Comments on: A Review of Pagan Christianity? - Preface by Frank Viola http://www.birkeyblog.com/2008/02/24/pagan-christianity-introduction/ the personal musings and art of Randal Birkey Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:08:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Deacon & Usher http://www.birkeyblog.com/2008/02/24/pagan-christianity-introduction/#comment-208 Deacon & Usher Sun, 18 May 2008 16:56:50 +0000 http://www.birkeyblog.com/2008/02/24/pagan-christianity-introduction/#comment-208 Frank's intent and what the church feels about it are at odds. Neil's knee-jerk response above is a perfect example of how many in the church are responding when their heirarchy is challenged. The heirarchy of the church begins with Christ and the rest of us are laypeople. One of the great understandings coming from 30+ years of frustration with the manipulation of the church. Frank's book gives us the validation and the substantiation of what we have all known all along - the church is not what Christ intended it to be! The church as we know it today has become an institution run by those who go to college and read from a book on how to control, how to preach, how to counsel and how to avoid the issues that arise. We need to explore how Christ wants it and stop taking our direction from intellectuals who operate inside cliques, preferential and political motivations and whose effort is to preserve their "vocation" as a minister/pastor. Good for you on your post. Keep exploring and you'll find more of Christ than you ever knew. Deacon and Usher deaconandusher.wordpress.com Frank’s intent and what the church feels about it are at odds. Neil’s knee-jerk response above is a perfect example of how many in the church are responding when their heirarchy is challenged. The heirarchy of the church begins with Christ and the rest of us are laypeople. One of the great understandings coming from 30+ years of frustration with the manipulation of the church. Frank’s book gives us the validation and the substantiation of what we have all known all along - the church is not what Christ intended it to be! The church as we know it today has become an institution run by those who go to college and read from a book on how to control, how to preach, how to counsel and how to avoid the issues that arise. We need to explore how Christ wants it and stop taking our direction from intellectuals who operate inside cliques, preferential and political motivations and whose effort is to preserve their “vocation” as a minister/pastor. Good for you on your post. Keep exploring and you’ll find more of Christ than you ever knew.

Deacon and Usher
deaconandusher.wordpress.com

]]> By: rbirkey http://www.birkeyblog.com/2008/02/24/pagan-christianity-introduction/#comment-143 rbirkey Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:47:04 +0000 http://www.birkeyblog.com/2008/02/24/pagan-christianity-introduction/#comment-143 Hi Neil, Thanks for your post. I have read the book "Pagan Christianity?" a couple times now and visited Frank's website many times and have not seen any indication that Frank Viola is trying to start his own denomination, sect, or religious organization. so I don't know where you are getting that impression, or why you would connect him to the "emerging church" movement. The "emerging church" is overlooking many of the issues that are raised in this book as well. So, sadly, I think you are mistaken on a number of accounts, and it doesn't seem to me that you've actually read the book. I encourage you to do so. Hi Neil,

Thanks for your post. I have read the book “Pagan Christianity?” a couple times now and visited Frank’s website many times and have not seen any indication that Frank Viola is trying to start his own denomination, sect, or religious organization. so I don’t know where you are getting that impression, or why you would connect him to the “emerging church” movement. The “emerging church” is overlooking many of the issues that are raised in this book as well. So, sadly, I think you are mistaken on a number of accounts, and it doesn’t seem to me that you’ve actually read the book. I encourage you to do so.

]]> By: Neil http://www.birkeyblog.com/2008/02/24/pagan-christianity-introduction/#comment-142 Neil Mon, 28 Apr 2008 23:24:33 +0000 http://www.birkeyblog.com/2008/02/24/pagan-christianity-introduction/#comment-142 Frank Viola has captured many truths about the biblical church but when it comes to the role of the elder he throws the baby out with the bathwater. He is correct to want to jettison religion. The religion that calls itself “Christian” (both catholic and protestant) is not the true church. The rightly divided word gives wonderful direction for the true church. The true church does not have a denominational name: It is the body of Christ. No middle men, no popes, no go betweens, just the one and only Jesus the anointed one as the head. Members of the true church have Christ in them (Col 1:27) and have an unbreakable relationship with God through Christ. Will there soon be yet another new denomination based on Violaism? It like the rest of the modern ”emerging church” has a strong emphasis on social gathering with all who come welcome to spew their weird religious doctrines while the bible is avoided? We need the rightly divided word of God now more than ever. In 1 Peter 5:1-3 elders are exhorted to “feed the flock of God.” There is only one source of food for the flock of God: The Word of God. See chapter 4 Partnership One With Another: Neil Tolman 1993 at: http://www.neilshouse.com/POA4.html#4 neilrn@maine.rr.com Frank Viola has captured many truths about the biblical church but when it comes to the role of the elder he throws the baby out with the bathwater. He is correct to want to jettison religion. The religion that calls itself “Christian” (both catholic and protestant) is not the true church. The rightly divided word gives wonderful direction for the true church. The true church does not have a denominational name: It is the body of Christ. No middle men, no popes, no go betweens, just the one and only Jesus the anointed one as the head. Members of the true church have Christ in them (Col 1:27) and have an unbreakable relationship with God through Christ.

Will there soon be yet another new denomination based on Violaism? It like the rest of the modern ”emerging church” has a strong emphasis on social gathering with all who come welcome to spew their weird religious doctrines while the bible is avoided? We need the rightly divided word of God now more than ever. In 1 Peter 5:1-3 elders are exhorted to “feed the flock of God.” There is only one source of food for the flock of God: The Word of God. See chapter 4 Partnership One With Another: Neil Tolman 1993 at: http://www.neilshouse.com/POA4.html#4 neilrn@maine.rr.com

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