Alex Tang
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Books Recommendation
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Medical Students /Paediatric notes
Barna, George, 2005, Revolution: Finding Vibrant Faith
beyond the Walls of the Sanctuary, Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
Dr Alex Tang
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” (p.viii). 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.” (p.7)
These revolutionaries have seven major passions (p. 23-25)
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
(p. 42-47).
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. Barna’s prediction for
future trends is as below.
How Americans Experience and Express Their Faith (p.49)
Primary means of spiritual experience and expression
Local church
Alternate Faith-based Community
Family
Media, Arts, Culture
2000
70%
5%
5%
20%
2025 30-35%
30-35%
5%
30-35%
What will the future faith communities be like. Barna offers a glimpse of some
possible forms (p.61-67):
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.
|11 July 2006|
Notes:
“…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.”p.7
“…already well over 20 million strong, who are what we call
Revolutionaries.”p.13
The Seven Passions of Revolutionaries p. 23-25
1. Intimate Worship
2. Faith-based Conversations
3. Intentional Spiritual Growth
4. Servanthood
5. Resource Investment
6. Spiritual Friendships
7. Family Faith
The State of the Churched Christians (77 millions) p.30-35
• Regarding Worship…
o The biweekly attendance is the only time they worship God
o 8 out of 10 do not feel they have entered into the presence of God or
encountered him during a worship service
o Half do not feel they have not entered into his presence or connected with him
in the past year
• Regarding Faith-Based Conversations…
o Typical churched believer will die without leading anyone to Christ
o At any one time, the majority do not have anyone in mind to pray for salvation
o Most churched Christians believe since they do have the gift for evangelism, I
should be someone else’s responsibility
• Regarding Intentional Spiritual Growth…
o Only 9 percent of all born again adults have a biblical worldview
o Although a typical believer confesses the Bible is accurate in what it
teaches, he or she spends less time reading the Bible in a year than watching
television, listening to music, reading other books and publications, or
conversing about personal hobbies and leisure interests.
o When asked to define personal success, few define it in spiritual terms. “Most
describe outcomes related to professional achievement. Family solidarity,
physical accomplishments, or resource acquisition.”
• Regarding Resource Investment…
o Churched Christians give away about 3% of their income
o Fewer than 1 in 10 churched Christians donate at least 10% of their income to
churches and other non-profit organisations.
o When asked about their understanding of biblical stewardship, less than 1 out
of 20 includes resources such as time, relationships, ideas, or skills in their
assessment.
• Regarding Servanthood…
o In a typical week 1 out of 4 believer will allocate time to serving other
people. Most of that time is dedicated to serving church programs.
o Many see the needs around them but few interacted with these disadvantaged
individuals.
o Typical believer will rather give money than get personally involved.
• Regarding Spiritual Friendships…
o Fewer than 1 in 6 has a relationship which include accountability.
o “The most significant influence on the choices of churched believers is
neither teachings from the pulpit nor advice gleamed from fellow congregants; it
is messages absorbed from the media, the law, and family members.”p.34-35
• Regarding Family Faith…
o Large majority rely on church rather than family to train their children.
o In an average month, less than 1out of 10 churched families worship together
outside church.
o The divorce rate in Christians and non-Christians are the same.
Seven Trends that will Facilitates the Spiritual Revolution p. 42-47
1. The Changing of the Guard
• From Baby Boomers and Builders to Baby Busters (1965-1983) and Mosaics
(1984-2002)
2. The Rise of a new View of Life
• Postmodernism
• Most important element is your relationship
• Means justify the ends-process more important than product
• Influence through dialogue
• Live and let live
3. Dismissing the Irrelevant
• Boomers famous for demanding excellence
• Emphasis on irrelevance: “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.”
4. The Impact of Technology
5. Genuine Relationships
• They value relationships-they are not apt.
• They are “people people”
• Focus on personal authenticity rather than performace
• Like personal stories and experience rather than principles and commands.
6. Participation in Reality
• Hands on approach
7. Finding True Meaning
• Sacrifice and surrender
How Americans Experience and Express Their Faith p.49
Primary means of spiritual experience and expression
Local church Alternate Faith-based
Community Family
Media, Arts, Culture
2000
70%
5%
5%
20%
2025
30-35%
30-35%
5%
30-35%
Influence of the Revolution in Doing Church p.61-67
Macro model
a. Congregational form of local church
b. House churches
c. Family faith experiences
d. cyberchurch
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
The Marks of a Revolutionary
1. spiritual practices
2. personal faith
a. available
b. surrender
3. perspective on life
a. firm
b. focused
4. attitude
a. attitude is assured, appropriately righteous, and upbeat
5. character
a. humility
b. empathy
6. relationships
a. excessive love for God and his people
7. behaviour
a. “The Revolutionary lifestyle might be summarized as clean and productive”
p.98 italics author
Critics argued that you must go to church
“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 such entities such as schools, peers, newspapers, radio, and
business. The local church appears among entities that have little or no
influence on society” p.118
Five Reactions to the Revolution
1. completely ignorance of the Revolution’s emergence
2. antagonistic
3. coexister segment
4. late adopters
5. revolutionaries
|posted 11 July 2006|
What others say
- Book Review by Kevin Miller (Christianity Today)
- Book Review by Greg Gilbert (The 9Marks )
