Transcript Document
COMISKEY TEACHING:
BARNA’S BOOK AND THE CHURCH
The Revolutionary Church
Currently 70% of Christians express their faith in the local church, 30% go elsewhere. In the next 25 years this stat will flip-flop with 70% getting the Christian experience elsewhere, leaving 30% in the traditional local church according to George Barna.
WHY ?
CURRENT TRENDS
1. Changing of the guard 2. The rise of a new way of life (all about relationships) 3. Dismissing the irrelevant (are only concerned about what they are passionate about) 4. Impact of technology 5. Genuine relationships (spend more time in relationships) 6. Participation in reality (people exert greater control over their lives; don’t just want to bring people to “church.” “The popularity of small groups has grown consistently as people experience the benefits of a shared experience” (47) 7. Finding true meaning Conclusion: only 1/3 of the current population will relate to a local church; 1/3 through alternate forms; 1/3 through media (49)
How Barna pictures these revolutionaries
People are leaving the church to find God “they have no use for churches that play religious games” (p. 13) Many revolutionaries even go to great churches but “. . . The experience provided through their church still seems flat” (14) They practice intimate worship, faith based conversations, intentional spiritual growth, servanthood, resource investment, spiritual friendships, and family faith (chapter 3)
How is the local church doing?
People only worship God on Sunday (31) Don’t lead anyone to Christ (32) Only 9% have a Biblical worldview (32) Give only 3% of income in a year (33) Only 1 out of 10 donate 10% of income (33) Don’t serve others (34) No spiritual accountability between members —only 1 out of 6 Influence from members from seccular sources rather than the church (35) 1 out of 10 families worship together outside of church (35) Divorce is just as high as non-believers (35) “our research shows that local churches have virtually no influence in our culture” (118).
Where transformation will take place: mini-movements
Ministries operating outside the local church (53) Homeschooling, simple church, biblical worldview groups, marketplace ministries, spiritual discipline networks, creative art guilds (54) People grow in spirituality as they are focused.
Churches have reacted with indifference and cold shoulders (58)
Where transformation will take place: mini-movements
People are putting together for themselves “personalized church models” (p. 64) “Church service attendance will decline as Christians devote their time to a wide array of spiritual events” (107).
“to some, this will sound like the Great Fall of the Church. To Revolutionaries, it will be the Great Reawakening of the Church” (108)
Barna’s view of the local church
“Whether you become a Revolutionary immersed in, minimally involved in, or completely disassociated from a local church is irrelevant to me (and, within boundaries, to God). What matters is not who you associate with (i.e., a local church) but who you are (29).
. . . If the local church is comprised of people who have been transformed by the grace of God . . . , then their lives should be different (31) His question is pragmatic —how could the church have messed up so much in discipleship? (30)
Barna’s view of the local church
Believes we have placed too much hope in the church, rather than Christ (36) “We should keep in mind that we call ‘church’ is just one interpretation of how to develop and live a faith centered life. We made it up. It may be healthy or helpful, but it is not sacrosanct” (38) “Revolutionaries realize. . . that the core issue isn’t whether or not one is involved in a local church, but whether or not one is connected to the body of believers . . .” (38)
Barna’s view of the local church
“It is not about
church.
It’s about
the Church —
that is, the people who actively participate in the intentional advancement of God’s kingdom in partnership with the Holy Spirit and other believers” (38) Some revolutionaries do what they do apart from the local church (pp. 38-39). Those who reject this view are concerned about “institutional survival” (39). “the Revolution is about recognizing we are not called to go to church. We are called to be the church” (39)
Barna’s view of the local church
The reason mini-movements have not taken off is because people think God’s activity must happen through the church (55) For many revolutionaries, “the local church plays a minor role in their journey. For millions of others, the local church is nowhere to be found on their agenda” (61) The congregational model is fading away (62)
Barna’s view of the local church
Barna defines the church: “The congregational model of the church —a definable group of people who regularly meet at the same place to engage in religious routines and programs under the guidance of a paid pastor who provides doctrinal teaching and organizational direction —has been the dominant force in people’s spiritual lives for hundreds of years” (62) Internet, TV, etc. “is ensuring that future models of “church” will be almost impossible to categorize or market” (64).
