Bob Hyatt has taken on George Barna’s book titled Pagan Christianity. I heard George speak at a minister’s conference last year. According to his research nobody in the room was saved (except for him).
He went on and on about how people were becoming disconnected with Christianity except for a little subset of Christians called Pentecostals.
I never read this book. I have run into enough people who agree with it to know that it is not of interest to me. That’s why I am glad someone like Bob has taken him to task chapter by chapter. The series is worth reading just for the laughs you get out of finding the nonsense that people get paid to write in books.
You know those churches that God inhabits when people gather to worship Him? You know, the ones that He saves people in, touches their hearts causing them to fall in love with Him and give their lives to His cause? Apparently God hates those places according to Barna.
Maybe one day Barna can bend a knee and ask the Father what He thinks about the situation.
Popularity: 27% [?]
The church has become a people of “poll watchers” instead of Jesus followers!
When are going to get back to the Book, and quit organizing our services to appeal to people, instead of creating them to appeal to God?
Set ourselves on fire for HIM and people will come watch us burn!!!!
I agree. I don’t need a guy to ask 500 people what they think. I need to sanctify myself daily so that I can hear what the Holy Ghost is saying and proclaim it without apology or hesitation. That’s what the world needs.
Um.
I used to be Pagan. As a whole and even in parts the church is NOT pagan. There are a few things here and there which are disturbing - Christians participating in easter bunny madness, and some of the name-it-claim-it-let’s-make-God-do-it stuff (SOME of which is so very reminiscent of magick it turns my stomach), etc.
I realize they’re talking (or trying to) about ancient pagan practices, but still - dressing up for church is pagan? Most of the pagans I know (and know of, historically) take their clothes OFF for ritual…
I’ve lost stomach for the rest of it.
Our old pastor up in Greensboro always maintained that a “service” is not about the church serving us. It’s about us serving God. It’s got to be all about Him, else it’s just a profound waste…
Evidently no one here has read the book before criticizing it. First, they do not say that Christians are pagan, they talk about the pagan practices that have entered ‘Christianity’. Secondly, the largest portion of the book was written by Frank Viola and has been in publication for around 7 years. Barna only adds some prefaces and a few chapters at the end.
This ‘knee-jerk’ reaction to someone writing (or doing)something against ‘tradition’ is the very reason this book must be written and examined.
Please educate yourself in what is being said before passing judgement.
@Mark - How can you call a review of a 7 year old book “knee-jerk”? Are you saying the review that I link to is wrong? I was commenting on the review and how it agrees with those whom I have met who have read the book.
I have some comments here and some perspective on Barna/Viola.
Where he is coming from is that his research has shown the lack of difference in moral character and basic beliefs between most “Christians” in America and the pagan culture surrounding them. This has led him to question the structures of the church in the west as part of the problem. So he has gravitated to a simple church or house church approach.
Viola and many others have been house church practioners for years, and have put forth their experiences and understanding in a number of books about the house church paradigm as a vehicle for kingdom ministry.
The reference to “pagan” has more to do with the perspective that worldly methods, practices and traditions have been adopted by the church to its spritual detriment. Things like the pastor/CEO model of church government vs.
the 5-fold ministry and elders, or the “professional religious performers” up front doing ministry while the church spectates vs. the priesthood of every believer equipped by the apostles, prophets, evangeists, pastors and teachers to do ministry in the world.
One comment: I’ve found simple church a compelling idea rich with possibility, especially when combined with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that is currently happening world wide(read the book MegaShift by James Rutz for a thrilling view on how empowered house churches are changing the face of Christianity in the 2/3 world) but Viola is too extreme and bombastic for me.
He tends to come across as arrogant and act like his views are the modern equivalence of the Bible–always a temptatation for us poor sinners when we get ahold of revolutionary spritual truth.
IMHO, the church in the west in general is pretty wimpy when compared to the book of Acts, so let’s look at everything we can to expand the kingdom in our world.
My (long) two cents… ; )