| It must be nothing but confusing for anyone who | | | | address, millions of adults who are the most |
| comes to America - who practices a religion other | | | | serious about their faith in God were the ones |
| than Christianity - when they notice how many | | | | least likely to be satisfied by what their local |
| churches there are on any given street, ALL of | | | | church was delivering in terms of resources, |
| which consider themselves to be Christian. | | | | opportunities, evaluation and developmental |
| According to American Church Lists, there are | | | | possibilities. The consequence is that millions of |
| 386,000 churches in the USA alone.While the | | | | committed born again Christians are choosing to |
| Church is thriving, amidst persecution, in third | | | | advance their relationship with God by finding |
| world nations, here in America the traditional, local | | | | avenues of growth and service apart from a local |
| church no longer ranks as the only place to go as | | | | church.Asked if this meant that the Revolution he |
| the Christian's primary meeting place. Millions of | | | | describes is simply a negative reaction to the local |
| people claim they are drawing closer to God but | | | | church, he suggested that most Revolutionaries |
| farther from any involvement with traditional | | | | go through predictable phases in their spiritual |
| churches. What's happening? According to | | | | journey in which they initially become dissatisfied |
| California Researchers called the Barna Group, | | | | with their local church experience, then attempt |
| "...new ways of experiencing and expressing faith, | | | | to change things so their faith walk can be more |
| such as through house churches, marketplace | | | | fruitful. The result is that they undergo heightened |
| ministries, and cyberchurches, are becoming the | | | | frustration over the inability to introduce positive |
| norm for millions of people."A new book by the | | | | change, which leads them to drop out of the local |
| group's founder, George Barna, entitled Revolution, | | | | church altogether, often in anger. But because this |
| indicates that since the turn of the millennium | | | | entire adventure was instigated by their love for |
| there have been major changes occurring in how | | | | God and their desire to honor Him more fully, |
| people experience and express their faith. Based | | | | they finally transcend their frustration and anger |
| on a series of national surveys conducted by his | | | | by creating a series of connections that allow |
| company during the past 25 years, Barna | | | | them to stay close to God and to other believers |
| discovered that discontent with congregational | | | | without involvement in a local church.One of the |
| churches, changes in lifestyles, and a gowing | | | | hallmarks of the Revolution of faith is how |
| desire to get closer to God, have caused many | | | | different it is for each person. "It would be wrong |
| people to seek new ways to felowship with God | | | | to assume that all Revolutionaries have |
| and with other God-seeking people.In the year | | | | completely turned their back on the local church," |
| 2000, most of America's Christian activity took | | | | the researcher stated. "Millions of Revolutionaries |
| place by way of local churches. Today, in 2005, | | | | are active in a local church, although most of |
| during a typical week, 9% of all adults attend a | | | | them supplement that relationship with |
| house church. An even greater proportion (22%) | | | | participation in a variety of faith-related efforts |
| engages in spiritual encounters that take place in | | | | that have nothing to do with their local church. |
| the marketplace (e.g., with groups of people while | | | | The defining attribute of a Revolutionary is not |
| they are at their place of work or play, or in | | | | whether they attend church, but whether they |
| other typical daily contexts). The Internet serves | | | | place God first in their lives and are willing to do |
| as the foundation for interactive faith experiences | | | | whatever it takes to facilitate a deeper and |
| for more than one out of every ten adults. | | | | growing relationship with Him and other believers. |
| Personally, though I attend house churches, have | | | | Our studies persuasively indicate that the vast |
| held high school Bible studies for over a year in a | | | | majority of American churches are populated by |
| hair studio and the past three years have led a | | | | people who are lukewarm spiritually. Emerging |
| college Bible Study in a local coffee shop. In recent | | | | from those churches are people dedicated to |
| months I have preached twice at a Disciples of | | | | becoming Christ-like through the guidance of a |
| Christ Church, and have taught Sunday School at | | | | congregational form of the church, but who will |
| the local Methodist Church for a month of | | | | leave that faith center if it does not further such |
