Don't read this...

Warning: continuing beyond this point could result in damage to your status, raise your blood pressure, cause your knee to jerk and challenge a lot of what you have been taught.

first published 05/05/08

by Watchman

Warning sign

Don't click on any of the links at the foot of this page if you are -

overly-dependent on organised churchianity for your status, livelihood or ministry platform
prone to knee-jerk reactions
enthralled by steeples and stained glass windows
unquestionly following all that the church does and teaches
convinced that the clery/laity divide is biblical
thinking that to grow the church we need to put a bigger building
unprepared to 'think outside the box'
frightened to 'be a Berean' and challenge some sacred cows
believing that all that you have been encouraged to do has a scriptural foundation
certain that the Reformation was the be-all and end-all
persuaded that the new churches have it all
satisfied with the status quo
unwilling to let go of some of your traditions
suffering from high blood pressure
unwilling to have your thinking challenged
prone to be upset if every church building in the country fell down

However, if you are prepared to consider there might just be some things which we have accepted uncritically as "truth" that need to be questioned, scroll down this page....

<<< point beyond which entrenched prejudices should not venture.......>>>>

Sorting Out Truth From Tradition
Many Christians take for granted that their church’s practices are rooted in Scripture. Yet those practices look very different from those of the first-century church. The New Testament is not silent on how the early church freely expressed the reality of Christ’s indwelling in ways that rocked the first-century world.

Pagan Christianity
by Frank Viola and George Barna

Have you ever wondered why we Christians do what we do for church every Sunday morning? Why do we "dress up" for church? Why does the pastor preach a sermon each week? Why do we have pews, steeples, choirs, and seminaries? This volume reveals the startling truth: most of what Christians do in present-day churches is not rooted in the New Testament, but in pagan culture and rituals developed long after the death of the apostles. Coauthors Frank Viola and George Barna support their thesis with compelling historical evidence in the first-ever book to document the full story of modern Christian church practices.

====

The Nine Lies of Today's Church - by Andrew Strom
[Ed note: the above link is not the original source]

====

Houses The Changed The World - by Wolfgang Simson

====

And if you want to be shocked further you can read how Columba and his associate's Celtic Christianity worshipped on a Saturday.....the Sabbath.
(Ref: The Historical St. Columba in Edinburgh by Dr. W.D. Simpson et al).

====

Ed footnote:
Other links were also supplied, but the above are broadly representative.
You are free to leave any other references or comments below.

Watchman, 20/07/2011