Customer Reviews

Revolution

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Somehow, the other day, I happened to pick up a copy of George Barna's new book called Revolution. For those of you who are unfamiliar, George Barna is the founder of Barna Research Group (now called The Barna Group), which was created more than two decades ago with the intent to help ministries facilitate strategic decision-making. Much of this was accomplished through detailed statistical research provided by the Group. Over the course of that 20 years the Barna research team interviewed nearly a half million people in the course of hundreds of research studies, provided seminar-based training to leaders from more than 50,000 churches, produced more than 60 books and syndicated reports, and developed a website that provided free information to hundreds of thousands of people every month. Barna became one of the most (if not the most) trusted resource for church-related statistical research in the United States and has often been hailed as "the most quoted person in the Christian Church today"!

But, as I found out reading this book, a drastic change occurred in George Barna's life (about 2003) as a result of his countless hours of researching the effects of organized religion; he realized that very little actual life transformation appeared to be occurring in churched believers all over the country. Even worse, he realized that his own efforts in research were being used by pastors mostly for the purpose of seeking statistical evidence to support their teaching. To his surprise, however, the same research Barna had been conducting over the years led him to a discovery of the fact that God was moving in mighty ways OUTSIDE the four walls of the Institutional Church! In fact, Barna was so impacted by what he observed in the lives of "churchless" Christians all over the U.S. that it convinced him to give up what he had done for 20 years and refocus his attentions. He changed the name of his organization from the Barna Research Group to simply the Barna Group, downsized his organization from 100 employees to eight, moved out of their large office space into a compact area, sought to become more partnership based, and chose to raise the level of risk they were willing to take in new ventures, determining that it would be better to go broke in the pursuit of true life transformation than to remain financially safe but without any gain for the kingdom.

All of that to say that George Barna no longer has interest to merely help grow the Institutional Church. His new passion is solely to see God's true Church, who are His very people (His body), walk into the fullness of what God intends for them without obstacles, without distractions, without religious strings attached - and to see them live life to the fullest in Christ and minister truth to a lost and dying world who desperately need Him. George was humbled to find that this is already happening without the aid of churches and formal religious organizations or "official" leadership. In fact, one of the most impacting things he notes in his new book is that so many of these groups of believers who serve the Lord outside the Institutional Church System, even though they often have poor organization, lack of great numbers, meager financial resources, often weak human leadership and are sometimes ridiculed and despised by those in larger church organizations, yet they are often more effective (in terms of actual life transformation, relationship building, devotion to truth, and sincere Christian devotion); proving that it is GOD - not man - that is leading these believers. Barna now calls these Christians who no longer center their lives around religious organizations (i.e. churches) "Revolutionaries" and believes they (all 20 million of them and growing) are the real future of the manifested body of Christ on earth; in other words they represent those who have moved beyond the established church and chosen to BE the Church instead. Barna also humbly and joyously admits that he is now one of them as well.

While many traditionalists argue today that, in order to grow properly in the Lord, you must attend a local church, Barna refutes this notion strongly with both Scripture and statistical example of how literally millions of believers today are finding a vibrant relationship with God (and fellowship with their brothers and sisters in Christ) outside the walls of organized religion (and the same are effecting change around them by their Christ-like influence); However, Barna does not make the argument simply about those "in" churches and those "outside" (as a sort of "us versus them" attitude), rather he directs his writing to every true believer in Jesus Christ and focuses on the importance of becoming full disciples of Jesus (whether inside or outside the walls of some organization) and not to become distracted with anything that may remove our full attention from Him. Barna states in the book: "In fact, there is no verse in Scripture that links the concepts of worshiping 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. Take particular note of the fact that Jesus dismissed the organized worship of His day as `a farce' and intimated that we ought not be so limited as to how and when we worship God (see Mark 7:7). When the Samaritan woman asked about worship practices and places, Jesus responded bluntly that, `The time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem... But the time is coming - indeed it is here now - when true worshipers with worship the Father in spirit and in truth' (John 4:21-23). He was highlighting the same foolish irrelevancies that traditionalists argue about today."

