Pagan Christianity? – Introduction by George Barna

Posted on March 1, 2008 by rbirkey

“There is perhaps nothing worse than reaching the top of the ladder and discovering that you’re on the wrong wall” — Joseph Campbell, 20th Century American Writer

Following the book’s Preface by Frank Viola, co-author George Barna offers an Introduction entitled, “What Happened to the Church?” Barna opens his remarks by pointing out the trend we have observed in recent Christendom, with the large movements of believers going back to older approaches to the faith. This “revolution of faith” is borne out of a deepening desire especially among the young, to experience their Christian faith with more authenticity and fullness. We need not question the heart of these revolutionaries because there is ample research to show that they are genuinely seeking more of God. Their passion and ardor is real. They are tired of the institutions, denominations, and other religious forms that keep getting in the way of their connecting with Him. They are worn out by endless programs, assignments, and simplistic practices that do not draw them into God’s presence. “They can no longer endure the spiritual teasing offered by churches and well-intentioned ministries. God is waiting for them. They want Him. No more excuses.”

Those involved in this movement know what they are shifting away from, but what are they moving toward? House churches, market-place ministries, cyber-churches, independent community-wide worship gatherings, intentional communities are among the various forms being entered into. But, Barna asks, do these forms “really represent a meaningful step toward God’s highest purpose?” “Are we living in a culture that is so infatuated with change that we have forgotten that the church is about transformation, not mere change?”

There is much to be learned along these lines from the history of God’s people. But, how well do modern believers understand that history? According to Barna, “precious little,” and this is a big problem! Even though history warns us that when we don’t pay attention, we are doomed to repeat the past, we “often persist in our well-intentioned but ignorant efforts to refine life.”

Recent history of the church in America is a great example. Pick a trend: mega churches, seeker churches, affinity group ministries, vacation Bible School, multi-site churches, downloadable sermons, podcasting, big-screen projection systems, and many more… all are merely marketing strategies designed to cater to the tastes and preferences of segments of the population. “Whatever difficulties were present in the larger institutional setting that spawned these efforts are invariably present in the smaller or divergent efforts as well.”

[NOTE: Again, I am reminded of the recent Reveal Survey at Willowcreek Church that revealed just how little spiritual transformation was taking place in spite of all the money, energy and focus spent on catering to "seekers."]

“This book,” states Barna, “will challenge you to consider making more significant changes in the way you practice your faith.” History shows that when revolutionaries suggest making significant changes to the way things are done, or they start thinking outside the box, cries of “heretic” are often heard. Such protests are all too often due to the underlying ignorance about the true foundations and origins of the practices in our faith. We hear statements like, “All we need is to get back to the basics and preach the Word!” or, “That idea is the worst idea I’ve heard in a long time!” I believe that such outbursts not only crush the spirit of those seeking the heart of God through new solutions, but they may also be quenching the Holy Spirit who often reveals his will to us through the conversations, thinking and healthy open dialog of His people.

“Rather than foster continued resistance to methodological innovations, it’s time that the body of Christ get in touch with the Word of God and the history of the church to arrive at a better understanding of what we can and should do – as well as what we cannot and should not do.”

This book is intended to reveal how so many of our current “by the book” practices actually have no foundation in Scripture:

Activities within church services
Methods of raising funds for ministry
The education and ordination of clergy
Routines commonly used in youth ministry
Ways in which music is used in church
The presence and nature of church buildings

The author notes that there were three historical periods where most of our current traditions came from: The era of Constantine, The Protestant Reformation, and the Revivalist periods in the 18th and 19th centuries. This book will reveal how these changes were the result of passionate, often ill-informed believers, who went along for the ride without questioning the biblical basis of what their leaders were doing. Once these changes became accepted over time, and experienced as the norm, the church has become adept at “Proof-texting” to “prove” how these positions square with the Bible. This practice of lifting disparate, unrelated verses out of context, can be used to literally prove just about anything, and we evangelicals have become really good at it.

“The preponderance of evidence shows that these perspectives, rules, traditions, expectations, assumptions, and practices often hinder the development of our faith. In other instances, they serve as barriers that keep us from encountering the living God. The way we practice our faith can, indeed, affect the faith itself.”

Barna states that the book is not claiming that we need to go back and replicate the church in AD 30-60. He understands that social and cultural shifts prevent that. However, it is the core principles and ethos of the early church that we can learn from and adapt for our time and place. We need to learn to discern what things we can and need to adapt from our own culture, and how to avoid those that detract from it. “Caution is advisable as we strive to be the humble and obedient people who seek His central will.”

Barna likens the church to a jet airplane. Thousands of tiny course corrections are required to keep it on the flight plan and to enable it to arrive at the intended destination. Without careful ongoing course correction, a little change here, a slight nod there, and a barely perceptible tweak over there, can all add up to an entire enterprise being completely redefined!

Finally, healthy skepticism about what is presented in this book – if it leads to fact-finding and truth seeking – is encouraged! This matters greatly because the church is one of God’s deepest passions, and our lives are a gift from God, to be lived for God, in line with His plan and purpose. We need to be sure we are getting it right!

PERSONAL REFLECTION

As I read through this Introduction again, and reflected on my own life, I again find myself resonating with these authors. I am part of that group who longs to taste something more of God, and I am not satisfied with my current experience in the institutional church. I have grown unconvinced that it can happen within the forms I have grown accustomed to. I am tired of all the programs and silliness that we go through, making everything so much more complicated than it needs to be. I don’t need another meeting, seminar, class, service or committee to attend. I don’t need fancy technology, lush surroundings, candles or even my preferred style of music (In fact, I would really enjoy some silence!). I want to experience God and know that I have met Him!

I have a sneaking suspicion that I have been way to busy and noisy and have been drowning out what the Spirit wants to say. I sense that I have been quenching Him, and focused on my agenda, my tastes, my perspective, my preferences. It’s been all about me.

I find myself dreaming about how refreshing it would be to gather with some believers around a dining room table, enjoy a meal together, including “communion”, hear some authentic sharing from real life about how God is working and moving, sing a song, a hymn or listen to a poem someone wrote, hear a testimony, discuss a book (maybe this one?) or spend some time in intense prayer, and some time in silence, just listening to what the Spirit wants to say. I want THAT. I really do.

Then, I find myself wondering what would happen if small groups of believers started doing this across our community? Even as people from different churches! Do you think the Lord would give us a new vision on how He wants to reach our community? I think He might. I think we might find out that He’s been trying to tell us this for a long time.

A Review of Pagan Christianity? – Preface by Frank Viola

Posted on February 24, 2008 by rbirkey

“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!