The Thin Edge hosts joint interview with Barna & Viola

Image © iStockPhoto (all rights reserved)Several weeks ago, I announced that The Thin Edge would be hosting the very first blog interview of George Barna and Frank Viola, co-authors of the new book, Pagan Christianity: Exploring the Roots of Our Church Practices. Their eye-opening book has been printed under the Barna imprint of Tyndale House Publishing and officially launched earlier this month. Amazingly, the book has rocketed up the charts for Amazon: as of this moment, it’s ranked #16 among Christian books and #285 in all books (out of 6,000,000 titles) sold by Amazon.com. Reviews are also overwhelmingly positive. Out of 37 customer reviews at Amazon, 28 readers award the coveted 5-star rating: there were only 3 negative reviews.

If someone had predicted five or six years ago that these two men would collaborate on any type of book, I might have questioned your sanity and I would almost certainly have been willing to dismiss such a proposal as total nonsense. I had read books by both authors and—at least from my perspective—they seemed miles apart. In my mind, Frank Viola was the stereotypical, iconoclastic, “house church” advocate whose writings were relatively unknown in mainstream evangelicalism; however, nearly every American evangelical had the words “George Barna” etched in their minds through repeated quotations from The Barna Group in sermons, seminars, denominational training sessions, seminary classrooms, as well as print media. Well, all that has now changed!

Before we get started with the interview, I want to express my appreciation to George and Frank for their willingness to answer my questions. Each brother brings a unique perspective to Pagan Christianity, yet they have found common ground and a common voice within the pages of this project. One thing is certain: you will not be able to read this book and simply walk away unchanged by its message. Well, let’s get started, shall we? Continue reading

Upcoming Interview :: George Barna & Frank Viola

Image © iStockPhoto (all rights reserved)I’m thrilled to announce that The Thin Edge will be the very first blog to host a joint interview with George Barna and Frank Viola, co-authors of Pagan Christianity. Just yesterday, I received notification that both authors have agreed to participate, so please watch this space and tell all your friends! I am finalizing my side of the written interview by tomorrow. Since both men will be responding to each question, I’m eager to make sure they will be address issues that are relevant to my readers.

:: UPDATE :: The interview, The Thin Edge hosts joint interview with Barna & Viola, is now available to read online.

Pagan Christianity :: New Distributor in UK and Europe

Pagan ChristianityI have made arrangements for our local Christian bookshop to become a distributor of Pagan Christianity in the United Kingdom and Europe. The first shipment of hardcover books should arrive soon, so please make a note of the following contact details:

Harvest Books & Crafts
Attn: Sheri Lollar
2 Church Street
Pontypridd  CF37 2TH
Phone: 44 (0) 1443 408 962

Price: £9.00 + £2.00 shipping* (contact for exact shipping on multiple copies)

Harvest Books makes every effort to ship UK orders within 24 hours of payment, which means you will get your book in 1–2 days via Royal Mail 2nd Class delivery. It will take nearly a week from nearly any other source. Also, you will be supporting an evangelical Christian book ministry that aims to equip God's people with printed resources on a wide variety of issues.

__________
*Note: Shipping cost within the UK. This hardcover edition is significantly heavier than most paperbacks. Shipping for customers outside the UK may be slightly different.

What are Barna & Viola really up to?

Image © William D. LollarAs I stated in my previous post, George Barna and Frank Viola's recent collaborative project, Pagan Christianity, has created some lively discussion and debate among bloggers, particularly those who serve in full-time vocational ministry. This is to be expected. The book simultaneously engages multiple targets that impact them and their future: like sermons, pastors, church buildings, ministers of music, tithing, clergy salaries, and Christian education. Continue reading

Pagan Christianity :: Publisher's Preface

With so much heated rhetoric flying around the blogosphere regarding the newly revised and updated Pagan Christianity by George Barna and Frank Viola, I thought some readers might like to read the Publisher's Preface, written by Tyndale House, especially noting the statements I have underlined:

Dear Reader,

Perhaps you wonder why a publisher of Christian books would release a book that questions so many common church practices. Please be aware, however, that the authors are not questioning the validity or importance of the church. Instead, they are asking us to thoughtfully consider the source of our churches' traditions and then ask how those practices square with Scripture and the practices of the first-century church. Many in the church hold to tradition, even if it is not grounded in Scripture, and these same people wonder why the church seems to be losing its relevance and impact in the contemporary world.

Tyndale does not necessarily agree with all of the authors' positions and realizes that some readers may not either. At the same time, we stand united with Frank and George in our desire to see the church operate according to biblical principles and be a full expression of God's grace and truth. Furthermore, the authors raise important questions based on their careful research, study, and experiences, and we believe these questions should not be ignored. Our aim is for you to consider their conclusions and then pray seriously about your response.

The Publisher

I just received my copy of this book today, so I may be sharing a few pertinent quotes and insights as I make my way through its pages over the next several weeks (or months if I take the footnotes seriously).