Barna’s view of the local church
Barna defines one macro church model as having cell groups. Another one is the house church model. “the family faith experience is a third holistic model, in which the family becomes the primary spiritual unit and pursues faith matters together” (65) “the fourth holistic model is the cyberchurch. This refers to the range of spiritual experiences delivered through the internet” (65).
Barna’s view of the local church
For Barna a replacement “micro model” might be: a worship conference, coaching communities, internet groups, parachruch ministries, . .” (66). “ultimately, we expect to see believers choosing from a proliferation of options, weaving together a set of favored alternatives into a unique tapestry that constitutes
the personal ‘church’ of the individual
” (66). The main thing is to let revolutionaries do whatever they need to do (67)
Barna’s view of the local church
He says to Revolutionaries: “
integrating into a pool of compatible change agents has tangible benefits” (90). Basically he’s saying that it might be beneficial to “share the journey.”
Barna’s view of the local church
Revolutionaries don’t draw people away from the church; they’re just not interested in the local church. Barna believes that the church simply means “the called out ones” and this is what revolutionaries do (113) Gathering together could be any where with any Christians —not the local church. “The same God who is more concerned about what’s in our hearts than about mindless observance of meaningless routines refuses to impose specific regulations about our religious practices” (114).
Barna’s view of the local church
“there is no verse in Scripture that links the concepts of worshipping God and a ‘church meeting.’ The Bible does not tell us that worship must happen in a church sanctuary and therefore we must be actively associated with a local church. It simply tells us that we must worship God regularly and purely, in spirit and truth” (114). Jesus dismissed the organized religious group of His day (114).
Barna’s view of the local church
God just wants us to get together with other believers but He’s not concerned about the specifics (115). Then he falls back on the pragmatic argument that people are not getting transformed, so the local church must not be of God (115). You might go local church, you might not (116)
Barna’s view of the local church
Barna then says that we should be connected to the capital C church, even through a person isn’t involved with a formal local church (116) Revolutionaries connect with believers “in their own way” (116)
The Biblical View of the Church
In spite of Barna and the North American scene, what does the BIBLE say about Christ’s church
Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology
He notes that Jesus was the first to use the word ekklesia; and when he used it, he applied it simply to the company that gathered around him. The first and most frequent usage of ekklesia designates a circle of believers in some definite locality, a local church, irrespective of the question of whether these believers are or are not assembled for worship.
[2] The second usage describes the church in the house of an individual.
Berkhof cites references in Romans 16:23, 1 Corinthians 16:19, Colossians 4:15, and Philemon 2 for this. He calls this a domestic ekklesia.
Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology
The third usage portrays the church in terms of a group of churches. He acknowledges that there is only a single clear reference for this found in Acts 9:31. The fourth usage denotes the whole body, throughout the world, of those who outwardly profess Christ and organize for the purposes of worship, under the guidance of appointed officers. The fifth and final usage is its most comprehensive meaning and signifies the whole body of the faithful, whether in heaven or on earth, who have been or shall be spiritually united to Christ as their Savior.
It’s a local church!
Acts 13: 1 3: “In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.”
It’s a visible church
Acts 12:12: 12 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying.
Romans 16: 3-5: Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. 4 They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. 5 Greet also the church that meets at their house.
1 Corinthians 16:19: 19 The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.
Colossians 4:15: 15 Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.
Philemon 2: Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home
God-ordained leadership
Shenk in
Creating Communities of the Kingdom
says, “The apostolic leaders of the church helped to form the doctrine and lifestyle of those congregations quickly. It may well be that each apostle took responsibility for a cluster of these cell groups —ten or twenty for each apostle. We read that they went from house to house ministering to these congregations that were being formed. . The various cell groups partook of the same experience in community and commitment. They also seem to have united occasionally all together in joyous celebration assemblies” (p. 93).
