BOOKS

[j102]

I have been reading off and on a book by Frank Viola and George Barna titled "pagan christianty"

I'm wondering if anyone else has read it and what do you think about it.

I agree with alot of what they say but not everything. it basicly constrast the diffrence between how the early church did things compaired to christianty today with its man made traditions that were added later.

[shodan]

I am not familiar with that book. There have been some pretty bad books making everything that the church has done since the first century as somehow "pagan." But we should always be testing things by the Bible. One example is how far we have distorted the Biblical view of love, etc. so that the magazine, Christianity Today editorialized that some of these basics are barely recognizable.

One book on the subject, Love, Prayer, and Forgiveness: When Basics Become Heresies.

One review, here:

http://www.amazon.com/Love-Prayer-Forgiveness-Michael-Snow/dp/159467664X/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329933161&sr=1-3

[taylor30]

I have been reading off and on a book by Frank Viola and George Barna titled "pagan christianty"

I'm wondering if anyone else has read it and what do you think about it.

I agree with alot of what they say but not everything. it basicly constrast the diffrence between how the early church did things compaired to christianty today with its man made traditions that were added later.

I have not read the book, but if you read ACTS, it doesn't take a scholoar to realize the church todat is WAY different than the one the apostles and early believers helped create. I don't mean that in a good way. The church today is a business where numbers and donations are the focus, country clubs where the Important people get together and the door locks on the same sinners Jesus went to the gutters to find, and places where people go to "feel good about themselves" instead of learning how to live a Godly life and repenting from all sins.

I could go on, but I think people get the idea.

[j102]

I have been reading off and on a book by Frank Viola and George Barna titled "pagan christianty"

I'm wondering if anyone else has read it and what do you think about it.

I agree with alot of what they say but not everything. it basicly constrast the diffrence between how the early church did things compaired to christianty today with its man made traditions that were added later.

I have not read the book, but if you read ACTS, it doesn't take a scholoar to realize the church todat is WAY different than the one the apostles and early believers helped create. I don't mean that in a good way. The church today is a business where numbers and donations are the focus, country clubs where the Important people get together and the door locks on the same sinners Jesus went to the gutters to find, and places where people go to "feel good about themselves" instead of learning how to live a Godly life and repenting from all sins.

I could go on, but I think people get the idea.

i agree, plus from what i understand the early church when they had their services it was more of an open forum style where the people freely exanged thoughts and ideas and of course talked about god and scripture.

but now most churches are setup where everyone sits down listens to the preacher and the congragation sits there taking it in without even having the option to ask questions about whats being preached, that and also its odd that the people spend more time sitting in a pew than having actual authentic fellowship with other christians.

[NathanH]

I have read the book. And while the writers pull out a lot of far stretches, they do provide a lot of facts that are simply overlooked now days.

I would have to say that I agree with more of it than I do not.

The simple fact of it all is that what we view "church" as is certainly not what the church was and still is today.

The one thing I find disturbing is that they seem to try to lead people toward a specific line of thinking about how to 'meet' with others. And in doing that all they do is set up another 'form', rather than just leaving it as it is...which is simply nothing but people who have been called out.

I am not a big book reader, but this one is worth reading. It does expose a lot of tradition modern churches look at as doctrine.

[Gael]

I haven't read the book, but it sounds like it advocates "home churches" and small groups as opposed to the traditional church, correct?

[taylor30]

I haven't read the book, but it sounds like it advocates "home churches" and small groups as opposed to the traditional church, correct?

Personally I think we should go back to that. House churches are wonderful. With huge churches all you do is get lost in the crowd. You can spend years not knowing someone. I think church should give a sense of family and community. Small churches are the way to go

[He giveth more grace]

Alexandra Egypt was a melting pot for Pagan and Christian Philosophy with their "theologians" that were antagonistic to the truth, to the point that now I am doubting the Septuagint (LXX). To be honest I can't judge the LXX as I am not acquainted with it.

[sPrevorb31]

I have been reading off and on a book by Frank Viola and George Barna titled "pagan christianty"

I'm wondering if anyone else has read it and what do you think about it.

I agree with alot of what they say but not everything. it basicly constrast the diffrence between how the early church did things compaired to christianty today with its man made traditions that were added later.

My mom and dad read it and they said it was good. I'd like to read it sometime, 'cause I'm sure they're right. It sounds quite informative - like christmas and thanksgiving are actually carnal holidays (although my family and I celebrate them because it makes sense to celebrate Jesus's birth and to thank God.), and I think the whatsitcalled when they break bread and drink wine (juice) wasn't done by the apostles, but done later. I think it's pretty cool, and I can't wait till I'm mature enough to read it