Here is an excerpt from Barna’s pre-manuscript called "Revolution":
As we journey together, I want to show you what our research has uncovered regarding a growing sub-nation of people, already well over 20 million strong, who are what we call Revolutionaries.
What "established systems" are they seeking to "overthow or repudiate" and "thoroughly replace," in Webster’s words?
They have no use for churches that play religious games, whether those games are worship services that drone on without the presence of God or ministry programs that bear no spiritual fruit. Revolutionaries eschew ministries that compromise or soft sell our sinful nature to expand organizational turf. They refuse to follow people in ministry in leadership positions who cast a personal vision rather than God’s, or who seek popularity rather than the proclamation of truth in their public statements, or who are more concerned about their own legacy than that of Jesus Christ. They refuse to donate one more dollar to man-made monuments that mark their own achievements and guarantee their place in history. The are unimpressed by accredited degrees and endowed chairs in Christian colleges and seminaries that produce young people incapable of defending the Bible or unwilling to devote their life to serving others. And Revolutionaries are embarrassed by language that promises Christian love and holiness but turns out to be all sizzle and no substance.
In fact, many Revolutionaries have been active in good churches that have biblical preaching, people coming to Christ and being baptized, a full roster of interesting classes and programs, and a congregation packed with nice people. There is nothing overtly wrong with anything taking place at such churches. But Revolutionaries innately realize that it is just not enough to go with the flow. The experience provided through their church, although better than average, still seems flat. They are seeking a faith experience that is more robust and awe-inspiring, a spiritual journey that prioritizes transformation at every turn, something worthy of the Creator whom their faith reflects…
Revolutionaries zealously pursue an intimate relationship with God, which Jesus Christ promised we could have through Him…
In this book I will describe what The Barna Group has learned about this under-the-radar but seminal renaissance of faith that will remake the religious contours of this country over the coming quarter-century.
Barna goes on to predict the complete re-shaping of the way people experience "church" in America:
Whereas "Christian community" has generally been limited to the relationships facilitated within a congregation, the Revolution is bursting open the walls of the worldwide Church to birth a truly international network of relationships…
The U.S. will see a reduction in the number of churches, as presently configured (i.e. congregational-formatted ministries). Church service attendance will drop… Donations to churches will drop… Churches’ already limited political and cultural influence will diminish even further at the same time that Christians will exert greater influence through more disparate mechanisms. Fewer church programs will be sustained in favor of more communal experiences among Christians…
To some, this will sound like the Great Fall of the Church. To Revolutionaries, it will be the Great Reawakening of the Church. New scenarios do not mean mayhem and dissipation. In this case, they represent a new day in which the Church can truly be the Church–different than what we know today, but more responsive to and reflective of God.
When I consider how widely read Barna is by traditional church leaders, I predict this book (due out in October) will rock some worlds.
Comments
7 responses to “More Barna: “Revolution””
I love Barna’s books. I’ll be looking forward to picking this one up.
House Churches
House Churches
Thanks for the excerpt. Regarding this part: “…seminal renaissance of faith that will remake the religious contours of this country over the coming quarter-century” …I wonder what he means by “remake the religious contours”?
Will people such as those Barna describes actually, eventually build new institutions and remake/revitalize old ones? Will they gather so prominently to establish “contours” of some sort, or will they be like the saints through the middle ages who gathered in little groups and were almost lost from history? I only hope they do not decide “some animals are more equal than others”. And “Napoleon is always right.” (Some have suggested the Jesus movement led to authoritarianism, then back to the institutions… I wonder if Barna has researched that era and if he mentions it.)
In the 1500’s, the Lollards were wiped out and the Lutherans began building a new branch of “the system”. (Meanwhile, the Waldensians stayed “below” the radar in the french and swiss alps. It took them hundreds of years to systematize.)
I wonder which one Barna is predicting? Or will he suggest a new option?
I guess I’ll have to read the book!
My wife and I have been wrestling with the “doing church as usual” mentality for the past year. I’ve just recently stumbled on sites like this one that are a part of the “Emerging Church” and am comforted to know that so many others have experienced the same struggle.
