Finding Organic Church by Frank Viola is probably about the closest a book will ever come to providing a “how to” for simple, organic, house church gatherings. This is both its genius and its downfall.
As millions of people across the country and around the world leave the institutional church—you know, the one with the buildings, paid pastoral staff, and weekly schedule of church services and Bible studies—they often don’t know what to do with themselves after leaving. Viola’s book, Finding Organic Church, is a good guide to help them find or develop a community of like-minded people with whom they can live and worship.
While I haven’t read everything on the subject, I know of no other book like it on the market, and it really helped answer some of my own questions and provide me some direction as I seek to follow Jesus by loving and serving others in my community. The book provided a fairly clear picture of Viola’s experience with the organic church and the Scriptural basis for this model.
I think the book is a good starting place for anyone like myself who has left the Institutional Church and is trying to answer the question, “What next?”
However, while I don’t disagree with the biblical evidence Viola presents, it seemed to me that he was presenting this evidence as a timeless and universal model for all churches everywhere to copy. Frank Viola has 21 more years of experience than I do in planting organic churches, and so I may be wrong, but I am just not sure that the approach he presents will take root and flourish in all situations and with all people.
Is “Organic Church” the Only Way?
For example, despite his insistence that what he does is different than what goes on in an Institutional Church, he still describes a group of people who sit in chairs arranged in a square, sing some songs from a book, and talk about spiritual things. Sure, there is more dialogue than in a typical church, and it sounds more free-flowing, but it is still too “churchy” for most of the people I know here in the Northeast who want nothing to do with “church.” One look at this setup, and they would be out the door, never to return. Of course, he would probably argue that this gathering is not for them. It is for followers of Jesus. But even there, I know many people around here who love Jesus, pray, and read their Bibles, but want nothing to do with church, and what Viola describes would still be too “churchy” for them.
Are Apostles Necessary Today?
One other area where I had misgiving is in his insistence on absolute necessity for an apostolic worker to point the organic church in the right direction. Again, I do not deny the biblical evidence he presents, or his own 21 years of experience. It is just that we have something which every single person we read about in the New Testament did not have—namely, the New Testament.
The primary reason apostles were so important in the early church is because they did not have an accurate account of the life of Jesus which they were to follow, or reliable examples of what other local churches were doing, or precise guidance from teachers on how to live and apply the life of Jesus to their lives in their cultures. We have all of this today in the New Testament.
I believe that if a person, or a group of people, want to follow Jesus into their community, and look to the Scriptures for guidance, and trust the Holy Spirit to lead them, then they will be the church. And I think ultimately, Frank Viola would agree with this. The itinerant worker is often necessary to help a group of people understand the Scriptures a little better, or grant them freedom from some of the traditions and baggage or the past, or provide some helpful guidance about grace, forgiveness, and love.
I am glad I read the book. It is a helpful guide for answering some of the questions about the “how” and “why” of organic church life. But in the end, that’s all it is: a guide. It does not answer every question, nor do the answers apply to every situation and context around the world. But if you are looking for some thoughtful ideas or a boost to get your community moving in the right direction, there may be no better book currently available than Finding Organic Church. I thank Frank Viola for writing this book, and his others in the series.
As you know, Jeremy, I agree that this is a helpful book, especially for those who are already Christians coming out of the institutional church. I am enthusiastic about this, but like you mention, some people aren’t even ready for this.
A different approach that’s also very inspiring to me is starting churches with new believers in their own homes! I think of Cornelius in the NT and how he gathered all his family and friends to meet Peter, believed on Jesus, and were baptized together. The community is already there, they just now begin learning to relate as spiritual family in Christ! Built-in care for each other and accountability. There’s no shock of “leaving the institutional church,” no re-learning Christianity. No religion, just real life.
Esther,
Yes, this might be a good transition for people moving out of the IC. Regarding your description of Cornelius, have your read Sam’s series on Getting to Know Your Neighbors over at http://www.graceground.com?
Yes, I have just read two so far, but really love them…I will read them all soon! God is using these and other blogs to open my heart up to real giving. I haven’t understood it fully, and usually felt unable to meet others’ needs. It often felt like a mixed bag of works and guilt that was very shallow. Looking forward to how His leading plays out!
