|
George Barna has spent years collecting data and tracking trends. He is the founder and directing leader of The Barna Research Group, a research and resource firm whose clients range from Billy Graham and Focus on the Family to Ford, Walt Disney, and our armed forces. In his research, he has discovered a serious shift in the Church. So much so that he considers it more than just a shift. He considers it a revolution, which he defines as a "paradigm shift in the way a person views and interacts with his or her world".
His research shows that Christians are becoming much more concerned with "being the Church" (capital "C") than attending the church (lower case "c"). More and more, Christians are shunning the weekly church meetings and concentrating more on living out their understanding of Christian ideals in, what they consider, more effective ways. He sees it as a grassroots uprising that is happening throughout the nation. His reasons for writing this book (one of his 35 books) is threefold. One, he wants to inform people of the radical changes that are reshaping the Church in America. Two, he wants to help Revolutionaries gain a better understanding of themselves. Three, he wants to encourage people who are struggling with their place in God's Kingdom to consider the Revolution as a viable alternative to what they have experienced.
The book discusses how and why this revolution is occurring and attempts to help the local church respond to it. He explains, in the book, that people have become disillusioned by living a Christian life that seems to have no impact on the world around them. They desire to live radically for Christ and make a difference. They are beginning to see the church as more of an obstacle to radical Christianity than a proponent of radical Christianity. The incessant infighting over petty issues, the seemingly endless committee meetings, and the acceptance, indeed, embrace of the status quo is taking it's toll. Revolutionists are hungry to find their place in the Church and are longing to be a part of their Father's business. The church is losing it's influence and are somewhat oblivious to that fact.
He discusses Biblical issues that, naturally, arise when one makes the decision to walk away from "normal" Christianity. He argues that Jesus, Himself, was revolutionary. He looks at scriptural support for the Revolution and considers scripture that is used to discourage the growing trend. Not all Revolutionists, he says, are leaving the church, entirely. Some stay and try to influence those around them to becoming more desirous of being radical for Christ. Even when they stay, though, they are often much more involved in Christian living outside the walls than active inside the walls. They are finding that they achieve gratifying fulfillment of their inward longing by joining ministries that appear, to them, to be more on the front lines of the war against evil They are making a difference in their workplace, in the marketplace, and among their friends and families by living out Christian principles among the lost. His research finds that Revolutionaries are extremely devoted to God and advance themselves, spiritually, through means other than sitting in a pew on Sunday morning.
Barna's findings show that the local church responds to this revolution among their people in, usually, one of three ways. One, the local church has no idea that a revolution is occurring and, therefore, chugs merrily along. Two, the local church recognizes that something is happening and tries to work alongside the revolution. Three, the local church fights the revolution. Barna contends that the third way, fighting and resisting the revolution, is, by far, the greater response of the local church.
Regardless of how the church responds to the revolution, the Revolution is building. Barna believes that this is a great calling out by God to change the world. He sees it as God-ordained and directed. God is wanting to do something. If the local church will not do it, God can and will find other methods of doing it.
As you can imagine, this book will be music to the ears of some and anathema to some. It will generate comfort and encouragement to the revolutionist and anger and resentment to those desirous of doing things as they have always been done. People resist change, especially Christians. Change frightens people. It makes them uncomfortable. As someone who has started two independent ministries and has spent years trying to work with the local churches, I found this book, not refreshing, but confirming something that I've suspected for quite some time.
I encourage you to read this book and consider what it says. It's a quick and easy read, although the concepts may be hard to grasp if you have never been aware of this, before. Even if it makes you angry, it will help you to understand, better, some of your fellow Christians and will, at least, make you aware that, right or wrong, something big is happening. You can join it or fight it but, by reading the book, you'll at least be aware of it. It's big and it's growing. Barna may be right. It may be big enough to be called a Revolution!
|
|
