Book reviews

I've been asked by my good friend Bob Franz (pastor of South Broadway Nazarene Church in Boulder, CO) to read and then comment on a couple of books--since I'm not really doing anything right now.

So he sent me the books, and I'm going to take a few days and blog about what I'm reading/what I've read.

The first book is the 2008, Frank Viola/George Barna book: Pagan Christianity?

I don't know how much George Barna actually contributed to this book, but he is acclaimed to be 'the most quoted person in the Christian Church today', so we probably don't need to establish his credentials.

As far as Frank Viola is concerned, he's written several books, and is an influencial voice in the contemporary house church movement.

So let's get started...to be fair, the authors insist that a second book must be read to complete the entire picture that they are trying to create...I have not read that second book.  Therefore, my thoughts on this book are worthless.  However, I will honor my committment to do my best to give my opinion about Pagan Christianity.

The very first thing that I noticed is the standard 'get as many important, and widely known people as you can to read and endorse this book' page.  There isn't one active pastor on the list.  When I first saw this, I didn't know what that meant--now I do.

The book isn't 21st century Church friendly.  There, I said it.  As a matter of fact, it appears that Viola/Barna go out of their way to be critical of the present day Church.  And really not just critical of the present day Church, but of Church as we have come to know it down through history.

As I get into this, I'll try and break down what I'm interpretting they are saying.

See you tomorrow.