The book also highlights trademarks of true Revolutionaries as Barna has observed and attempts to give suggestions as to how all of us, even (and especially) those believers who are still associated with or who lead traditional congregations, can make way for this current revolution and move of God's Spirit. While some may find the content of this book uncomfortable or even controversial, Barna speaks with grace but also fervor and excitement, presenting a strong, biblically-sound argument for what he has observed transpiring over the last two decades and encourages the reader to make their own educated observations. Finally, he challenges the reader to boldly face this crossroad and decide whether or not they will become a part of the revolution themselves (risking all to follow Christ without reserve). He presses the reader with the question as to whether or not they will embrace what God is doing or outright fight it and reject it altogether. Whether or not a Christian chooses to agree with Barna's observations of what he considers to be a magnificent move of God and the very future of the Lord's Church on earth as we know it, Barna believes that every Christian needs to be aware of "the revolution" and confront their reaction to it head on.

Anyone who has been familiar with the Barna Group (a.k.a. Barna Research Group) over the years knows that they are a trustworthy voice in the Church and have a firm grasp on the nationwide picture of organized religion and its effects on society and the body of Christ. We would do well to listen to what this brother in Christ, George Barna, has to say about what he has observed.

This is a remarkable book that will encourage and inspire believers (whether outside the institutional church program or even still within). It's a very easy read. The book also contains some statistics (as you'd expect from Barna Group) and proves to be a very informative, spiritually-motivating read. I highly recommend this book!

In closing I would just like to say that this review is not necessarily intended to be a full on endorsement of everything George Barna may personally believe or engage in as it concerns every facet of his ministry. The truth is, I know very little at this point about all of that. Each person should exercise discernment and hold fast to the truth of God's Word as their gage in all things. I merely wish to encourage people to see that God is working in wonderful ways OUTSIDE the four walls, as He can in you... and if a man who spent more than 30 years of his life supporting the old system can humble himself, recognizing the hand of God in ways previously unfamiliar to him and risk everything to follow Christ, even if it costs him the success of his own well-established and financially-successful ministry, certainly so can we press on in Jesus without fear or worry for the things others may say about us and live to become Revolutionaries for the glory of our Lord. Ultimately, I hope all of us who know the Lord can agree that life as believers is ABOUT HIM and we ought never to allow ourselves to be distracted from a pure and true devotion to Jesus Christ.

God bless you all!

REVOLUTION is a call to honest Christian living, plain and simple. The issue of church decline (church with a little "c") is merely tangental to the real issue. Too many people who have reviewed this book have missed the point. Barna himself warns about this:

"Joining the Revolution does not mean forfeiting your congregational identity or church distinctives. It means acknowledging and advancing your bond with the universal Church and ratcheting up your commitment to serious Christianity. . . . Don't get sidetracked by the peripherals; focus on the devotion to God and the 24/7 lifestyle changes that drive such a ministry" (p. 136).

Barna calls all Christians--in and outside of local churches--to live as Revolutionary Christians, i.e., those who live "only to love, obey, and serve God, rejecting and overcoming every obstacle that emerges to prevent such a life" (p. 17).

He says, in essence, that if for some people the local church is more of an obstacle than a benefit to such a life before God, then as Revolutionary Christians, they will reject and overcome the lifeless ritual of their particular church attendance. He says, "They have no use for churches that play religious games, whether those games are worship services that drone on without the presence of God or ministry programs that bear no spiritual fruit" (p. 13).

In REVOLUTION, Barna is certainly not calling for a wholesale exodus from the local church. He is saying that his research leads him to believe that more and more Christians who want a living and active spiritual life with Jesus Christ and who are not finding it within a local church are going to live their Christ-centered, spiritual lives outside the church local, but never outside the Church universal. Next, he is saying that part of the connectedness that all Christians must have with other believers does not have to come from the traditional, local church setting. "Such interaction could be in a worship service or at Starbucks; it might be satisfied through a Sunday school class or a dinner in a fellow believer's home" (p. 114).

