Pagan Christianity

View other editions of Pagan Christianity.
View books by Frank Viola, George Barna.

The Church is Not Great - Rated
This book is worth reading, not just for 'believers', but for those who have come to the only logical conclusion possible, that 'religion' is a human invention. It maps the syncretistic nature of church practice, just as other authors have mapped belief and theology. A book such as this could be written about all religious traditions, as all are in exactly the same situation. The authors should be applauded for their critique of the church, but the alternative they envisage is a waste of time, this is where it all started in the first place!
PS: Love the red cover, but you will need a magnifying glass to read the footnotes.

to see or not to see - that is the question - Rated
If I have understood Frank Viola and George Barna's thrust correctly it is this - a thing may be judged by 'How much it allows the members of His body the freedom to function?' (p250)
Each of Viola/Barna's focus of study have been weighed in the balance - and they have been found wanting. (The areas themselves have been found wanting - NOT Viola/Barna's study.) They give an 11 page bibliography and copious references whereby each reader may follow up for themselves - and the writers would that they did.
A great and challenging read - time to take off the rose tinted glasses?

seismic earth shattering facts that will smash traditional church foundations - Rated
This book will totally rock the way you see Church across the board including Pentecostal, Charismatic, Baptist and every kind of established church organisation out there. It will make you take the bible that little bit more seriously and rely on the Holy Spirit's brand of Church headed by Jesus Christ. Please beware because this book will not leave you the same after you read it so please pray before you read it.

So that's why I never liked "church" :: Barna & Viola pull back the curtain - Rated
A growing number of people have made it clear: they like Jesus, but they do not like "the church" or the whole "church/chapel culture." Barna and Viola pull back the curtain to reveal the unbiblical (in fact, "pagan") roots of today's institutional church practices. These guys have done their homework and I hope it makes the impact worldwide that they are hoping for.

Having a relationship with Jesus Christ does not require all the trappings of religion: in many ways, we've been sold a bill of goods that cannot be supported by the New Testament, whether you look at the teachings of Jesus or the apostles. This book clears the table, so to speak, and encourages us to go back to the Bible for our guidance rather than the accumulated traditions of the past 1,700 years.

So if you're sick of religion, get this book! As someone recently warned about its volatile content: don't drop it, because it might explode!"

Bill Lollar
The Thin Edge
"Pushing the limits of the status quo"