Theology of the withering church

[rjp34652]

   Only those who justify their requests for evangelistic donations seem to believe the institutional church is in a constant and continued state of expansionism.  The reality, however, is far from it.  Europe, once the citadel of Christendom, is now a secular state.  Islam is making powerful inroads there.  Many believe England may be an Islamic state within the next ten years.  The church in China is secret, meaning that any statement about robust growth there is a patent lie.   Japan is embracing its ancient culture and missions there are in a state of spiritual anorexia.  India, S.A. and Central America are mirror images of the Asian cultural direction.  Africa, once a continent of Christian growth, is once again being subjected to constant wars - sponsored by warlords within, prosecuted by western powers from outside (the US has invaded four central African nations in the past two years), and ravaged by a twenty first century version of financial colonialism from China.  Christendom is experiencing a near-fatal case of apathy and apostacy.  

 

  Those that deny Christianity is in trouble need only have sincere and private discussions with those who've visited those lands and countries I've mentioned (beginning with yours truly) to hear and see for themselves what is and is not happening there.  After two thousand years of unlimited opportunity and expansion, the church has begun to wither on the vine.

 

  On the other hand, Islam is experiencing a tsunami of unprecedented growth.  Even Muslim leaders cannot explain it.   After centuries of having to apologize to themselves and to their adherents that Allah had not granted them the growth they'd hoped for, they are now seeing something they could not have imagined possible.  Islam is the future.

 

  The fortunes of Islam are the reverse of the fortunes of the institutional church.   Where the gospel of Christ grows, Islam withers.  When Islam is in the forefront of global spiritualism, the gospel withers.

 

  Understanding the present nature and future of the church is imperative to moving forward and redefining or rediscovering the foundations of the gospel has never been more important.   The questions submitted today are - 

 

1. How may the gospel be defined in the present atmosphere of Islamic growth?

2. How may the gospel be present in a culture of hedonism and sin?   (Or do we turn our backs on it and leave the country as Lot did?)

3. Does anybody care and if so where are they?  (They aren't in Central Florida, that's for sure.)

[Fez]

In my little corner of Africa the church is flourishing! New members almost weekly and two new and reasonably large churches opened their doors in the last six months. The relationship between these churches is amazing, and the work they are doing in local communities and further afield is incredible.

 

The Zionist church is faltering, and a senior imam in Mozambique was heard just recently to say on an interview on a Maputo radio station that Islam was losing grounds to the Christian church.

 

From my brothers face book page a few months back. "Went on outreach with Heidi Baker (from Iris Ministries) to an island off Mozambique and witnessed an entire Muslim village come to the Lord during Ramadan"....

 

Where I am His church is very much alive!

[Guest]

There

 

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12

 

Is Power Power

 

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Psalms 121:1-3

 

Wonder Working Power

 

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18

 

In The Precious Blood Of The Lamb http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/t/h/therepow.htm

 

And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. Colossians 1:20

 

~

 

Be Blessed Beloved Of The KING

 

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. Psalms 28:7

 

Love, Your Brother Joe

 

~

 

Like Oil Upon Troubled Waters Is Thy Word Upon My Soul

And I Love You My LORD Jesus

I Love You

[Guest]

I wouldn't recommend believing all the negativity about the church in the lame stream media. Their job, as they see it, is to push the party line which does not include God. Therefore they will happily report whatever negative survey results that come out.

 

The church (aka Body of Christ) is flourishing in many parts of the world, including China. There is something about persecution that spurs church growth. I don't claim to know what it is or understand it, but there it is. Jesus said the gates of Hell would not prevail against the church, and I believe that even when it seems to be something of a spiritual desert where I live. Perhaps the real church is not doing that well in my area, but it is growing elsewhere just like Jesus said it would.

[Willa]

I agree with Walla. In muslim nations, India and China Christianity is growing by leaps and bounds. Campus Crusade for Christ recently asked for people to answer question who could translate their languages. Most of their requests for discipling come from those nations. The churches that seem to be dying are those that are no longer evangelical in nature. They don't preach the Gospel or teach God's word, substituting instead their traditions or the philosophy of men. They usually don't even believe God's Word litterally but believe that Jesus was just a good teacher. Their creeds may state otherwise, but they no longer adhere to those creeds. For instance, they may ordain women and gay people as their senior pastors in spite of contrary admonitions in the Bible.

