The majority of Americans believe that alternatives to the conventional church experience are a fully biblical way for believers to practice their faith, a study revealed Monday.
For decades, U.S. Christians, who make up more than four out of every five adults, assumed there was only one right way to practice their faith – through worship in a conventional church. But a new Barna study shows that a majority of American adults now believe there are various legitimate ways to practice their faith besides participation in a conventional church.
“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 George Barna, co-author of the new book Pagan Christianity? Exploring the Roots of Our Christian Practices.
"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."
Six alternatives were considered by 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.”
Non-Church alternatives include engaging in faith activities at home with one’s family (acceptable by 89 percent of adults); participating in a house church (75 percent); watching a religious television program (69 percent); listening to a religious radio broadcast (68 percent); attending a special ministry event, such as a concert or community service activity (68 percent); and participating in a marketplace ministry (54 percent).
In the past month, the study found that while 55 percent of adults had attended a conventional church, 28 percent of all adults who did not attend a conventional church did, however, participate in an alternative activity to express their faith in God.
Four percent had participated in a house church or simple church; nine percent was involved in a ministry that met in the marketplace; and 12 percent engaged in spiritual activity on the Internet.
Surprisingly, two out of three senior pastors of Protestant churches affirm that “house churches are legitimate Christian churches,” according to a companion Barna study.
But less than half of all pastors of conventional churches (40 percent) said that they would ever recommend a house church to someone. Even pastors of conventional churches that believe house churches are biblically legitimate were hesitant to recommend a house church. A little more than half (54 percent) of these pastors said they would point someone to a house church.
Protestant pastors that were least likely to support house churches as a fully biblical church experience are those who earn more than $75,000 annually; African-American pastors; and pastors of charismatic or Pentecostal churches.
Only one out of three conventional church pastors (31 percent) believes that “house churches have sufficient spiritual accountability.”
"Whenever you challenge hallowed behaviors, controversy is the natural result," Barna commented. "Every believer must decide whether it is more important to follow biblical guidelines and examples or to instead maintain human traditions and preferences.”
Other alternatives with significant but not majority support by American adults include interacting with a faith-oriented website (45 percent) and participating in live events via the Internet (42 percent).
The survey sampled 1,005 American adults in December 2007 across the country. The companion survey interviewed 615 senior pastors of Protestant churches, randomly sampled from all Protestant churches across the country in December 2007.
Comments
Ender:
Christains are still human, and should not be labeled as so called Christains. That's a title the world gives us when we make mistakes like the imperfect people we are. We are to love our brothers regaurdless of there actions, the person might of not been saved many people claim they are and you'll find them even at church. The devil is everywhere, church is not exempt from his people. Try praying that GOD will love people threw you or for you. Also read this,
1Jn 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
1Jn 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
1Jn 4:21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
Mat 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Mat 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. OKJV
If you think that this form of worship is Biblical, then you need to start reading your Bible. I'm not against home church per say, but the Bible points to a Biblically structured church, where a called, Holy Spirit led man of GOD is the authority. That is run by GOD and lines up with the Holy Bible, to the "T" as much as possible. Not traditions of man, but Biblical Doctrine, and church structure. They are out there, I belong to one and we are friends with a lot of them around the world. Anyone who really wants to know GOD, His Word, and where to find one of these churches E- mail me and I can help (KJV1611WILLIAMS@aol.com). Most people I know that are out of church or don't think they need to attend, has a problem with standards and rules. It allows them to have Christ without guidance from a man of GOD, which isn’t Biblical at all ( no one to answer to). Rom. 10:14b and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Again if you know your Bible GOD is all about conviction over living life are way and not His. Also His Word is full of rules which we should want to follow, and if you don't, examine yourself (try using 1John to do a self examination) to see if you are a child of His.
Pastor Coats
AMEN!! Brother Will on your moving and inspiring words. Reading your words sounded so very familiar to me, as I did not understand what the Lord was preparing for me. For the longest time, of being involved with many churchs in many capacities, standing up for the Word of God and being told to be quiet because it wasn't how we do things so things could be "covered up", I never understood why I was put there. Quite some time ago God spoke to me saying this is why I put you in the places I did, so you could see how things are being done and how it is not of my will, so go and do things they way of My Will. I understand how you feel when you say people talk and say things about you because you trust in the Lord to guide you totally. Similarly to you, I never imagined myself as a Minister, but the Lord does work in amazing ways and will continue to do so if we submit to him TOTALLY in all things he asks of us. I pray that Jeus Christ continues to bless you in your work for him, your family, and all those in your congregation. Amen.
