Book Discussion: Pagan Christianity

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by citizen

I read that book a little over a year ago and enjoyed it.
House churches have always been apart of the Church's 'DNA'. I kinda like that idea - but there's enough room to have both types of churches within the Body.

[bbyrd009]

Originally Posted by Amanah

Viola, Frank
Pagan Christianity? : exploring the roots of our church practices /Frank Viola and George Barna. Tyndale, 2002, 2008

My conclusions:

I do think that the House church model most closely represents early Christianity.
Jesus lived with his disciples in community, teaching them with hands on training.

I don't think Jesus would approve of the hierarchy and organizational structures that we have created that elevate men to be god’s over the Lord’s people.

The early church functioned as a family, they met and prayed and broke bread with each other from house to house. The early church lived in community and met each other’s needs as if they were family members.

It is apparent that many of our church practices originated as the RCC laid a Christian veneer on pagan rituals and Greek philosophy and rhetoric.

However, I believe that the Church was born in prayer in an upper room on the day of Pentecost. And for any movement to truly be a replication of the early church it would also have to respond the way the early Church responded when Peter told them to repent, be baptized in Jesus’ name for the remission of their sins, and you will receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

While I agree with this, I found your earlier post spoke to me more. But ty for both, I was unaware of this.

[renee819]

I read all 9 pages of this Thread and enjoyed it very much. Thank you Amanah, for doing this

Sabby wrote,

If Viola is right then the entire protestant church must de-construct it's form, liturgy, methodology, tradition, venues and so on; only then will we become liberated from christian paganism, that is, if it is indeed pagan christianity

.

Sabby, It is my belief that they will not de-construct on their own. However, I believe that God is getting a group of people together, for the Religious Persecution, that is just around the corner.

Aquilla wrote,

An honest question.... What have we managed to accomplish?

We have the nicest buildings and most bloated organizations and denominations ever... yet society as a whole is largely going to Hades in a hand basket. Are we "playing church" and providing a "Sunday Show" without truly "discipling" believers to REACH their world and make more disciples? We NEVER see a church in the NT seeking to establish "members". The Apostles were always seeking to reach people with the Gospel, disciple them, train them, and send them out to disciple others. In a way... if in 10 years a church see the same families on the same pew doing what they've always done, plus others doing the same that were won during that time... the church has failed. They've only pewed "tithe cows" to keep the money coming in. Sometimes a bone of "ministry" is tossed to them and they teach Sunday School or something largely controlled and quiet. Honestly... Christianity spread through Rome like wildfire because the Apostles discipled people to disciple. Win, train, send. Win, train, send. Win, train send. And they turned one of the greatest empires on earth upside down. And it started with... 120 gathered in an upper room in the South West quarter of Jerusalem. I'd say we haven't truly accomplished anything accept making our ministers the best paid ministers in all of human history

Right Aquilla,

Does anyone know of Pentecostal House Church, close to Muncie, IN. We are probably getting ready to move close to Knoxville, TN, but that may take some time. I am hungry for fellowship with some like minded people.
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