| Sundays. Just yesterday, the Pastor of the local | | | | a commitment to God. They then find or create |
| Cowboy Church asked if I'd be interested in | | | | alternatives that allow that commitment to |
| teaching a cults class on a Thursday which he | | | | flourish."How do most Revolutionaries justify calling |
| would open up to the entire community and, just | | | | themselves devoted disciples of Christ while |
| this morning, I was invited to take part in an | | | | distancing themselves from a local church? "Many |
| outreach with a Baptist College in Oregon. In each | | | | of them realize that someday they will stand |
| instance, according to the examples set by the | | | | before a holy God who will examine their devotion |
| Apostle Paul in Acts Chapter 16 with Lydia at | | | | to Him. They could take the safe and easy route |
| "First Riverside Church" and with the Jailer at | | | | of staying in a local church and doing the |
| "Slammer Assembly of God," these gatherings | | | | expected programs and practices, but they also |
| are nothing less than THE Church in all its fullness, | | | | recognize that they will not be able to use a |
| never intended to be a mere bolt-on program for | | | | lackluster church experience as an excuse for a |
| the REAL Church.The findings from several Barna | | | | mediocre or unfulfilled spiritual life. Their spiritual |
| Group surveys conducted during the past twelve | | | | depth is not the responsibility of a local church; it |
| months reveal the characteristics of this emerging | | | | is their own responsibility. As a result, they decide |
| population of people who had to leave Church to | | | | to either get into a local church that enhances |
| find more of God in their lives. Referring to these | | | | their zeal for God or else they create alternatives |
| individuals as "Revolutionaries" who are intent upon | | | | that ignite such a life of obedience and service. By |
| "being the Church rather than merely going to | | | | and large, these are people say they have |
| church," Barna believes that the magnitude of this | | | | stopped going to church so they can be the |
| movement into new forms of religious community | | | | Church."The Revolution: Challenges and |
| will change the face of the entire religious | | | | OpportunitiesWhile the Revolution brings with it |
| community - not ONLY the Chrsitian community - | | | | some very promising qualities, an intense pursuit |
| during the next ten to twenty years.PASTORS | | | | of godliness, new networks of believers |
| AND CHURCH LEADERS, LISTEN UP!According to | | | | supporting each other, heightened financial giving |
| Barna's research, some of the more intriguing | | | | to ministry endeavors, greater sensitivity to the |
| attributes of these Revolutionaries who seek to | | | | presence of God in the world, a greater sense of |
| experience and express their faith in alternative | | | | freedom to be a genuine disciple in the midst of a |
| ways are:*It's the Baby Boomers, those who are | | | | secular society, Barna also pointed out that the |
| largely responsible for the megachurches that | | | | Revolution brings great challenges to those who |
| have redefined the Church environment during the | | | | choose that route."There is the danger of |
| past quarter century, who are now making up | | | | exposure to unbiblical or heretical teaching. There |
| the greatest part of the Revolutionary | | | | is the possibility of experiencing isolation from a |
| ranks.*Adults involved in marketplace ministry are | | | | true community of believers and the |
| more than twice as likely as those connected only | | | | accountability and support that can provide. It |
| to a congregational church to have a biblical | | | | could become easier to hoard one's treasures |
| worldview and more than twice as likely to | | | | rather than giving generously. Some might find it |
| identify the Bible as the source of truth in life. | | | | more difficult to sustain a life of worship without a |
| They are also one-third more likely to contend | | | | place or means of expressing that praise to |
| that absolute moral truth exists.*About two-thirds | | | | God."Barna contends that these are very serious |
| of all adults engaged in a house church attend in | | | | challenges faced by Revolutionaries but that they |
| any given week, with the remaining segment | | | | are no more serious than the threats to the |
| attending at least once a month. That is nearly | | | | spiritual health of regular church-goers. As one |
| identical to the attendance profile of people for | | | | who has serve inleadership in traditional church |
| whom a congregational church is their church | | | | settings, I can recall several instances of cultic and |
| home.*Men and women are equally likely to | | | | heretical teachings that permiated our ranks and |
| participate in marketplace-based ministry activity, | | | | shipwrecked many a sincere Believer. Barna adds, |
| while men are slightly more likely to engage in | | | | "Objectively speaking, these are the very same |