I do, however, have two caveats: First, I cannot help wonder about what appeared to be Barna's own church disillusionment emerging from the pages of his book. It is one thing for Barna to see the statistics and predict the likely direction that some Christians are going, but has he gone beyond being the scientist and become a proponent for a limited exodus from local churches?

Certainly Barna has every right to champion a position that he believes is correct. But, the reader will do well to read with discernment "Barna the scientist" and "Barna the subscriber." As just one example: When Barna says, "Expect [as part of this revolution] children to be taken more seriously as spiritual beings" (p. 105), is that a prediction from "Barna the scientist" or a desired-end from "Barna the subscriber"?

Let me hasten to add, however, that being a subscriber does not mean that he is wrong or that his arguments are not valid; it is just a distinction that I wish he'd been more clear with in his book. After all, I am a subscriber to Christianity; that does not then make my logical arguments for Christianity invalid.

There are many statements in this book that have a predictive quality, and most often it is easy to discern the scientist from the subscriber, but not always. My uncertainty (albeit minor) limits me in conversations about this topic because I do not know if I should say, "Barna says that we can expect thus and so," or if I should say, "Barna desires thus and so." I suspect (and felt) that Barna's passion for this topic inhibited him from making a stark distinction between "Barna the scientist" and "Barna the subscriber." Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Secondarily, not all Christians who leave the local church are revolutionaries. Some are simply backslidden. Barna is not ignorant of this fact. He mentions this in passing in chapter one. However, I think that had he addressed this problem even moderately, the book would have been more balanced and helpful.

REVOLUTION is not a big book, but it is jam packed with good and thought-provoking information. Barna has his finger on the pulse of the church and where we are headed as a society. He has some interesting--and revolutionary--ideas about where the church is going over the next 20 years, and each of us, in one way or another, will be affected by it.

Therefore, it is important for each of us to know what this Revolution is (going to be). And, it is important for each of us to know what part God wants us to play in the coming Revolution.

This book is a great start to finding the answers to these things.

This is a small book, 8 ½ x 5 and only 140 pages, which will have a polarizing effect on many ardent Christians. I suspect those happy in their local congregation will react with righteous indignation. However, for those of us who have seen the changes that Barna reports happening in our metropolitan area, it's confirming to know that statistical data is starting to confirm it.

Some data is disturbing. On page 118, Barna reports "Our research shows that local churches have virtually no influence in our culture. The seven dominant spheres of influence are movies, music, television, books, the Internet, law and family. The second tier of influencers is comprised of entities such as schools, peers, newspapers, radio, and businesses. The local church appears among entities that have little or no influence on society."

Like it or not, those are the statistics. I'm only giving the book four stars because I would like to see more of the hard data. My guess is Barna first wants to float these ideas in a quick read format, being well aware of the ensuing uproar it will cause.

For those who have seen this coming, I would also suggest a CD entitled Perspectives for the Church of the 21st Century, which can be ordered separately from a set called Radical New Paradigms from Plumbline Ministries.

First of all, Barna's style is not what I would recommend to the average Joe poking around for something to read besides his comic books. At times Barna's sentence structure is fairly complex, he has a large vocabulary, and a lot of the ideas he discusses are based on quite a bit of statistical analysis that he has attempted to (for the most part succeeded) break down to support his points. As an avid reader, I found all of these aspects enjoyable rather than challenging; I think that Barna's notions are things that all people would benefit from considering, but the writing style could get in the way for some. That should not stop anyone from picking it up and trying though, because the ideas are well worth it--I would hate to underestimate anyone! :)

The ideas George Barna presents in this book may be seen by some as too radical and/or unbiblical. That objection is due mainly to the fact that he challenges the traditional organization of congregation and fellowship among Christians, and he specifically addresses that particular type of criticism. With some flexibility and willingness to explore ideas, however, I hope that most who read this book could gain a lot of insight into the current dynamics of Christianity and the church structure as a whole.

