Americans Embrace Various Alternatives to a Conventional Church Experience as Being Fully Biblical

A "George-Gem" from last year that I somehow missed.

Change of Heart

For decades, American Christians, who comprise more than four of our every five adults, assumed they had one legitimate way to practice their faith: through involvement in a conventional church. But new research shows that this mind set is no longer prevalent in the U.S. The latest Barna study shows that a majority of adults now believe that there are various biblically legitimate alternatives to participation in a conventional church.

Each of six alternatives was deemed by a most adults to be "a complete and biblically valid way for someone who does NOT participate in the services or activities of a conventional church to experience and express their faith in God." Those alternatives include engaging in faith activities at home, with one’s family (considered acceptable by 89% of adults); being active in a house church (75%); watching a religious television program (69%); listening to a religious radio broadcast (68%); attending a special ministry event, such as a concert or community service activity (68%); and participating in a marketplace ministry (54%).

Smaller proportions of the public consider other alternatives to be complete and biblically valid ways of experiencing and expressing their faith in God. Those include interacting with a faith-oriented website (45%) and participating in live events via the Internet (42%).

Activity Outside the Conventional Church

The Barna study also found that tens of millions of people are experiencing and expressing their faith in God independent of any connection to a conventional church. In the past month, 55% of adults had attended a conventional church service. During that same month, 28% of all adults who did not attend a conventional church activity did, however, participate in an alternative means of experiencing and expressing their faith in God.

Looking at some of the newer and more controversial methods of spiritual engagement, the survey found that 4% had participated in a house church or simple church; 9% had been involved in a ministry that met in the marketplace; and 12% had engaged in spiritual activity on the Internet.

Pastors Accept House Churches

In a companion study conducted by The Barna Group among Senior Pastors of Protestant churches, two out of three pastors agreed that "house churches are legitimate Christian churches." Surprisingly, pastors from mainline churches were more likely than pastors from other Protestant congregations to consider house churches to be biblically defensible forms of church experience. Among the pastors least likely to support the legitimacy of house churches were pastors who earn more than $75,000 annually; African-American pastors; and pastors of charismatic or Pentecostal churches.

The views of Protestant pastors regarding house churches show that they assign both strengths and weaknesses to house churches. For instance, more than three-quarters of conventional church pastors (77%) contend that "house churches genuinely worship God." Two-thirds (66%) said "a house church might be a better spiritual fit for someone than a conventional local church." And three out of every five (60%) noted that "house churches produce genuine disciples of Christ."

However, less than half of all pastors of conventional churches said that they would ever recommend a house church to someone (40%). Also, only one out of three conventional church pastors (31%) believes that "house churches have sufficient spiritual accountability."

Paradoxically, only half (54%) of the Senior Pastors of conventional churches who believe that house churches are biblically legitimate forms of church said that they might ever recommend a house church to someone.

Issues with the Origins of Church Practices

The research parallels the findings of a controversial new book co-authored by researcher George Barna, entitled Pagan Christianity? Exploring the Roots of Our Christian Practices. In that book, Barna and co-author Frank Viola explain the origins of many common routines widely used in conventional churches, ranging from preaching to communion. The early Christians met almost exclusively in homes and had few of the trappings that characterize 21st-century churches and services. Many of the church habits in place today were not apostolic or biblical practices but are vestiges of pagan practices adopted by Christians in the third century or later.

Pagan Christianity? contends that most of today’s church practices have no biblical foundation, and in some cases, hinder people from having a genuine experience with God. With extensive footnotes and documentation, the book shows that the following church practices had little to do with scriptural mandate or apostolic application:

Church buildings were initially constructed under the Roman emperor Constantine, around 327. The early Christian church met in homes.

The pulpit was a piece of stagecraft borrowed from Greek culture in which professional speakers delivered monologues in public debates. There is no evidence that Jesus, the apostles, or other leaders in the early Church used a pulpit; it seems to have been introduced into Christian circles in the mid-third century.

The order of worship originated in the Roman Catholic Mass under the leadership of Pope Gregory in the sixth century.

Preaching a sermon to an audience was ushered into the church world late in the second century. Sermons were an extension of the activity of the Greek sophists, who had mastered the art of rhetorical oratory.

There were no pastors, as an official or director of a group of believers, until sometime in the second century. That was eventually furthered by the practice of ordination, which was based upon the prevailing Roman custom of appointing men to public office.

The biblical approach to "communion" or the "Lord’s Supper," was truncated late in the second century from a full, festive communal meal without clergy officiating to the presently common habit of having a sip of wine and morsel of bread (or juice and a wafer) under the guidance of a recognized clergyman.

Pagan Christianity? also addresses a myriad of other practices, including tax-exempt status for churches, pews, stained glass windows, altar calls, the pastoral prayer, church bulletins, bishops, clergy attire, choirs, tithing, the collection plate, seminary training, infant baptism, the "sinner’s prayer," and funeral processions, among others.