| house church options.*The Midwest is the | | | | problems that we identify among people who rely |
| stronghold for congregational church connections, | | | | upon the efforts of a local church to facilitate |
| while the southern states have become the most | | | | their growth. We find plentiful evidence of unbiblical |
| fertile spawning grounds for marketplace ministry | | | | teaching in small groups, Sunday school classes |
| involvement, and participation in a house church is | | | | and other local church venues. We know that few |
| equally common everywhere outside of the | | | | churched Christians give 4% of their income back |
| Midwest.*Evangelical Christians are those most | | | | to God, much less 10%. We recognize that most |
| likely to get involved in an alternative form of the | | | | people attending worship services in a church |
| Christian church and also the groupmost likely to | | | | sanctuary leave feeling that God was not present |
| participate in both a traditional and alternative | | | | and that they did not personally connect with the |
| church form. More than four out of ten | | | | living God through that experience. We have |
| evangelical adults are involved in an alternative | | | | identified the relative absence of accountability |
| form of church on a regular basis.*Many parents | | | | within most congregations. So even though |
| are involved in both a congregational and | | | | Revolutionaries face serious challenges in |
| alternative church form presumably to address | | | | blossoming into the fervent God-follower they |
| the diverse interests of both the adults and | | | | hope to become, perhaps the main difference is |
| children.*One-third of the alternative church crowd | | | | simply that they have a wider range of options |
| engages God and other believers in a church form | | | | for achieving their faith goals than do people who |
| other than a house church, that is, they are | | | | are solely focused on faith delivered through a |
| involved in a marketplace ministry, a cyberchurch, | | | | local church. In either case, it is ultimately up to |
| or a series of faith-focused events that connect | | | | the individual to make sure that they have their |
| them with God and other | | | | spiritual priorities right, that they are investing |
| Christ-followers.Interestingly, Barna also pointed | | | | themselves in activities that draw them closer to |
| out that surveys of people's religious activity | | | | God, and that they stay focused on pleasing God |
| often blur our understanding of Church behavior | | | | more than themselves or other people."How does |
| because many participants in alternative church | | | | the traditional Church view the Revoltionaries?One |
| experiences are not sure whether to describe | | | | man's Revolutionary is another man's Rebel. The |
| themselves to survey interviewers as "attending | | | | explosion of Revolutionaries in the U.S. raises new |
| a church service" or not. "Some of these | | | | challenges for people involved in ministry. "This |
| individuals are so comfortable with their new, | | | | new movement of God demands that there be |
| alternative forms of church that they do not | | | | new forms of leadership to appropriately guide |
| hesitate to say they attend Church. Others, | | | | people in their faith journey," Barna said. "It |
| however, have been so conditioned to think of | | | | requires new ways of measuring how well the |
| "Church" as the activities taking place on the | | | | Church at-large is doing, getting beyond |
| campus of a certain denomination that they are | | | | attendance figures as the indicator of health. And |
| more likely to describe themselves as unchurched, | | | | it demands that new tools and resources be |
| even though they engage in worship, service, | | | | accessible to a growing contingent of people who |
| prayer, financial sharing, and discipleship activities | | | | are seeking to introduce their faith into every |
| through their alternative faith community."What | | | | dimension of their life."READ ACTS 16:6-33, then |
| we're about to experience, according to Barna, will | | | | ask yourself these questions (my own answrs |
| be the most massive reshaping of the nation's | | | | provided for the sake od study and teaching):vs |
| faith community in more than a 100 years.THE | | | | 6-13 Questions1) After two closed doors and then |
| RISE OF NEO-CHURCHISMRelying upon national | | | | a vision, what level of expectation did Paul |
| research conducted over the past several years, | | | | probably have as he sought to go into |
| noted that although measures of traditional church | | | | Macedonia?(Confidence was most likely quite |
| participation in activities such as worship | | | | high)2) In this century and culture, how were |
| attendance, Sunday school, prayer, and Bible | | | | women viewed in comparison to men? |
| reading have remained relatively unchanged during | | | | (Subserviant; less than slaves?)3) How many |
| the past twenty years, the Revolutionary faith | | | | women do you estimate there were? (5 or |