It would be a mistake to read this book and assume that Barna has made a complete call to action. Indeed, he does admittedly promote the idea of being "revolutionary," however, much of what he has to say merely paints a picture of what is going on in the church right now. It is a "state of the union" address of sorts, discussing various maladies in the church. I believe it would be a very large mistake to read this as a cause-and-effect sort of book, where George Barna highlights maladies and discusses the cause of the problem in "the church" and how to solve it. What he does in this book is to describe what he sees in the church and use those perceptions to explain something that is already happening, something which he feels is important to point out--a trend of believers leaving established congregational populations in search of real spiritual meat, at times through alternative means. He examines the implications of such a retreat from institution and discusses in depth what it looks like to then be "revolutionary."

I can see how some people would be offended if they feel that the current church structure is merely in need of reform rather than something as drastic as "revolution." As I read this book, it was not my understanding that he was saying the established church structure needed to be completely over-taken and revamped OR that he was saying all Christians should be "revolutionaries"; rather, he was suggesting that it IS possible to have a very rich spiritual life that doesn't look like the millions of other cookie cutter Christian lives and that there are a growing number of people out there doing just that. He was saying that within the church there are millions of people who merely show up and don't take their spiritual steps any further than the doors of the church. He was saying that there are people out there really fired up and willing to live their lives based on very basic scriptural values rather than the foundation of "culture" that society has injected into Christianity. On many occasions in this book he also points out that he is not trying to pull people out of churches; he notes that many of what he calls "revolutionaries" do indeed operate quite well WITHIN a local church structure. He encourages people to be slower to jump to conclusions before they move to strike something as "biblical" or "unbiblical" when considering the way a church "should" be, and he goes into some depth discussing such a consideration.

Oftentimes, especially lately, I have found myself somewhat depressed to consider the picture mainstream Christianity has painted for itself. I am not ashamed to follow Christ--but sometimes I am ashamed to be following with other Christians. It also makes me uncomfortable to realize I feel that way at times. So at any rate, I think that Barna not only makes many incredible points aimed at getting people to think outside the box, but he also brightens the outlook of Christianity--for me, he helped to regain my confidence that wonderful things are still in store for God's people and that while I may feel saddened by some of the apathy and complacency I see in the church, there are still many other examples of faith on fire in the world, of people who are willing to go beyond traditional ways to reach out to others in need. As Barna states, we are not called to go to church--we are called to be the church. After reading this book I feel... rejuvenated. Even if readers do not completely agree with everything he submits, I think that the book's fairly upbeat and positive outlook on the future of Christianity should be regarded as encouragement for all people to dig deeper and experience the freedom of living an active faith rather than spend so much time focusing on what faith should "look" like.

Revolution is a tight, ripping-fast read, packed with content. My copy is heavily underlined and margin noted. A couple of other reviewers identified Mr. Barna's former embrace and now rejection of "seeker-sensitive" churches/congregations as a problem. I see this as the church adapting the never-changing message of the gospel of Jesus Christ to a changing culture. Seeker-sensitive churches have certainly been around long enough to have demonstrated success in reaching large numbers of people for Christ. The goal of seeker-sensitive churches is also equip their members to communicate with an emerging post-Christian culture. It may therefore be unfair to chide Mr. Barna for vacillation when he is instead recommending adaptation.

Another reviewer cites early church leaders recorded in the book of Acts as "organizing the organism." Point well taken. Acts is a historical book recording the establishment of the first century church in strongly Jewish and later in "non-churched" cultures. Certainly the early leaders had to present a simple, core message of the gospel and keep it from being diluted or corrupted. That still needs to happen today as the professional and lay clergies accept that the culture is again changing.