George Barna commented that the objective of the book is not to criticize churches, but to give people the freedom to re-think many modern church practices. "Often, people feel as if their worship and ministry are confined to what is routinely done because those patterns have a biblical basis or mandate," explained the author of more than three dozen books about faith and culture. "But when you research the origins of church practices, and study the practices of the early church, you discover that most of our current church practices have ancient cultural origins, with no biblical basis. As people seek a deeper relationship with God and other believers, the book encourages them to do so with the knowledge that the Bible describes a spiritual experience that relatively few Americans have known - a model that is more organic and in which every person functions as a priest of the living God."

Early reviews of Pagan Christianity? have been divided between reviewers who appreciate the honest, painstakingly researched appraisal of church practices, and those who are incensed that the roots and biblical validity of so many common practices are questioned. "Whenever you challenge hallowed behaviors, controversy is the natural result," responded Barna. "Every believer must decide whether it is more important to follow biblical guidelines and examples or to instead maintain human traditions and preferences. If nothing else, Frank and I hope this book stimulates significant reflection and conversation about why the Church does what it does, what is the biblical model of the Church, and how we can be a more authentic representation of the Church that God envisions."

About the Research

This report is based upon two nationwide telephone surveys conducted by The Barna Group. One survey was a sample of 1005 adults, age 18 and older, conducted in December 2007 randomly selected from across the continental United States. The maximum margin of sampling error associated with the aggregate sample of adults is ±3.2 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. The other survey included interviews with 615 Senior Pastors of Protestant churches, randomly sampled from all Protestant churches in the continental states during December 2007. The maximum margin of sampling error associated with the aggregate sample is ±4.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. Statistical weighting was used to calibrate the sample to known population percentages in relation to demographic variables. All interviews in both surveys were conducted via telephone, and multiple callbacks were made to each telephone number to provide a representative sample.

The Barna Group, Ltd. (which includes its research division, The Barna Research Group) conducts primary research, produces media resources pertaining to spiritual development, and facilitates the healthy spiritual growth of leaders, children, families and Christian ministries. Located in Ventura, California, Barna has been conducting and analyzing primary research to understand cultural trends related to values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors since 1984. If you would like to receive free e-mail notification of the release of each new, bi-monthly update on the latest research findings from The Barna Group, you may subscribe to this free service at the Barna website www.barna.org.

© The Barna Group, Ltd, 2009.

Copyright Disclaimer: All the information contained on the barna.org website is copyrighted by The Barna Group, Ltd., 2368 Eastman Ave. Unit 12, Ventura, California 93003. No portion of this website (articles, graphs, charts, reviews, pictures, video clips, quotes, statistics, etc.) may be reproduced, retransmitted, disseminated, sold, distributed, published, edited, altered, changed, broadcast, circulated, or commercially exploited without the prior written permission from The Barna Group, Ltd.

Dancing Over a Drain

Day 2 of the lease, I woke up at about 2:45 am thinking of the things that need to be done. Yesterday I had torn away a small bit of carpet and sprayed WD40 on the adhesive to see if I would be able to scrap it off. I came back today and found that the adhesive is easily broken down by this method and easy to remove.

One of my primary concerns is getting the old crap carpet up to find if we can use the slab as our floor, to see if the adhesive will come off ok - and - - perhaps, maybe hoping that I might find a drain close to the front of the store.

We've done everything we can to find the original plans for this space which seems to have been constructed in the late 60s to early 70s. No one knows where to find them and a woman at the city informed me that they were likely tossed. Our focus on finding the drain is based on concern that we would have to either run pipe the full length of the store (with no guarantee that we'd meet the pitch requirements), or have to excavate a lengthy trench to the back where drains are known to be. Finding a drain near the front would save us much money, labor and time.

Teena and I went out to dinner to celebrate our 32nd anniversary. We decided to go by the property to assess other tasks that need to be accomplished. While we were there I was tearing up the first part of carpet and some paper-thin linoleum near the front door, I discovered that the slab was covered with a layer of sealing paint on top of which previous tenants painted a tacky design with latex colors. Teena suggested I hammer at it to see if it would loosen. Sure enough some of it came off and I was able to take a wide blade putty knife to scrap more up. As I hammered and progressed, a rather large and thick chunk loosened with the putty knife. I grabbed the piece (which was about a foot in diameter) and pulled it up by hand.

All of the sudden I heard angels singing? They really didn't - but should have. VIOLA! A DRAIN!!! And one about 10 feet from where we need to tie in.

I am not one who worships very demonstratively, like some. IOW It's not often that I do a pentecostal boogie. But all of the sudden the fire of God's Spirit started singeing my soul as I was dancing over a drain shoutin' out: "Thank ya JEEE-sus! Thank ya JEEE-sus! Hallelujah - huh! Thank ya-Thank ya JEEE-sus!"

I'm starting to get this sense that there really is a God and we're really going to be taken care of.

McChurch History 101

Other than the confusion that "Have it Your Way" is Burger King, this is a fascinating blog post.

Unforeseen Networking

The fellow "visioneers" are coming out of the proverbial woodwork! (I need to ask that foxy lady with the accent where that term comes from). I took 2 calls yesterday from people who had heard about Java Journey's mission etc. Neither of which were a result of any proactive promotion or recruitment.