Appointed elders in these local churches
Acts 14:21-25: They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. After going through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia, and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.
Clear leadership in local church (1 Tim. 3, Titus, etc.)
Overseers and Deacons
Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. . . . He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)
Members were supposed to submit to the leadership
Hebrews 13:17, “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.
Roland Allen: Missionary Methods: St. Paul’s or Our’s?
Not just salvation but churches
Allen says, “From what has already been said it is manifest that St Paul did not go about as a missionary preacher merely to convert individuals: he went to establish churches from which the light might radiate throughout the whole country round” (p. 81)
PAUL’S MISSIONARY METHODS OR OUR’S?
The training of candidates for baptism and ordination
Paul baptized people immediately. The teaching followed baptism and faith. —it didn’t precede it. He didn’t just baptize multitudes of heathens for the sake of baptism, nor did he wait years and years for baptism to take place. The true requirement was repentance
Elders were not created by election choice. Paul ordained elders within the church which they belonged.
The congregation had some say but it wasn’t through an official election period. The election of elders were primarily moral. “finally, dt. Paul was not content with ordaining one elder for each church. In every place he ordained several. This ensured that all authority should not be concentrated in the hands of one man.
PAUL’S MISSIONARY METHODS OR OUR’S?
Paul’s method of dealing with organized churches
Allen writes, “With the ordaining of elders, they no longer depended necessarily upon st. Paul . . . but they were not independent of him either:
1 Cor. 12:28: And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.
Acts 16:5: So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.
PAUL’S MISSIONARY METHODS OR OUR’S?
1 Thess. 1:8: The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia —your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it
Rom. 15:23: But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to see you,
2 Cor. 10:8: For even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than pulling you down, I will not be ashamed of it.
1 Cor 11:16: If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice —nor do the churches of God.
1 Cor 7:17: Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.
Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology
Louis Berkhof’s clear opening statement regarding the historic Reformed position in Systematic Theology proves helpful: And when the Reformers broke with Rome, they did not deny the unity of the visible Church but maintained it. However, they did not find the bond of union in the ecclesiastical organization of the Church, but in the true preaching of the Word and the right administration of the sacraments. This is also the case in the Belgic Confession. (Articles XXVII-XXIX) We quote only the following statements from it: “We believe and profess one catholic or universal Church, which is a holy congregation of true believers, all expecting their salvation in Jesus Christ, being washed by his blood, sanctified and sealed by the Holy Spirit.” (Art. XXVII) The marks by which the true Church is known are these: “If the pure doctrine of the Gospel is preached therein; if it maintains the pure administration of the sacraments as instituted by Christ; if Church discipline is exercised in punishing sin; in short, if all things are managed according to the pure Word of God; all things contrary thereto rejected, and Jesus Christ acknowledged as the only Head of the Church.
[1]
Yes, it’s a universal church but. . . .
Someone on CellChurchTalk tried to justify Barna’s view on the universal and I quoted a line from the CT review: “The second question: How vital can a Christian revolution be that views the local church as optional?
Revolution
is passionate for the church, so long as it's the capital-C church, the universal group of believers in Jesus, the church I can't see and don't have to relate to.
Yes, it’s a universal church but. . . .
I then said, “Tom, I’m all for the universal church or church in the city. But as Norman Dowe pointed out and as CT points out, that’s the church I don’t have to relate to, bear my soul to, live in community with. And isn’t this what the cell church is all about? Amen to the universal church, the church in the city, etc. I minister to that church all the time —and it’s much easier for me to show up in Slovakia and proclaim all the answers! That church doesn’t know me intimately. But Wellspring, my local church does!! I’m afraid that the Revolution is a revolution of individualism that we in the cell church/house church world are trying to stand against. . . .”