At the beginning of the book, the author makes a strong distinction between the local congregation and the Church universal. In no way is the Church universal in danger. Rather, the methods the current church (local congregations) uses are in question. Barna prognosticates a reduction in the number of congregations as Christians seek focused groups as arenas for personal growth and as common venues with non-Christians. Is there a danger here for wild doctrine? Sure, but we see wild doctrine now. On television.

As Barna sees local churches diminishing in number and cultural importance, I have a couple of thoughts and concerns:
1. As this happens, assuming it will happen, will the ecclesiastical landscape in America look more like Europe or the new era Mr. Barna predicts?
2. The Church Mr. Barna sees emerging appears to me as a "leaderless movement." This will drive demographers nuts trying to identify Evangelical Christians as a market group. It will also allow small groups to be instantly responsive to the needs of the people closest to them without having to form committees, develop purpose statements, seek pastoral sponsorship and Finance Committee approval. Decentralization of the church will be a huge empowerment for believers eager to make a visible, immediate impact for Christ.

Toward the end of the book, Mr. Barna plots three responses to the revolution he sees; early adopters, resisters and wait-and-seers. As soon as I read the book, I placed myself in the early adopter category. With a week's reflection under my belt, I'm not so sure.

I am sure the Revolution is happening. We as local church attenders will be faced with one question: Do I go to church or am I the church? Two questions for me as a late-forty-something are: How do I/we reach people in the tattoo, piercing, Goth and alternative cultures? And no, I don't plan on getting tats or piercings. As the father of three children, how will I equip my kids to be the church in their generation?

Perhaps the de-institutionalizing of the church will be the greatest thing to happen since Paul wrote, "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some."

It's a great time to be alive.

George Barna, in his latest book, Revolution, challenges us to re-examine our theology of church and ways of doing church in the future. Barna was confident that it is possible to predict trends in the church in the United States. He wrote The Frog in the Kettle (1990) in which he identified possible trends and reforms the churches need to implement in order to maximise the benefits from these trends. Barna claimed in his latest book that "90 percent of the predicted outcomes became reality". With this impressive record, Barna went on to introduce what he believes will be the next major trend and this will involve the very structure and the way we do church itself.

Barna identifies a "new breed" of Christians (about 20 million) whom he named "The Revolutionary Christian". In the opening chapter he identified David (not the biblical one) as one. He described David, "...is a Revolutionary Christian. His life reflects the very ideals and principles that characterized the life and purpose of Jesus Christ and that advances the Kingdom of God-despite the fact that David rarely attends church services. He is typical of a new breed of disciples of Jesus Christ. They are not willing to play religious games and aren't interested in being part of a religious community that is not intentionally and aggressively advancing God's Kingdom. They are people who want more of God- much more- in their lives. And they are doing whatever it takes to get it." These revolutionaries have seven major passions
1. Intimate Worship
2. Faith-based Conversations (evangelistic)
3. Intentional Spiritual Growth
4. Servanthood
5. Resource Investment
6. Spiritual Friendships

While there is not much to distinguish between the revolutionaries from any committed born-again Christians, the major distinguishing mark is that revolutionaries are willing to leave the local church and seek their spiritual feeding and experiences elsewhere. While there is the commitment to God, there is no loyalty to tradition and the local church. Barna's research has shown that the local churches have a lot of flaws and churched Christians (about 77 millions) fall short of the standards of these revolutionaries.

What are some of the factors that lead to this trend? Barna has identified seven.
1. The Changing of the Guard
As the Baby Boomers and Builders begin to make way Baby Busters (1965-1983) and Mosaics (1984-2002), the demographic changes have major influences on culture and societal expectations.
2. The Rise of a new View of Life
Postmodernism has become the main influence in mainstream American culture. What it means is that relationship is more important than productivity, pluralism and relativism, influence through dialogue and the ends justify the means. The working process is more important than the end product.
3. Dismissing the Irrelevant
Unlike the Boomers who are famous for demanding excellence, the next generation; "they quickly abandon anything that is not wholly germane to their personal passions ...They have little patience for anything based on tradition, customs, ease, or social responsibility. If they do not immediately sense the relevance of something, they dismiss it out of hand and move on to the next alternative." Hence loyalty is not a strong point of consideration.
4. The Impact of Technology
5. Genuine Relationships
They value relationships and are "people people." Their focus on personal authenticity rather than performance and they like personal stories and experience rather than principles and commands.
6. Participation in Reality
They like the hands on approach and enjoy the experiential rather than the cognitive.
7. Finding True Meaning
They find true meaning in sacrifice and surrender.

