Post #57 Pagan Christianity?

I am reading a book that has been on my shelf for quite some time. It is written by trend tacker, George Barna and house church pioneer, Frank Viola. The focus is on the ancient roots of Christianity--the roots that actually have no biblical basis--the roots that take foot in the ground of the other faiths and religions that have been assimilated by Christianity over the past 2000 years.

The introductory chapter starts with the following quote:

There is perhaps nothing worse than reaching the top of the ladder and discovering that you're on the wrong wall.
-Joseph Campbell, Twentieth-Century American Writer

This is an appropriate place to start this book. The assumption is not that Christianity in message is the wrong wall, but perhaps Christianity in method might be. The way we have been living out the lessons and examples of Jesus may be counterproductive to what He intended with those lessons and examples. It is not that Christianity is in question, it is the possible misrepresentation of Christ that is.

The writers describe a silent revolution in which devotees are leaving old, accepted ways of "doing church" for even older approaches. They explain,

The heart of the Revolutionaries is not in question. There is ample research to show that they are seeking more of God. They have a passion to be faithful to His Word and to be more in tune with His leading. They ardently want their relationship with the Lord to be their top priority in life. They are tired of the institutions, denominations, and routines getting in the way of a resonant connection with Him. They are worn out on the endless programs that fail to facilitate transformation. They are weary of being sent off to complete assignments, memorize facts and passages, and engage in simplistic practices that do not draw them into God's presence.

The writers then tell us what this book is really all about:

This book will challenge you to consider making more significant changes in they way you practice your faith. Altering the ways in which we worship is no simple task. When people suggest significant changes in some of the hallowed practices, cries of "heretic" can be heard coming from all directions. Such protest is common largely because people have little knowledge of the true foundations of their faith.

And finally, Barna and Viola conclude,

That's where this book comes in. Rather than foster continued resistance to methodological innovations, it's time that the body of Christ get in touch with both 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.

The writers follow this introduction by examining several aspects of "church", deeply analyzing the origins and primary practices that birthed the traditions and sacred cows of today.

The following list highlights the proceeding chapters:
-Have we really been doing it by the book?
-The church building
-The order of worship
-The sermon
-The pastor
-Sunday morning costumes
-Ministers of music
-Tithing and clergy salaries
-Baptism and the Lord's Supper
-Christian education
-Re-approaching the New Testament
and finally,
-A second glance at the Savior

It is important to note, that although I might disagree with some of the things the writers have to say, I do believe it is important for leaders in the church and followers of the faith to understand where our traditions come from and why they became traditions. It is healthy to examine our lives.

As I finish each chapter, I will post some thoughts. Constructive comments are welcomed.

Post # 2 The rhythm is gonna get you.

Music has always been an important part of my life. My mom used to tell me that my dad would put headphones on her pregnant belly and I would kick to the beat of the songs. I remember listening to my dad's classic rock records as a kid. I have also have fond memories of riding in the car, the radio pumping out Hendrix, Zeppelin, the Doors, Queen, and the Beatles.

I always had an appreciation for music and musical talent. I also had an understanding of the emotional value of music. Not only can a good song inspire, it can also reinforce those emotions that are already present. All of my appreciation developed long before I realized that I actually possessed the ability to make music.

At the age of 18, I began playing guitar. Even with 14 years under my belt, I would still consider myself a "hack". But I can play, so I have that going for me. About seven years ago, I started playing bass for a worship band at a local church. Although I do not get to play as much as I would like, I jumped at the recent opportunity to play with several friends at a New Year's event.

Although I had lost my callouses and had to relearn some basic theory, once I plugged in that bass guitar and began playing with a full band, I was quickly reminded of just how much I love music: listening to it, playing it, and feeling it. Maybe that should be my new year's resolution: to play more often.

2nd Visit to Church A

After our first visit, we realized that it would not be fair to write off a church when we did not get a "typical" Sunday with that congregation. On our first visit to Church A, the student pastor gave the message. So we decided to visit the following week in order to hear the lead pastor present the message.

Again, there were some initial disappointments. The "greeters" were not greeting. We strolled past several people before anyone noticed. Finally, one man introduced himself and offered us coffee.

We walked into the meeting area and took our seats. Background music was playing, (Violent Hill by Cold Play: good call) and there were new band members getting ready to play.

The music was not as good this week. The songs may have been difficult, or they may have had too similar sounds, but there was something lacking. The band was talented, but there was a glaring distraction. First, let me tell you that I am a bass player, and I have a good time when I play. I also do not know the heart of the musician, but the bass player seemed as if he was performing. Many of his actions were distracting and over-played. This was a turn off for me. The worship band should be lead worshippers not just musicians playing.

The message was decent, but seemed like it was lacking. I understand that there is a trend to simplify the Bible so that the average person can understand and apply it, but there has to be a fine line between simplicity and biblical study. If we, as ministers only simplify, then we are not instilling disciplines of study. We are instilling feel good messages.