| movement is growing rapidly."A common | | | | so?)4) Do you think Paul envisioned a greater |
| misconception about revolutionaries," says Barna, | | | | crowd and success than God had arranged for on |
| "is that they are disengaging from God when they | | | | the river bank? (He probably had a different idea |
| leave a local church. We found that while some | | | | in mind)5) How did Paul respond to the group he |
| people leave the local church and fall away from | | | | found? (He obeyed the Spirit)vs 14-15 Questions1) |
| God altogether, there is a much larger segment | | | | Do you think God was at work in Lydia's heart |
| of Americans who are currently leaving churches | | | | long before Paul ever arrived? If so, why? Why |
| precisely because they want more of God in their | | | | not? (Yes, because her steps were ordered and |
| life but cannot get what they need from a local | | | | she was born for that moment in time)2) |
| church. They have decided to get serious about | | | | Because Paul was listening to God he was led |
| their faith by piecing together a more robust faith | | | | clearly to a group that was not his first choice. |
| experience. Instead of going to church, they have | | | | Agree or Disagree? (Agree)3) After Lydia |
| chosen BE the Church, in a way that harkens | | | | responded to Paul's message, how did they bring |
| back to the Church detailed in the Book of | | | | the Good News to her "household"? Did they hear |
| Acts."BIG CHANGES IN THE MAKINGOne of the | | | | the Good News that same day or later? (Through |
| most eye-opening portions of the research | | | | the women; Seems later - by Lydia and the other |
| contained in the book describes what the faith | | | | women)4) When were they baptized? By whom? |
| community may look like twenty years from | | | | In what water source? (Silas in the river)5) This |
| now. Using survey data and other cultural | | | | group became a church, in God's eyes, in verse |
| indicators he has been measuring for more than | | | | 15! Agree or disagree?vs 16-241) How successful |
| two decades, Barna estimates that the local | | | | did Pauland Silas feel in place of service to which |
| church is presently the primary form of faith | | | | God had directed them? (Felt low)vs 25-33How |
| experience and expression for about two-thirds | | | | did Paul bring the Good News to jailers |
| of the nation's adults. He projects that by 2025 | | | | "household?" Who was the jailer's "household?" (Jail |
| the local church will lose roughly half of its current | | | | ministry, Family, slaves).QUESTIONS WE MUST |
| "market share" and that alternative forms of faith | | | | ASK OURSELVES ABOUT THE ACTS 16 |
| experience and expression will pick up the slack. | | | | CHURCH...This group became a church that very |
| Importantly, Barna's studies do not suggest that | | | | night in God's eyes...agree?What does this story |
| most people will drop out of a local church to | | | | say about our expectations and view of Biblical |
| simply ignore spirituality or be freed up from the | | | | success?What are the minimum essentials, in |
| demands of church life. Although there will be | | | | God's eyes, for starting a church?What role do |
| millions of people who abandon the entire faith | | | | relationship connections play in starting a |
| community for the usual reasons - hurtful | | | | Church?What are the chances the jailer's |
| experiences in churches, lack of interest in spiritual | | | | household would have ever been converted and |
| matters, prioritizing other dimensions of their life - | | | | involved in Church if Paul had not taken CHURCH |
| a growing percentage of church dropouts will be | | | | to THEM?Who is well-suited to take the Gospel to |
| those who leave a local church in order to | | | | other groups who have unseen barriers to |
| intentionally increase their focus on faith and to | | | | church?How much do these churches cost to |
| relate to God through different means.That | | | | start? How big do they get? How many did they |
| growth is fueling alternative forms of organized | | | | reach? How long did they last? How successful |
| spirituality, as well as individualized faith experience | | | | were they? Who were their pastors?Apply these |
| and expression.THE PASSION-DRIVEN CHURCHIn | | | | answers to the American Church TODAY. |
| the effort to increase their obedience and | | | | Compare to the burgeoning Third World |
| faithfulness to God, Barna discovered that | | | | Churches.Need pastoral counseling and prayer? |
| Revolutionaries are characterized by what he | | | | Write or IM me at Every blessing!Now, scroll to |
| identified as a set of spiritual passions, specific | | | | the bottom and FORWARD this message. Please |
| emphases that drive their quest for God and a | | | | RATE the message as well. If you need Pastoral |
| biblical lifestyle. Although these are areas of | | | | assistance, e-mail me at Lord bless! |
| spiritual development that most local churches | | | | |