What this boils down to is that the next generation will leave any local church or organisation that does not meet their needs. They are not what we consider `backsliders', they are more of spiritual seekers. With more resources within reach (easy communications, travel, Internet etc), they will find their own sources of spirituality that will meet their spiritual needs. They will develop their own network and alternative faith communities.

What will the future faith communities be like. Barna offers a glimpse of some possible forms:
1. Macro model
a. Congregational form of local church
b. House churches
c. Family faith experiences
d. Cyberchurch

2. Micro model (distributed models of faiths)
a. Independent worship events
b. Marketplace fellowships
c. Coaching communities
d. Narrowcast Internet-based faith group
e. Parachurch ministries


Barna has done the Church a favour by bringing to our attention, a possible trend or movement of people out of the local church to seek their spiritual formation elsewhere. While I do not believe it will be as large a percentage as he predicted, I believe that it is an important trend.

If committed Christians find difficulties in being part of an established church and find that they are stagnating, in spite of having make efforts to be part of the community, they should be allowed to explore alternative ways of doing Church. Church to me is not a building or even a local congregation. Church to me is a people of God, the Body of Christ. Many of us has realised that many local churches are no more than fossilized institutions, political conventions, spiritual spas or country clubs.

Throughout Church history, the committed Christians are always marginalized. And they have always survived. These revolutionaries may be the 21st Century equivalent of the desert fathers and mothers of the 4th Century. What the local congregations should be doing is not to condemn or drive them off but to connect with them and offer them a place to come back to when their wandering is done. For all we know, the revolutionaries may be God's way of sparking off a revival as He has done it with the Pentecostal/Charismatic in the last century.

In this book Barna observes and predicts the coming unhitching of the most committed group of believers from the church. The best chapter is 7. It is the most helpful chapter in the book. This is a small book that can be read or skimmed quickly.

George Barna's work has to always be understood through the filters and definitions he uses. The prognosis always rises or falls on the strengths and weaknesses of these filters, as is true with any type of surveying work. The basic point of the book is that there is an uber-class of Christians who are tired of the plodding, uneven, unwieldy church and are ready to strike out on their own. They are smarter, more committed, better organized and more on target than the church and shout "lead, follow or get out of the way..." Barna imagines this movement will morph into something ultimately helpful which may revive the church...


A few things come to mind in thinking about this book.

1. Is this book autobiographical? Is Barna finally completely fed up with this thing we call the church? You can feel his frustration.

2. The book feels pretty boomerish, not traditionalist (obviously) nor emergent. We've seen major shifts in church along boomer lines for two decades now. The spirit of the revolutionaries feels charged with optimism about what focused men with enough energy, money and will can do.

3. Most of the time we think we've got "the formula" we discover how far we fall short. Modern western Christian history is littered with individuals and communities that had "the formula", only to have it unwind into the mundane or explode.

4. The strength of Barna's work is to help us see why old things are indeed passing away. I think some of what he sees in terms of contours for the future are helpful, but I think don't think this uber-class will find what they're looking for. I think we'll all keep muddling.

This book is an exceptionally well written account of something we are already know is happening. There are highly spiritual Christians all around us who are not connecting with a local church. Why? Not because they are selfish, or sinful, but because God is moving in them and drawing them into a life which goes far beyond what our traditional church structures have allowed.

Along with noting this trend, the book goes into a number of great questions church leaders should be asking about this trend, and the revolutionary thinking that is necessary to see God's people use their gifts in ministry together.

