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What’s wrong with the church and how to fix it

Pagan Christianity, by Frank Viola and George Barna We’ve all heard Christian leaders proclaim, “At our church, we only do what the Bible says.” The irony is that they say it from pulpits that themselves find no basis in the Bible and in church buildings that have more to do with paga…
By Seth Barnes

Pagan
Christianity
, by Frank Viola and George Barna

We’ve all heard Christian leaders
proclaim, “At our church, we only do what the Bible says.” The irony is that they say it from pulpits
that themselves find no basis in the Bible and in church buildings that have more to do
with pagan cultures of the past than biblical roots.

If you really begin to examine
many of the key elements of the Christian faith as we practice it, you’ll find
little or no biblical basis for them. In
their book Pagan
Christianity
, authors Viola and Barna address the laundry list of Christian
practices with a dubious biblical origin, including the sermon, the pastor,
ministers of music, and tithing.

The authors make what they is “An
outrageous proposal: that the church in
its contemporary, institutional form has neither a biblical nor a historical
right to function as it does.”

Pagan Christianity is a book we need to read, if only to detox from
a lot of paradigms we’ve inherited and never questioned. The first review on Amazon says, “May very
well be the most important book written on the Christian church in the last two
millennia.” I think the guy is right. The research is thorough, and the inquiry is
honest. The reviewer concludes, “I know
how hard this read will be for many people, especially clergy members. Pagan Christianity will, no doubt, be a
most uncomfortable read for all those who believe the Body of Christ is an
institution. For the clergy member, the read will almost be impossible. At
every turn of the page… the flesh will flare up…”

Most of the 59 Amazon reviews
agree with the first reviewer. And many
of them found the conclusions quite liberating.
Hebrews 10:25 calls us to meet together for the purpose of
encouragement. If you’re not finding
yourself encouraged at your church, read this book and go join a church where
that does happen.

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