One was from a Christ-follower in Chicago who will be visiting NC next week. We will get together to talk about our mutual dreams of day-to-day ministry. Without going into detail, let me say that this person has worked in high-scale institutional settings doing restorative type ministry with hurting people. I'm curious and excited to see what develops.

The other was from a Christ-follower (part of a couple) in the area who was involved with another missional endeavor in Hickory about 3-4 years ago. For various reasons (timing, preparation, etc.) the effort was abandoned. Again, without going into detail, I knew about this particular venture before I even left California. Both are very eager to explore what Java Journey is doing and ready to become part of the network.

It's dazzling me how this divine reinforcement is taking place after we courageously (and "stupidly") signed a lease that had "the numbers" crying out against us.

That "Indiana Jones" bridge is really there!

Move In Date Set

We have signed the lease on the storefront property on N Center Street and will take possession on July 1. Our goal is to work on the build out along with a crew of volunteers and do a soft opening in September. A soft opening is where we are open for business but don't make a big deal about it. This allows us to work out the bugs. We plan on having a grand opening in October.

How's that going to work if we can't pay any employees? Our plan is to move our home church into the facility and focus on ministry. We will work on the building as money and volunteers permit and open to the public as manpower allows.

We already have a crew of volunteers coming from Greensboro who will help with the tear out and perhaps some of the upfit. God has also provided a project manager and an architect/interior designer to help us complete the build out plans.

Jeff will work behind the counter in the morning hours and we will train volunteer counter workers too who will go through our certification program. If you wish to train and volunteer in this area contact us.

Things are really starting to sizzle as different members of our home church plus volunteers from a variety of churches and ministries climb on board to help in various ways.

One of the plusses of changing from the charitable business model to the non-profit model is that people are more willing to contribute time, goods and financial contributions which is imperative at this point if we are going to close the financial gap.

Pray for God to raise up the qualified experts and resources we need for the build out and for those who work the counters.

Leap of Faith

In the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Jones must get to the other side of a great chasm in order to save his dying father. But there is no apparent way to cross the divide. Heart hammering, Jones closes his eyes and steps out into what appears to be thin air, but amazingly his feet land on solid rock. What he hadn't seen before was a narrow bridge that was present but camouflaged. He safely crosses to the other side.

We can identify with Jones. A little over a month and a half ago we came to an apparent end of hope. In one last effort Jeff met with yet another banker. After looking over the business plan the banker informed Jeff that he could not provide the remaining money we need for the coffee shop start up. But then he spoke some profound words. He informed us that the gap between what we still needed and what we had on hand was almost the exact amount we needed to pay for salary. He suggested that if we could bypass the salary, then we'd be able to swing the coffee shop until it started turning producing cash flow. This also helped us to make the decision to run the coffee shop as a non-profit through Living Hope Covenant Church.

It's funny how God uses the most insignificant people to convey messages to His people. The path we were to take was suddenly quite clear. He wanted us to open the coffee shop on blind faith, switch from a charitable business model to a non-profit and secure volunteers to make up the workforce and to help with the up-fit.

Making this shift has opened the door to all kinds of possibilities and it has rounded up interested workers who care about our mission. Yes, it feels very much like stepping out into thin air, but our footsteps feel amazingly firm and we believe God is blessing this "leap of faith."

Review on this’ Philippians Go-‘Round - Part 1

The community dynamic of ministry became brightly illuminated as I read. Chapter 1 has “Paul AND Timothy” as the writers – written to “all the saints…together…overseers (plural) and deacons (plural).” Paul stresses “partnership” and “all” in his opening remarks. This certainly doesn’t reflect the current format of wide-spread dependency in the conventional context of “ministry.”

At our house church we have been rotating people sharing what God has taught them in their walk. The dependency on leadership and inspiration is not centered on one or two. This has been a very rich discipline as the Spirit-empowered “partnership in the gospel” has produced a strong corporate sense of our mutual transformation. The words of 1:6 jump to life: “…he who began a good work in you (2nd person plural – or in NC “all ya’all”) will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” This encourages us collectively.

Paul urges this encouragement in chapter 2: “being united with Christ …like-minded …same love …one in spirit …” He implores a sacrificial investment of the very highest nature: “consider others better than yourselves.” We do not put feet on this principle like we think we do. It dawned on me that he is not talking about a trite gesture such as opening a coffee shop door for a stranger and uttering a surface mantra: “After you.” He’s speaking in the context of the “partnership” of ministry – the good work being carried to completion. Again, the letter is not addressed to the “Senior Pastor” and “staff.”

The bowels of the letter (and even most of Paul’s writings) follow in the first half of chapter 2 in what has been called “The Kenosis.(‘he emptied’).” I made some comments in my May 29 post. You can see the NIV translation there. What I want to do in my next post is “trans-paraphrase” Phil 2:5-11 from the original language as I interpret the root of each word and concept. Stand by or as Ryan Seacrest would say: “After the break.”