Folks, Mr. Barna has stuck his neck way out and is getting lots of flack from 'important' people because of it. Let's be thankful he is risking his reputation to tell it as he sees it.
Ditching traditional churches and meeting and fellowshipping in more Biblical and sensible ways cannot be compared to backsliding or a denial of the importance of the 'local church'. The real revolutionaries want to see a true local church body developed, not the opposite.
The theologians reviewing this book need to study more church history and get some better experience of church outside their ivory tower. Theology is worthless without experience. The church doesn't need more theology but more LIFE. History shows the old wineskins do not change. Is there a single move of God in history that did not involve a coming out of the immovable, unbiblical traditions of the day? Try Pentecost!
No one of any character is advocating loner Christians with no fellowship. But there is nothing sacred about the typical American way of 'doing church.' Let this be a wakeup call to examine where those traditions really came from and what the Bible truly says about the church. Regardless of how/where you meet, if you aren't centered on Christ and exalting Him above all else, you aren't healthy. The church didn't just start after Pentecost, it was begun with the disciples following Jesus around for 3 years and fellowshipping with Him informally as much as possible.
Start with some Frank Viola books if you want very well documented, historical research informed by actual long - term experience with healthy house churches.

Dear Dr. Barna:

Last night I finished your book, "Revolution." I realized in the reading of it that you were describing my childhood and explaining why my parents made many of the choices they did. They were early Revolutionaries, seeking to change a broken church system through various means. We had a home church for a while. My parents found spiritual growth in homeschooling, as you describe when discussing alternative faith communities. Eventually they banded together with others and implemented their revolutionary ideas in a small congregation where I spent most of my formative years. Consequently, I did not find your ideas new or shocking; and while I can see the strengths of the "revolution," I have a pretty good idea about the drawbacks of choosing that path. Your book mentions many potential objections. Mine are not among them.

The main weaknesses I have found to the 'revolution' are these:

* A self-centered attitude. Because they are creating their own spiritual journey, Revolutionaries must fight egocentric thinking more than other groups. It's easy to fall into a trap where you're looking for the spiritual things that will feed yourself, instead of looking for the good of other Christians. This is particularly true when Revolutionaries clash with older people. Older people can find change bewildering and the church system enriching and worshipful. Somebody's got to submit out of reverence for Christ -- and in my experience, no one does. Instead, there are ugly bickering fights, in which the Revolutionaries stop their ears to the needs of the older people. So yes, they may be creating their 'own path,' but it is often at the expense of other Christians who should be valued and cared for. This is not love, but selfishness.

* Lack of structure. You seem to believe this is a good thing. After twenty years of it, I beg to differ. While I agree that the present hierarchy seen in many churches is unbiblical, so too is free-floating Christianity without any leadership and accountability. Leadership provides structure, direction, a sounding board for heresy. You do mention heresy in your book, but you say it's equally prevalent within churches as without. True or not, you are side-stepping the question. Does not Paul direct Timothy to appoint elders for a reason? Or is that command not applicable to the revolution?

* Confusing "Revolutionary" with "Fighting the system." In my experience, Revolutionaries are people with great ideas - and also, naturally, people who like to challenge the system. This can be good, as the system needs to be challenged for its refinement. But what happens to a Revolutionary after the system is changed? Surprisingly, I found that the Revolutionaries stagnated. When there was nothing to fight, they became complacent and lackadaisical, just like the system against which they initially revolted. It's easy to entangle revolution with Christianity (as C. S. Lewis writes in Screwtape Letters, getting hooked on "Christianity and--" which in essence waters down the Christianity itself). This can be inherent to the "revolution," because it is an outgrowth of the attitude of revolt.


I must admit to some surprise that you didn't address these questions, as they came quite readily to my mind. Then again, perhaps I have an uncommon experience that you have not encountered. Again, I see many strengths to the 'revolution' you describe, but anyone who reads your book should be alerted to these drawbacks before deciding to pursue that road.