Esther,
It definitely is primary to follow God’s leading. Maybe God is not leading everyone into a neighborhood ministry like Sam’s. It might be something completely different. That is part of what makes following Jesus so exciting (and frustrating)!
When I first read Frank’s “Pagan Christianity” I contacted one of his associates, who was planning to be in our area to visit friends and to attempt to start an “organic church”. My wife and I attended the meeting. Later I talked with the gentleman several times on the phone, and later we held another meeting in our home.
Without a long explanation, you have basically figured out some of the issues with their “model”. It is different than any institutional church that I have seen. Apparently the model works for some, but would not work for many, including many Jesus followers. Frank and his followers have very specific ideas as to how most things should be done, and we did not see much leeway in that.
Sam,
Interesting.
Have you seen Frank’s new book, “Revise Us Again”? I’m going to give it a read and see what he says.
I haven’t read it yet, but plan to. The reviews on Amazon are good.
One book which I need to read again, which helped me see the eternal purposes of God, and which is on my “Burning Book” list (see Left sidebar), is “God’s Strategy in Human History.” It was nearly a decade ago that I read this, but I remember being blown away by it.
I think some of the insistence on apostles aka church planters aka itinerant workers is partly due to a rigid interpretation of scripture and also hangover from gene edwards influence.
I love Frank’s writings and appreciate how he can paint a picture of certain ideals. But as has been said ideals and reality often don’t match.
One can almost read inbetween the lines that only an approved apostle is qualified to plant or facilitate and of course the reader is then left asking ‘well who are said apostles?’.
I think keeping ideals in mind is very good to keep us humble and hungering for more, but the risk is that people then appoint themselves apostles and church planters to the body of christ global and defend their expression of church as touching on gods purpose more than anyone else.
For example Frank constantly emphasizes the eternal purpose to the extent that anyone who doesnt grasp and understand it as he does has missed the whole point of the bible and body life. Personally when I read scripture I see more than that and a different take on gods purpose of the ages so I guess I’ve missed it.
All that said I constantly refer back to Franks writings, there is a wealth of wisdom and insight within them and truly he is a gift to the body. I think hes a bit extreme in many ways as a reaction against extreme views in the other direction, be they institutional or anti structure and leadership.
I agree we have way more today than 1st century believers had in terms of knowledge, but then do we have more in terms of the power of god in our midst. I see a million books and blogs and new expressions of body life… but very little of the dead being raised, sick healed, people delivered and set free in comparison… so we’re getting something horribly wrong.
I will admit that I have not yet read “From Eternity to Here” by Frank Viola. It is in my “to read” pile.
I do believe that a big picture view of the eternal purposes of God is vital for understanding our rule as the people of God. I currently have a big picture view like this, and it will be interesting to see how well it matches with the big picture that Frank Viola sees.
Anyway, you are right about the apostles too. Who gets to decide who the apostles are? And what if two “apostles” disagree with each other on how something should be done, or what the “correct doctrine” is?
Anyway, I too have learned much from Viola’s writings, and am looking forward to reading his books that I have not yet read, as well as whatever huge project he is currently working on. (Have you see his most recent post at FrankViola.org?)
Thanks for the kind words, John. Actually, the major influences of this volume were F.F. Bruce, Watchman Nee, Melvin Hodges, Robert Coleman, Roland Allen, and T. Austin-Sparks. Plus over 20 years of experiencing and observing on the ground the kinds of churches I’m writing about. The book is solidly rooted in practical experience, and it decries elitism and exclusivism, something I’ve seen all my life and thus condemn in many of my writings. I never advise people to “read between the lines” on any work, as that usually leads one to judge motives and make wrong conclusions.
Regarding the ‘eternal purpose’, I agree with N.T. Wright that there is a grand narrative of the Bible. Some scholars, like James D.G. Dunn, don’t see a grand narrative in Scripture. That’s fine with me. We all look at the Bible differently, and thus we must be faithful to share what we feel God is leading us to share. Right or wrong, I’m passionate about the Grand Mission of God for it changed my life. Some find that passion inspiring while others may not.
With the release of my last three books – “Jesus Manifesto,” “Revise Us Again,” and “Epic Jesus” – my work is focusing more on the Person of Jesus and the individual spiritual walk. I’m glad that you are finding some of my work of help.
fv
Psalm 115:1