Dining With the Devil: The Megachurch Movement Flirts With Modernity (Hourglass Books)

Rating:
Summary: REQUIRED READING
Review: Guinness paints a very grim picture of the meagchurch's accoumadtions to modernity. In the face of rising hostility from mainstream culture nobody wants to face the fact that some of our greatest church "successes" are actually just as dangerous. This reality is not one Guinness relishes or is eager to report, but the story must be told. Very concise, well-written, well-researched, thoughtful. I wish every Christian in America could read thsi book. One of the ten most importnat things I have ever read.

Rating:
Summary: Warning!
Review: In Dining With the Devil, Guinness critiques the church-growth movement. This book is not intended to be a scholarly theological review; rather, he shares his thoughts and warnings to the churches of America as they are confronted with the issue of modernity.

Should the primary guidance of the church be internal or external? Should the church be formed by the Word or by the World? At what point does change become compromise? Should churches incorporate the managerial techniques of the business world? What are the logical ends of the church-growth movement?

Guinness addresses each of these questions, and I believe he answers them fairly. He doesn't say all church-growth is bad and the church should condemn it, nor does he say that all church-growth is good and the church should assume it. Rather, he warns his reader and gets him to think about each of these questions. What stand should we take on these issues? Read this book and find out for yourself.

Rating:
Summary: MegaAnalysis of the MegaChurch Movement
Review: This prolific Christian writer hits home deep in this volume. The lack of discernment which exists in the church growth movement is exposed and tips given for its diagnosis and treatment as well. The pivot of the long handle of the dining implements if the devil is at the feast is so applicable! His development of the "contemporary conceit" is right on and needs to be brought out by more influential thinkers such as Guiness.