Barna Strikes Again, Endorses "Pagan Christian" Book
February 15, 2008 - 2:32pm by Thomas
Some guy named Frank Viola wrote a book called Pagan Christianity in 2002 and no one cared it did not make many waves. Apparently, he sold George Barna on the concept in the first edition and it is being reprinted with Barna's name on the front.
From Out of Ur:
Viola argues in his preface that the "practices of the first-century church were the natural and spontaneous expression" of believers indwelt by the Holy Spirit that were "solidly grounded in timeless principles and teachings of the New Testament.quot; Regrettably, he maintains, most practices of contemporary churches—including everything from having a professional pastor to meeting in a church building—are at odds with New Testament teachings. Worse yet, those extra-biblical practices were adopted from pagan culture. This is unsettling, Viola sympathizes; but it is also "unmovable, historical fact." The remainder of the volume is an argument from Scripture and church history to support this thesis: "the church in its contemporary, institutional form has neither a biblical nor a historical right to function as it does."
I commented on Out of Ur that Jesus spoke in the ekklesias of Jews, called synagogues, all the time---so church buildings were rooted in Judaic and not pagan practice. Or probably more accurately, people like to meet in places where they don't have to worry about the weather. Were early Christians supposed to meet in open fields and sing psalms as they were pelted with hailstones? I understand that some churches "build for the sake of building" and are poor stewards of God's economy, but misuse happens in more than just building.
I think the problem lies in what Evangelicals are building, not in the act of building (a type of creation) itself. If there were a lot more sanctuaries and a lot less gymnasiums and coffee shops in churches I think the issue of energy and devotion would reflect more on God and less on hot cups of joe and the latest Strobel book.
(The original title and comments on this post were a tad harsh---my apologies. I wouldn't want someone to talk about my writing that way.)
Comments
Haven't read Viola's book yet, but I think he (or others) might say that even if church buildings have historic roots in Judaism, part of Jesus' mission was doing away with the kind of mentality that says worship here or there in what has become for many a compartmentalized setting that has little to do with the kerygma. And the first Christians worshiped in secret...in caves and catacombs and houses. The church buildings (even the sanctuaries) are ancillary and perhaps not even helpful. It seems to me that Christ's Good News was an unpacking of the Kingdom. Why did we ever box that all back up in the first place?
This has one of the most important marks of a good post: it makes me think new thoughts every time I read it.
This time I disagree a bit with the last sentence. I think we should build more coffee shops and gyms. Jesus taught us to love God and love our neighbor. I think that we should build church buildings that enable us to do both. Sanctuaries that convert into gyms seem like better stewardship than a huge room that can only be used 1 hour each week. They can be used to offer after school programs for local kids, basketball leagues for teenagers, etc. They can be used to show that the love of God is practical and offers alternatives to the craziness of the world. I don't think coffee shops distract from God. I think they provide a vital opportunity for people to sit and talk together about Him.
In general I agree. I think that what is important in building is the attitude that lays behind it---is it a Tower of Babel or a means of service?
An example: Shaine Claiborne shares in his book The Irresistible Revolution about how when he interned at Willow Creek he tried to convince the oversight committee to start a dollar matching program for constructing new buildings on their megachurch campus so that for every dollar spent at Willow Creek a dollar would be allocated for evangelism/missions/social justice needs. The powers that be didn't go for it.
It is important, as you suggest, to make sure that a building will do more than serve 1 hour a week. I think in our zest for building we forget to allocate our resources first and foremost to spiritual needs.
I thought this interview series on the book was very thought provoking.
http://www.subversiveinfluence.com/wordpress/?p=1580