Customer Reviews
So good I read it in the bath! - By: DJRodger, 12 Nov 2008 
First off wow! I havent been able to put that book down since I borrowed my grandads copy off him, I even read itin the bath. Sadly as good as this book is, the roots of mans tradition run deep & anyone who has tried to share these historic truths with people will understand what I mean. This book represents a systamatic point by point destruction of many of the church practices that many christians hold dear. One of the most helpful aspects to the book were the footnotes, Ive never read a christian book that has been so well referenced before. This book has reaffirmed what I have been feeling for a while, you simply cant go back to a sunday service christianity after reading this! I just really hope this book takes offin the UK, its been causing a real stirin the US lets hope & pray it can do the same here!
what a revelation - By: Mr. M. O'HARA, 07 Nov 2008 Having been a 'born again' believer for more than 27 years I wholeheartedly recommend this book to any christians who have found themselves being frustrated; both with traditional 'church' services & the subliminal message that the 'church' seems to encourage, that only the professional clergy can operate fullyin the 'Gifts Of the Spirit' -(as ALL christians SHOULD be doing). What an eye-opener this book really is. It is well researched;provides extensive footnotes;and I only wish that I had had the opportunity to have a copy of this books years ago;it would have made things a whole lot clearer & given me greater confidencein the belief that I too can freely operatein the 'Gifts'(without being feterred by institutionalised christianity). I believe this book will release those who are yearning to be of service to Him as it will right many of their previous misconceptions.
Read it and see! - By: Stal, 28 Oct 2008 For anybody who has wondered why we do things the way we do thingsin church & for those who have never wondered then this book is for you. Even if you consider yourself a 'non traditional charismatic' it still gives you lots to seriously consider. Its a book that gets to the pointin each chapter but also makes more sense the second time round you read it. Also its only the first part of the story & I'm waiting for 'Reimagining Church' to arrive.
Are you ready for this?? - By: Mrs. S. J. Busby, 25 Oct 2008 WOW! This is one of those book that can't NOT have an opion about! (Pastors & church officials seem to have trouble reading it!)Every chapter gives you a "gunk". With a new way of looking at the things we do, & how we behave within the "church" you will be left feeling slightly "shell-shocked" after finishing this book. Be warned-It's NOT an easy read. BUT if you like a challenge & you are really serious about how much you love Jesus or/and want to understand how much the "Church" has changed since the 1st Century,then it's the book for you. However you will be left with a feeling of "What now?"
The "What Now"-is answeredin Frank's second book-"Reimagining Church" these two book should really be read together for you to understand what Pagan Christianity is all about.
Interesting information poor conclusions - By: Matthew Kottman, 06 Aug 2008 
The fact that George Barna is the co-author should be an indicator that this book is going to have problems. He was the one who wrote the book (as I remember it) "Marketing the Church". He seems to flip-flop his views quite often. He's a statistician, so his views are often more shaped by polls & statistics than Scripture.
Viola's view is that virtually the entire way that church is done is both secular & pagan & fights against church fellowship. He does bring about a few points worth looking at, but mixedin with that are proof-texts out of context to prove his points (interesting that he devotes a section of the book to the danger of prooftexting).
Allin all, although a few points worth meditation were brought out, I was very turned off by the way Scriptures were poorly quoted, for example, Viola quotes 1Co 14:26 as proof that a church meeting should be everyone teaching each other, everyone getting to leadin song (this person leads this song, that person that one), everyone speakingin a tongue. But the obvious context of the passage is Paul is rebuking the church for functioningin this way & so it actually works against his point rather than prove it, but taken out of context, it becomes a proof-text. That says to me that there is greater concernin making a point than keeping the full integrity of Scripture.
Would I recommend this book? No. Although it did make me think about some things & ask myself why I do certain things, for the most part my conclusions about body life are pretty much the same as before. I appreciate the fact that Viola wants to see the church engage more as a body than an event, & I don't mind him doing church the way he does, but he suggests Scripture is on his side (which again I cannot see any real support for this) & that if we don't see the church functioning the way he does church, we are caught upin Greek/Roman thought & paganism.