The churches that have made a god out of their own imaginations are dying here, in the USA. They merge with other denominations so their numbers still look good, and often their vacant buildings are turned into museums. But the ones that are flourishing are those that still preach and teach the Bible. They may meet in vacent stores or warehouses, or even rent from schools, but they are growing. While they may buy old churches, most are prudent with their money and rarely build lavish places of worship, much like our austere Puritan and Pilgrim forefathers.

[JohnD]

   Only those who justify their requests for evangelistic donations seem to believe the institutional church is in a constant and continued state of expansionism.  The reality, however, is far from it.  Europe, once the citadel of Christendom, is now a secular state.  Islam is making powerful inroads there.  Many believe England may be an Islamic state within the next ten years.  The church in China is secret, meaning that any statement about robust growth there is a patent lie.   Japan is embracing its ancient culture and missions there are in a state of spiritual anorexia.  India, S.A. and Central America are mirror images of the Asian cultural direction.  Africa, once a continent of Christian growth, is once again being subjected to constant wars - sponsored by warlords within, prosecuted by western powers from outside (the US has invaded four central African nations in the past two years), and ravaged by a twenty first century version of financial colonialism from China.  Christendom is experiencing a near-fatal case of apathy and apostacy.  

 

  Those that deny Christianity is in trouble need only have sincere and private discussions with those who've visited those lands and countries I've mentioned (beginning with yours truly) to hear and see for themselves what is and is not happening there.  After two thousand years of unlimited opportunity and expansion, the church has begun to wither on the vine.

 

  On the other hand, Islam is experiencing a tsunami of unprecedented growth.  Even Muslim leaders cannot explain it.   After centuries of having to apologize to themselves and to their adherents that Allah had not granted them the growth they'd hoped for, they are now seeing something they could not have imagined possible.  Islam is the future.

 

  The fortunes of Islam are the reverse of the fortunes of the institutional church.   Where the gospel of Christ grows, Islam withers.  When Islam is in the forefront of global spiritualism, the gospel withers.

 

  Understanding the present nature and future of the church is imperative to moving forward and redefining or rediscovering the foundations of the gospel has never been more important.   The questions submitted today are - 

 

1. How may the gospel be defined in the present atmosphere of Islamic growth?

2. How may the gospel be present in a culture of hedonism and sin?   (Or do we turn our backs on it and leave the country as Lot did?)

3. Does anybody care and if so where are they?  (They aren't in Central Florida, that's for sure.)

 

The Church was overrun by Roman Imperialism later Roman Catholicism. The Protestant Reformation did not reform nearly far enough and the traditions of men that nullify the word of God were rooted deeply in Christianity. These traditions are purported to be truth though they are not. This handicaps apologetics entirely. Untruth proclaimed and defended as truth diminishes actual truth. And the traditions are the seedbed of division in the Church because the doctrine of the denomination that believes in blue carpet in the church will send you to heaven disagrees with the ones who believe red carpet will save you...

 

How many divisions? Thousands? Tens of thousands?

 

And ever since post-Christian era points dot the globe.

 

America too.

 

Jesus prayed in his high priestly prayer (John 17) that we who believe be as one as the Father and he are one.

 

Wow.

 

And look around at how not one we are or have not been for 1500 years.

[FreeinChrist]

I wouldn't recommend believing all the negativity about the church in the lame stream media. Their job, as they see it, is to push the party line which does not include God. Therefore they will happily report whatever negative survey results that come out.

 

The church (aka Body of Christ) is flourishing in many parts of the world, including China. There is something about persecution that spurs church growth. I don't claim to know what it is or understand it, but there it is. Jesus said the gates of Hell would not prevail against the church, and I believe that even when it seems to be something of a spiritual desert where I live. Perhaps the real church is not doing that well in my area, but it is growing elsewhere just like Jesus said it would.

 

 

I agree with Walla, and really enjoyed the lame stream media remark.

[Guest shiloh357]

The Gospel is growing in unprecedented numbers in Muslim countries.   God is blessing missionaries with the protection they need to continue spreading the Gospel in not only Muslim countries but in other countries that are hostile to the Gospel, ordinarily.

 

Not sure rjp really knows the whole story.

[Ezra]

We should keep in mind that disinformation is also a weapon of Islamic Jihad. Radical Islamists would have the world believe that Islam is in the ascendancy. By slaughtering innocents, they believe their are doing Allah's will. By claiming that their adherents are increasing, they are trying to pat themselves on the back.  We know that Satan is behind all the terrorism and destruction.