So You Say You Want a Revolution?

So I finished Barna's Revolution. Actually, I finished it last weekend. It is a self-proclaimed, 'quick read'. It is also meaningful.

If you aren't familiar with George Barna, he is a numbers guy. Well, more than that. But at heart, he is a pollster. Well respected, his clients run the gamut from Walt Disney and Ford to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. His research is dead on and dependable.

Usually he just gives the numbers and the facts. This book is that (numbers) and a sermon. However, it is one worth 'sitting' through.

This is not a meant to be a book review. I just wanted to echo some of his points.

Barna looks at the changes taking place in the 'church' thing. Chapter 7, A New Way of Doing Church, begins with a quote from Henry Ford...

People can have a Model T in any color they want - as long as it's black.

Barna compares that idea with "the view of many Americans regarding how people should pursue spiritual growth - through any means they want, as long as it is connected to the efforts of a local church."

I think about this a bunch. I've started to borrow a phrase from Kaleo and that is, "Stop Going To Church."

If that one or two hours on a Sunday morning in a church building is the only time we are near God and are spiritual, then when are in trouble.

I hear the term corporate worship and I cringe. Corporate worship? When did we incorporate?

So what is church?

Is it when the pastor is there? Does he make it official? Does taking communion? Three songs and a prayer?

Has anyone gone somewhere that has bible classes? Why is that in a bible class it isn't uncommon to doing something, talk about something that would never be attempted in corporate worship (or what I like to call - big church)?

Is bible class not church? Does God skip those?

Does anyone 'go to church' on Wednesday night? Saturday nights?

I keep thinking, why are we putting God in a box? (Which reminds me of a great series you should check out called, Jesus Outed in Megachurch. - But I digress.)

Is this church? This blog? Barna might say yes. He lists four macro-models of church and one is cyberchurch.

I know many identify with emergent. But whether you are emergent, missional, or whatever, it boils down to the fact we are tired of only getting church in black.

One more quote from page 106...

New leaders...will not be building new institutions to replace the old. Rather, it will be providing guidance in the construction of new hearts and minds that produce a thriving Church community...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.