Doing His Will, His Way!
Rev. Jim Rinaldi
Would enjoy speaking to you more sometime.
I've read some of the comments to the above article. Its obvious that many of you are in rebellion yourselves. You want to get away from the denominational church not because God is leading you to do so (for He can use any and all churches for His purpose), but because you don't want to submit to authority. I find this most visibly with women who also have a hard time with men in charge of churches and with their own husbands as their head, and weak men who have a spirit of rebellion toward anyone who is over them (boss, pastor, even Jesus).
Having been under pastors in churches for over 20 years as an adult (and 25 years full-time in the work force), I can tell you that I thanked God for each of those churches that He led me to lead my family to be a part of in the several towns we lived in across this country. I served those pastors and followed their leadership in the Holy Spirit while never once daring to think that God would ever call me to be a pastor (nor did I want to be one). God used those decades as training so that I would obediently do the hard things He has led me to do.
My point to you all is this: Don't use the above article to justify your rebellion. Learn first to submit to all authorities that God has placed over you. Only then will you be able to clearly hear Him as He leads you. And only then, after much training and waiting on the Lord, will you be able to do the hard things He will command you to do.
May God's people learn to unselfishly live for Him rather than selfishly claiming that He lives for them. So be it in Jesus' Name.
Pastor Will Coats
As a pastor for 7 years and pastoring in our home for the last 5 in our small, rural, southern community, the survey results in the article are indeed correct. When you follow the Holy Spirit, He will have you do things that will freak out most who call themselves Christians. It was the same with Jesus: He said and did what His Father told him to say and do--and it freaked out the Pharisees and those who called themselves true Jews. And Jesus was pursecuted to the Cross by the "true" Jews because God, the Father, led His own Son to say and do things that caused many to see the difference between those God says are the righteous and those He says are the unrighteous.
In our small town, we have been pursecuted for all these years even though we are small in number and quiet. The reason why we are pursecuted is simply because we want to live for God and do what He says no matter what it takes. Thus, the power of the Holy Spirit is seen in the fruit of those amongst us and it freaks out the $75k+ pastors and those who claim to be Christians. The very ones who accuse me of having no accountability seem to be unaccountable to anyone in their dominations for the spirit of divorce that runs rampant in their churches (even amongst themselves), the homosexuality amongst their leadership, the pederastic preying on young men in their youth groups, and the dealing of drugs and alchohol in the same--all while claiming to be and honored as Christians as they publicly teach their congregations and children's Sunday school classes the dangers of associating with Will Coats and his satanic cult.
cont..
As a pastor for 7 years and pastoring in our home for the last 5 in our small, rural, southern community, the survey results in the article are indeed correct. When you follow the Holy Spirit, He will have you do things that will freak out most who call themselves Christians. It was the same with Jesus: He said and did what His Father told him to say and do--and it freaked out the Pharisees and those who called themselves true Jews. And Jesus was pursecuted to the Cross by the "true" Jews because God, the Father, led His own Son to say and do things that caused many to see the difference between those God says are the righteous and those He says are the unrighteous.
In our small town, we have been pursecuted for all these years even though we are small in number and quiet. The reason why we are pursecuted is simply because we want to live for God and do what He says no matter what it takes. Thus, the power of the Holy Spirit is seen in the fruit of those amongst us and it freaks out the $75k+ pastors and those who claim to be Christians. The very ones who accuse me of having no accountability seem to be unaccountable to anyone in their dominations for the spirit of divorce that runs rampant in their churches (even amongst themselves), the homosexuality amongst their leadership, the pederastic preying on young men in their youth groups, and the dealing of drugs and alchohol in the same--all while claiming to be and honored as Christians as they publicly teach their congregations and children's Sunday school classes the dangers of associating with Will Coats and his satanic cult.
cont..