As we left for the day, I doubted if I would find what I am looking for.

It should be noted that I had emailed the website of Church A and received a response from the Community Development pastor. I replied to this message before we visited the second time, but have yet to hear from him again. This is as frustrating to me as greeters not greeting. I would have to say that at this point I was disappointed. Perhaps Church B will give me something more.

The Search Begins…again

Two years ago, Michelle and I felt that we had to leave a church congregation that we had been part of for nearly five years. This was a difficult decision, but one that needed to be made. Over these past two years, we have both finished our degrees, take life-changing trips, and bought our first house. We soon realized that we needed something more. We needed to once again be plugged into a larger church community.

We visited a few churches before we bought our house and moved, but found them to lack the theological, social, or cultural aspects that we have felt called to. They either had little external focus, were “watered down”, or were trying too hard but falling too short.

So, after we made the move, we started looking again for a church home. The local church landscape is littered with congregations who have little or no positive influence in the community as a whole. Outreach, community service, and external focus are seemingly unimportant to some groups. Add to these internally focused congregations an ever-present variable: denominational affiliation.

In our city and surrounding area, there appears to be three times as many Baptist churches and two times as many Pentecostal churches than any other type of congregation. Since Michelle and I are not affiliated with any denomination, we tend to look for nondenominational congregations: and our options seem to be few.

We did, however find a handful of congregations that caught our attention. So, over the last three weeks, we have visited two churches near our home. I am going to critique the experiences in an effort to more specifically understand what we want/need in a church community. I will be evaluating the experience through several lenses: first impressions, music, lesson, overall atmosphere, and final thoughts. I will not use the real names of the churches, instead I will elect to call them Church A and Church B.

Church A is a nondenominational congregation of about 300-400 people. We found Church A via their website and concluded, through information on the site, that they were outwardly focused and involved in the community. We found the building easily, and as we entered the doors, we noticed that there were no greeters to welcome people. If there were any, they weren’t doing their jobs. We passed 7-8 people before anyone took notice of us. Finally someone stepped up. He was obviously a staff member and his name take confirmed this fact. There was no clear signage to give direction once in the building, but there were coffee and pastries.

We entered the meeting area and took a seat. Although the people seemed friendly, they lacked the initiative to make an impact on us. The worship music was upbeat, modern, and well played. They utilized a full band: drums, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass, keyboard, and several vocalists. However, the leader’s speaking and mannerisms seemed forced and awkward.

The day we visited was the last day of the lead pastor’s sabbatical (a minister’s way of getting an extended vacation), so the student pastor gave the message. It was engaging; utilizing multimedia and participation of many people. However, it was obviously crafted by someone who spends his time teaching and mentoring 13-18 year olds. Overall, the message was simple; easily taught by any first year seminary student. Communion was made available throughout the service at tables along the sides of the room. Offering was collected via drop boxes as people exited.

Overall, the visit was pleasant. We understand that no church congregation will meet all the expectations that we have. The outward focus of the church is its real attraction for us. The biggest disappointment was the lack of responsive greeters at the doors. Any church consultant will stress the importance of the first 5 minutes of a visitor’s experience. Based on the other variables, I would rate our first experience at Church A as a B-. Although it lacked in some areas, it was a far cry from the hymn singing, suit wearing bore-fests of my childhood. We also realized that things would most likely be different on a Sunday with their lead pastor. So we decided to give it another shot the following week. That critique is for our next post.

Two Posts in One Month...I'm on a Roll!

I don't really do resolutions, but I did make a promise to myself that I would blog more frequently this year than last year. This post will be my second in January, that isn't great, but I am trying.

Anyway, I browse through several blogs daily. Some are written by dear friends, others by strangers. One blog that I check in on from time to time (not necessarily daily) is that of Adam Cleveland. Adam is a seminary student at Princeton (from what I gather) and is well read and educated in emerging theology. There is usually a thought about culture, Church issues, or a nice piece of Mac software.

Today I found a great surprise when Adam introduced me to the Love Song/Poem Generator.

With a few minor adjustments to a random love song/poem, we get a modern worship song. Check it out.

You are always on my mind
Your love makes me blind
You are my eternal sunshine
I hope you'll forever be mine

God, you are unbelievably beautiful
Not having met you earlier makes me feel like a fool
Words cannot express
How you have captured my heart with success

God, you mean so much to me
With you I really feel free
Eternal bliss is where I'm bound
In your arms is where it's found

All of you is what I need
Please tell me where it can lead
This poem has come to an end
There are many more I would like to send

I still need a chorus that we would sing 7 times, each one building in intensity, then another one right after the crescendo that is almost a whisper (with the rest of the band dropping out for that really intimate feel).

It might need a little polishing but I think I hear Tomlin's next hit.