There have been some lively discussions in recent days about the current status of Christianity in America. The cover of Newsweek Magazine for April 13th is
The End of Christian America. The article springboards off of the recent study that showed that the number of Americans who claim no religious affiliation has doubled since 1990, rising from 8 to 15 percent. The secular media has been all over this particular study like sharks going after blood.
Al Mohler, President of The Southern Baptist Theological Study, is quoted in the Newsweek article as saying, "the historic foundation of America's religious culture is cracking."
Mohler goes on to say, "The so-called Judeo-Christian consensus of the last millenium has given way to a post-modern, post-Christian, post-Western cultural crisis which threatens the very heart of our culture." I believe Mohler is accurate in his assessment.
Jon Meacham the writer of the article states, "Christians are now making up a declining percentage of the American population."
Meacham does qualify some of his rhetoric by stating that the "rumors of the death of Christianity are greatly exaggerated" and that America . . . is not a post-religious society."
To make matters worse, President Barack Hussein Obama said gleefully in Turkey that while we have a very large Christian population "we do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation. We consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values."
What does all of this mean? How is the church to react? Should we just throw in the towel, turn the country over to non-Christians, and tell the last man out of the church to turn the lights out on his way out? I don't believe so.
First, we all need to take a deep breath and step back and do an honest review of Biblical history and world history. As Solomon wrote, there is truly nothing new under the sun. Regardless of what the revisionist historians write, we are a nation founded on Judeo-Christian principles. Not secular humanist principles, not Muslim principles, Judeo-Christian principles. If you don't like that, live with it, because it is true. We are a nation that has been richly blessed by God over our 200+ year history. But we are a nation that is clearly on a downhill slide spiritually. That said, this type of thing has happened to nations before. Unfortunately, nations typically collapse from within first.
One doesn't have to go very far into the Bible to see the wickedness of man. Preceding the great flood, wickedness was pervasive on the earth. God was sorry He had made man, according to the Scripture.
The history of Israel was one of following after false gods. Every time they did, there were great consequences.
Fast forward to the New Testament, and much of the early church was in an environment of wickedness and rampant idolatry. There was also a dominant pluralism in the day. Read Acts 17.
Such has been the history of man. Man's heart is desperately wicked, who can know it.
Second, I believe this is an age of great opportunity. If you talk to people about the Gospel regularly, you know that they are open to the Gospel. Do not, I repeat, do not believe all of the nonsense that you hear that people do not care to hear the truth. People are hungry for it. Is it a difficult culture because of all of the unbiblical influences? Yes, but that cannot slow us down or stop us from doing what God has called us to do.
Third, the church in America is at a crossroads. I actually believe we have been in trouble for a long time, in that the church in the United States has been satisfied with status quo and we are awaking to the depth of the spiritual battle that we now find ourselves in. I think we have failed to see that things have been changing dramatically not for the past five years in this country but for the past forty, and we are just now beginning to see how much they have changed. The church now has to decide if it wants to engage in the spiritual battle as a force for Jesus, or quietly fade away like it did in Western Europe.
Fourth, I still believe in a Sovereign God. I believe He is working out His plan for the ages. I believe He is moving history toward His desired end. I believe as that happens, by the power of the Holy Spirit, He is going to continue to draw people to Himself and save them by the blood of Jesus. I want to be right in the middle of that plan, telling as many as I possibly can about Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer God.
Fifth, I believe the Church is at the center of God's plan. Mohler is quoted in the last part of the Newsweek article as saying, "Jesus Christ promised that the very gates of Hell would not prevail against His church. This new generation of young pastors intends to push back against hell in bold and visionary ministry. Expect to see the sparks fly." To that I say, amen and amen. Let's get on with it and stop moping about how bad things are, and how bad people are. People are the same as they have always been since the fall, desperately wicked and in need of redemption. Let's boldly go and tell them about the only one who can redeem them. His name is Jesus! Praise Him!