AMEN RevJim! Because the traditional churches have a tendency to get more focused on their programs and "building huge building" and people like myself, want to fellowship, to Worship the Lord in Spirit and in truth, those are the kinds of Worshippers the Father is seeking!
I visit many congregations as my brothers and sisters are everywhere. Since my children are grown I'm more free to do this; and this has helped me to grow in ways I never had just staying in the local church. I've come to see the bigger family of God and am allowing The Holy Spirit to guide my steps.
My prayer is that the local church will get back to "preaching the truth in love" and not be so concerned about "numbers and growth". Preach in season and out of season, and let us be the salt and light Jesus calls us to be.
Ender: I'll pray too that the Lord God will lead you to where HE is!
Not giving up on our meetings, those meetings can be anywhere, they can be outside in a field, or hmm,even in a prison cell! (Apostle Paul led worship in prison too!!) Imagine that!
It's about UNITY OF OUR FAITH this is what Jesus is calling The Body; by our love for one another, they will know we are Christians.
I go to "church" to Worship and Praise the LORD! So, whether it is in a traditional place or field, give the Lord the glory He is due! Love the Lord Your God and one another, this is His command!
The PEOPLE - The Body of Christ is the church, NOT the building!!!
Where 2 or more are gathered in HIS name, HE is there, and there is "church" and the early church met in homes! not big fancy cathedrals! We need to get out of the PEWS and out into the community that JESUS loves so much; after all that is where HE IS!!!
Johnb,
The scripture in Hebrews should not be mistaken for suggesting that we attend church for the sake of ritual or tradition.
Amazing! Claims of Biblical worship that never cite the Bible for support. "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." Hebrews 10:25 If you can't find agood church try sermonaudio.com, but go to church.
To comment more on the issue of the article here, I think alot of people have gotten away from attending the traditional church and have started home churchs or individual worship groups due to the lack of Biblical application in them. As the article mentions, most of your churchs fall on a routine of practices that were developed by culture and not by the Bible. With this in mind, for many people, church has just become a routine of something we do, therefore psychologically that is how it is approached, its routine rather than allowing the Spirit of the Lord to flow and a real annointing of the Spirit to take place. As I mentioned in a previous post as well, alot of churchs have become a business rather than a working body for the Lord and this will most definitely not bring a blessing to those that really need to Spirit brought into their lives. May the Lord bless you all. Doing His Will, His Way!
wrhalver,
I agree with you completely that the person behind the pulpit is held to a higher level of accountability both by God and the congregation. The point I was trying to make was just that often times that person behind the pulpit is the one being worshiped rather than God. There is a different annointing or a higher level of annointing with those of us that are called to preach and serve the Lord in this manner, and I agree with you on that as well. Thank you for your comment and may the Lord bless you in all you do! Doing His Will, His Way!
Most Churches, it seems, have a Bible study available. Some will even do one on one Bible studies. Many preachers wouldn't mind, if you want to have a meeting with them to ask questions on a topic that he hasn't addressed yet. I really like the preachers that tell us not to just automatically believe them, but to read the Word, to make sure he is telling the Truth. I like to take them up on it.
I have never stopped going to the store just because there are hypocrites there. There are a lot of hypocrites at ball games, but I have never heard anybody say they stopped going to them, because of the hypocrites. They didn't go to the games to watch the hypocrites. They went to watch the game. Preachers are supposed to have an anointing on them, but many don't. I still feel it is important to find a good Church, who teaches the Truth. We need to read our Bibles too, so we will know that the Truth is being preached. Preachers are held to a higher accountability, and they should be respected. If one can't respect their preacher, than they need to take a good look at theirself, or it might be time to find the right Church. Whatever one decides, I hope the decision isn't to stop attending Church altogether.
I know there are hypocrites in our Churches, but they are also at work, in the stores, and everywhere else we go. At times, even we are hypocrites. There has been times when I have quit going to Church, and that was the reason I gave, but it wasn't a good decision on my part. I am back in Church, and will not stop attending Church, because I need it. I have learned not to let what others are doing or not doing stop me from doing what I need to do. We should be going to Church to worship the Lord........not to watch what everybody else is/isn't doing.