I welcome this “revolution” and hope to be a part of it.
I pre-ordered “Revolution” by George Barna over a month ago and have just received it and finished reading it. It’s 140 pages and a very easy read in one or two sittings. Barna’s observations are profound and, from my perspective, right on the mark. He does a great job of avoiding a one-sided presentation and gives equal time to what his critics are saying and will be saying about his findings regarding “church.”
This book could not have been more timely for me. At a time where my family and I have hit the peak of our struggle between staying true to time honored traditions of “doing church” and staying true to the genuine faith that leads us to “being the church”, this book provided much insight and encouragement.
Rather than serving as a transforming agent in my life, this book has served as an affirming agent of the transformation that the Holy Spirit had already begun in my life and in the lives of my wife and children (ages 22 and 24.) I’m sure it will be the same for many others.
I am grateful to God in how He is presently answering the tough questions, regarding church, that have developed for me in recent years.
Although I have not yet read “Revolution” by George Barna, I have read comments about the book. From what I have read, this book is a confirmation of the already well established fact of the “House Church Movement” impacting millions of Christians all across the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and elsewhere. It is also a confirmation of what James Rutz published about the house church phenomenon in his blockbuster book “MEGASHIFT” (Copyright 2005).
Another great resource for Christians is the fantastic truth in the book “Tithing: Low-Realm, Obsolete & Defunct” (Copyright 2004), by Matthew E. Narramore, in which Matt clearly proves that in the New Covenant in Jesus Christ, “tithing” is a relic of ancient history, and has no part in the life of a New Covenant Christian. This book is available to read FREE on the internet, or to purchase in book form at: http://www.tekoapublishing.com/books/intro.html. It is beyond dispute that the apostle Paul NEVER taught or demanded “tithes” of early New Covenant Christians in any of his writings. In fact the apostle Paul was a tentmaker, worked with his own hands, earned his own income, and paid his own expenses, and coveted no man’s gold or silver (Acts 20: 29-34). While all Christians are freewill givers as led by the Holy Spirit, the law of “tithing” is no more valid than physical circumcision or animal sacrifices. This is one of the great false doctrines of the institutional church world.
It is also a truth that “God does not dwell in temples made with hands”, and yet building physical church buildings is a common practice of the clergy. Another fastastic eyeopener is the the internet book “The Great Ecclesiastical Conspiracy” by George Davis, Michael Clark, and Kirk Pearson, which can be read FREE on the internet by keying the title into any search engine. This book makes it very clear that the concept of “clergy/laity” is a man-made invention, and not what Jesus Christ founded. In fact this book is a stunning revelation about the New Testament which is little known in the world of churchianity.
Few have ever considered that Jesus Christ NEVER made a statement such as “Blessed are those who go to church”. On the other hand Jesus said “Where TWO (or more) are gathered in my Name, there Am I in the midst” (and that means anywhere, anytime, and without clergy). It may be in a home, under the apple tree, on a farm, at the ranch, in a supermarket, or wherever. Even the scripture in Hebrews “Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together” is taken out of context in the world of churchianity, and that scripture has nothing to do with an institutional church setting, sitting in the pews, or listening to preaching. It also does not say anything about a Saturday or Sunday “go to church” event.
True worship is a life lived in Jesus Christ 24/7, and is not a weekend event called “going to church”. While all Christians would fully believe in taking the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to the unsaved and uncoverted, playing nursemaid to born-again Christians in a concept called “going to church” is not a biblical idea, but rather is one conceived in the minds of the religious.
There is no doubt that the institutional church world is being greatly impacted by the mass exodus from churchianity, and is destined to be rocked in the years to come.
While tithing or giving must never come from the heart of a legalist I do find that we sometimes have a tendency to throw out the good (principles) along with the bad (legalisms). I only say this because westerners (perhaps humans) have such a materialistic bent that when we say tithing is not “new testament” than we must at least acknowledge what IS “new testament”: giving 100%!!! The principle here is personal obedience to God and a life of TOTAL generosity.