture” hundreds and hundreds of rules and regulations, which became known as the “tradition of the elders.” The Sadducees made the opposite error by denying or taking away from Scripture. They believed that only the first 5 books of the law (Torah) by Moses were binding, and denied spirits, angels, the soul, life after death and the resurrection.

He points out that no wonder both groups opposed Jesus when he spoke with greater authority and made claims that did not fit with either camp. In fact, he irritated them both so much, they conspired to have him killed. Viola then claims that history is repeating itself as contemporary Christians fall into the same two errors today. We have added traditions that have “suppressed the living, breathing, functional headship of Jesus Christ in His church.” And, we have removed many of the practices of the first century church from our landscape. “We break the Scripture just as much by burying it under a mountain of human tradition as by ignoring its principles.”

Where should we find the model for the practices in our Christian life?

Viola asks if the answer isn’t found in the life of Jesus Christ as portrayed in the New Testament? Few Christians would dispute this. “Jesus Christ is the Christian life.” And when he rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven he gave birth to the church, which was essentially himself in a different form… “the body of Christ.” So, argues Viola, the fist century church was the church in its purest (although not perfect) form.

He describes that church as an organic entity. “It was a living, breathing organism that expressed itself far differently from the institutional church of today.” Jesus Christ chose to reveal himself to the world through “His every-member functioning body.”

BOOK INTENTION #1: “In this book, we intend to show how that organism was devoid of so many things that we embrace today.”

The practices of the first century church were the natural outgrowth of the early Christians being indwelt by the Holy Spirit, grounded in the timeless principles and teachings of the New Testament. However, as we dig deeper into the differences and conflicts we experience in the church today, we are compelled to ask, “Where did our contemporary practices come from anyway? The answer claims Viola, is disturbing, because he claims, most are borrowed from pagan culture! Many of us will find that to be a disturbing and shocking assertion!

BOOK INTENTION #2: “But it is an unmovable, historical fact, as this book will demonstrate.”

The book will argue on theological, historical and pragmatic grounds that “the first-century church best represents the dream of God… and how the life of God is expressed when a group of people begin to live by it together.”

Frank shares that his own experience with organic churches confirms this finding. He defines an organic church as “a church that is born out of spiritual life instead of constructed by human institutions and held together by religious programs. Organic churches are characterized by Spirit-lead, open-participatory meetings and nonhierarchical leadership. This is in stark contrast to a clergy-lead, institution-driven church.”

Viola allows that there will always be variations in the church due to time, culture and place, but that organic churches do not produce the non-scriptural practices addressed in this book. Viola claims that the church has picked up practices from their pagan neighbors as far back as the 4th century, and over time we have embraced, “baptized” and called them “Christian.” He claims that this is why the church is in the state it is today, hampered by divisions, power struggles, passivity, and the lack of spiritual transformation among the people of God.

[Note: This statement reminds me of the recent hooplah over the results of the Willowcreek Church "Reveal" survey that found how little spiritual transformation was actually occurring in their model of doing church. They are to be commended for admitting it, but they are not alone!]

BOOK INTENTION #3: “In short, this book is dedicated to exposing the traditions that have been tacked onto God’s will for his church. Our reason is simple: We are asking to remove a great deal of debris in order to make room for the Lord Jesus Christ to be the fully functioning head of His church. We are making an outrageous proposal: that the church in its contemporary, institutional form has neither a biblical nor a historical right to function as it does. This proposal, of course, is our conviction based upon the historical evidence that we shall present in this book. You must decide if that proposal is valid or not.”

The book is written in plain English to encourage as many people as who may to read it. Although not a scholarly work, it is heavily footnoted and source referenced to allow reflective Christians a way to verify their statements and do further study.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

After having read the book, and coming back now to read this Preface, I’d have to say that the authors intentions and goals stated above were very persuasive to me. This should not be surprising to many who know me and my background. I was once a member of an organic church that met in DuPage county in the 1970′s and 80′s. I followed that experience with a long stretch at a small, multi-cultural urban church in Chicago. Neither church had a building, and we mostly met in homes. So, I feel that I also have experienced some of what the authors describe the church as it ought to be in this book. I also know and have experienced how hard being an organic church is.

Even so, this book has succeeded in re-igniting a deep hunger in me, to experience it again. I feel as though I have awakened from a long slumber of settling for second best. I am tired of the trappings of the institutional church, and the damage that it can have on me and others that I know. I fear how irrelevant it is becoming to an entire generation, and look with horror at what has happened to the church in Europe, the birthplace of the Reformation. I want to break free of it and pursue the supremacy of Jesus Christ for my life and the power of the Holy Spirit in a new way. I desire a new vision for what it means for me to be “in Christ” and a gifted, functioning member of the body of Christ. I dream of a powerful, life changing church that can serve and transform the culture around it. I sense that God is using this book to help me in a process of discovering what that new adventure will be.

Perhaps God wants to do something similar in your life? I’d love to know if you sense that too!