Frank Viola: Official Blog

There Really is More to the Christian Faith

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“Launch out into the deep …” ~ Luke 5:4

“Deep calls unto deep ….” ~ Psalm 42:7

Are you tired of the shallowness and superficiality that marks present-day Christianity?

Do you feel deep within your heart that there has to be more to the Christian faith?

Are you weary of both the evangelical right and the progressive left?

Do you desire to take your relationship with the Lord to the next level?

Join over 2 million readers and get plugged into The Deeper Journey.

Once you subscribe, you’ll get my weekly UNFILTERED articles which are emailed every Thursday.

You’ll also receive these two books as gifts as well as my Next Reformation audio seminar.

https://frankviola.org/2018/10/15/join/

Rethinking Church – Addressing a Danger

“We need to rethink our entire concept of church and discover it afresh through the lens of Jesus and the apostles.”

~ Reimagining Church (David C. Cook, 2008), p. 273.

—

As I write these words, Pagan Christianity (coauthored with George Barna: Tyndale, 2008) will have been out for a decade.

When the book first hit shelves, some described it as “a bomb dropped on the institutional church playground.” Soon afterward, a storm hit with biblical fury. The book was venerated and vilified, honored and hammered, loved and loathed. And of course, profoundly misrepresented by those threatened by its unconventional message.

Yet within its pages, many found lightning in a box.

The message of Pagan Christianity was simple: we have departed from what God has called the church to be. More specifically, the common practice of church is radically different from what we find in the New Testament. The book tells the story of how “church” morphed into what it is today.

Ten years later (2018), the book has yet to be refuted. Every objection has been thoroughly answered and put to rest (see PaganChristianity.org/answers for details).

Of course, Pagan Christianity wasn’t a stand-alone volume. It was only the first part – the deconstructive part – of a fuller argument. The constructive sequels came out within two years – Reimagining Church (David C. Cook, 2008), From Eternity to Here (David C. Cook, 2009), and Finding Organic Church (David C. Cook, 2009).[Continue Reading…]

Don’t Believe Everything You Read or Hear

Several years ago, Michael Hyatt (former CEO of Thomas Nelson) responded to a rumor on his blog. In the post, Michael wrote,

“According to the most recent rumor—which I’ve now heard twice—we [Thomas Nelson] are planning a layoff for June 19th … There is absolutely no truth to it … If you hear this rumor, I would be grateful if you would help me short-circuit it. You can tell ’em it’s not true, and you heard it directly from me.”

I recall when this rumor was circulating and was saddened (and surprised) at how many Christians believed it without going straight to Michael to see if it was true or false. Here’s another example that’s much more national.[Continue Reading…]

Greg Boyd Interviews Frank on the Lost Gospel of the Kingdom

Greg Boyd is a long-time friend. He’s kindly endorsed many of my books and we’ve encouraged each other privately for a long time.

Greg and I don’t agree on everything. In fact, we have substantial theological disagreements. But when it comes to the reality of spiritual warfare, the role of principalities and powers, the idea that human government wasn’t God’s original will, and that countless Christians are ensnared by money and possessions, we’re joined at the hip.

Recently, Greg interviewed me about the Insurgence and the Gospel of the Kingdom.

Many have written in saying it was the most insightful interview they’ve ever heard. There’s also a generous portion of humor sprinkled in.

Enjoy!

CLICK HERE for free samples of the book INSURGENCE: Reclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom as well as more interviews and discount ordering information.[Continue Reading…]

This Has to Be Said (Offensive) – A Birthday Wish

Tomorrow (October 12th) is my birthday and this article contains a birthday wish. Some of you who are older will find this article offensive. I know because I’ve received hate mail from people 60 years old and up when I’ve made these statements elsewhere.

Deep breath.

My spirit, mind, will, emotions, and body are fully given to the recovery of the explosive gospel of the kingdom and the Insurgence that’s connected with it. Whether you’ve recognized it or not, over the last year, I’ve been writing to those who have joined the Insurgence.

My role is to equip, encourage, and help you spread the Insurgence.

That’s my preamble.[Continue Reading…]

The Fickleness of Christians

What do I mean by “fickleness” among Christians? Here are four examples to give you the picture.

Exhibit A. Christina is on fire for the Lord. Four years later, she turns away from Him and goes back into the world.

Exhibit B. Doug is fully engaged in the deeper journey. Three years later, he loses all interest in it and instead opts for superficial religious intellectualism, confusing it with spirituality.

Exhibit C. Josh is on track to become a worker in the Lord’s house. Three years later, the fires get too hot for him, so he abandons his true calling (without realizing it), and goes the institutional route by enrolling in seminary to become another cog in the system.[Continue Reading…]

A Message Producing Chills and Goose Bumps?

Since Insurgence released a few months ago, I’ve been privileged to appear on many different radio programs and podcasts, sharing about the gospel of the kingdom.

During one of those interviews, the host said he got chills and goose bumps many times. Interestingly, I had no such experience while talking, so his report came as a surprise.

Not long after, someone else who heard the interview wrote us and said they experienced chills and goose bumps while listening.

The same thing happened when I preached the message A Clash Between Kingdoms, which resulted in spontaneous baptisms.

Perhaps the above was all a coincidence and these people were sitting in a freezer room!

Or perhaps the gospel of the kingdom (given its inherent power) will sometimes produce these kinds of reactions.

Curious to know if they produce the same effect in you. Just make sure your room isn’t cold when you listen! 😉

I hope you’ll find it of value.

7 Things Evangelical Christianity Never Taught Me

They are in no particular order, but these are seven things evangelical Christianity never taught me:

How to practically live by the Christ who dwells inside me.
How to practically learn how to hear the Lord’s voice beyond “pray and read your Bible.”
That church-as-we-know-it is drastically different from church-as-God-would-have-it.
What the gospel of the kingdom is and how radically it can altar a human life.
How deep the tentacles of the world system go and how to break with it.
That God’s presence is extremely subtle most of the time.
How to find Christ in the Scriptures, including the entire Old Testament.

Mainstream Christianity didn’t teach them to me either.

And because of that, they have formed the basis of my own ministry to the body of Christ.

My own philosophy has been: If you see a problem, find a solution. Not just for yourself, but for others.

New videos added to the YouTube Channel

[Continue Reading…]