Mark 4:30-32
Being an outspoken Christian in America today is an interesting, and maybe even dangerous, thing. We all know what recently happened to Charlie Kirk and his ministry, his efforts, and ultimately his legacy in Utah. Charlie is certainly not alone is his plight; we could go back to Columbine HS and the martyrs from that horrific day, or to any number of other examples to show that Christianity is facing significant difficulties in our world today. And there is a lot more to look at then just martyrs; just look at the rights we’ve lost as Christians, really even just over the course of most of our lifetimes! We’ve lost prayer in public schools, the 10 commandments in our courtrooms, the definition of marriage, and until recently the fight against abortion. It can be easy to look at our situation today and get rather discouraged at the state of Christianity in the world.
In Matthew 16, Jesus proclaims that He will build His church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. Was Jesus wrong? I know that’s a dangerous question to ask, but if we’re being honest with ourselves, how often do we let that question seep into our thoughts? How much have you gotten discouraged watching the “losses” pile up against Christians, listen to the vitriol about us in the news, and wonder if we are fighting a losing battle? If you’ve ever thought that, thank you for your honesty. I’ll admit there have been times I’ve wondered that same thing. When Jesus began His public ministry, He announced it by proclaiming that the Kingdom of God is at hand. We’ve talked so far in this series about how the Kingdom is here, real-time, and calling for you. We’ve talked about Jesus’ authority and how everyone will bend the knee (hopefully you do it by choice). But is it a growing Kingdom of a dying Kingdom? Has Christianity become obsolete or outlived its usefulness? NO. Despite how it looks now, the Kingdom of God is, in fact, growing.
Consider Changing Your Perception
The United States is definitely a challenging place to live today regarding our faith. More and more people seem to be declaring non-Christian or undecided in national faith polls and the media is certainly pulling farther and farther against Christianity. So how do we reconcile the truth Jesus proclaims in scripture about His church being a growing church and the seemingly bleak outlook we see around us? Simple: we need a better vantage point to see what’s really going on. Ethnocentrism is the idea that because all we can see is the world right in front of our eyes, that ultimately is what we assume the rest of the world to be. As a Nebraskan, we’re taught that the best beef in the world comes from our home-grown, grass-fed cattle. And we certainly have a right to be in the discussion, but the Angus people from Colorado can lay a claim too – or what about the Wagyu ranchers from Japan? If I can only see quality in what’s close to me, I am missing out on so much! It’s like a young child with their father on an elevator – tell story. What do I mean? The church may be having some struggles in the US, but that’s the not the only place Christianity exists. Consider an article from the The Christian Post.
“Before the Islamic revolution, there were only several hundred believers with Muslim backgrounds. Today, there are more than 1 million Christian believers who have converted from Islam. This complete turn of the tide can only be attributed to the mercy and grace of Christ in an intensely oppressive environment and to the Iranian search for truth in opposition to the regime’s dishonest narratives toward the people. These converts’ eyes have been opened to the reality of the darkness that they once embraced, thinking it was life, and in their search for truth, they have found Jesus.”
The Iranian church has become one of the fastest growing churches in the world! And that’s not all – Christianity is growing all around the world. Consider this info from Lifeway Research.
“Regardless of what you may expect, Christianity continues to grow around the world. Currently, there are more than 2.64 billion Christians. Christianity crossed the 2 billion mark this century but will top 3 billion before 2050. The world’s population, at just over 8 billion, has a 0.88% annual growth rate, but Christianity is growing at a rate of 0.98%. Around one-third of the world’s population is Christian. … Persecution is often severe in many areas in the Global South, but Christianity is growing in every region. Currently, 2 in 3 Christians live in the Global South. The faith is even increasing in the Middle East. … Right now, more than 750 million Christians call Africa home, and this number is growing at a 2.59% annual rate. Almost as many Christians live in Africa as in Europe, Russia, and North America combined (823 million). Asia has 416 million Christians, a number that is growing 1.6% each year. By 2050, Africa will be home to more than 1.2 billion Christians, and almost 600 million will live in Asia.
The church is exploding south of the equator and especially in Africa! Just think of how much has been done since the pioneering work of mission really took off in the 1800s to where we are today. It can be discouraging if all we look at or see is what’s going on in our region, our state, and our nation. But don’t be discouraged. Hear these words from John Stumbo, a recent leader of our larger family of churches: The Storyline. I know, a lot of this info are from poll numbers, but the point is clear: the Kingdom of God is not plateaued or shrinking, it is in fact growing. And there is a lot more than these stories.
Consider Changing Your Strategy
Maybe you’ve been trying and it feels like everything you say falls on deaf ears. Maybe that’s what is discouraging you. If so, allow me to suggest a change to your strategy. I’ve always struggled with how we as Christians have gone about our efforts of evangelism dating back the last 50+ years. It seems to have been mainly focused on telling people they are wrong and need to turn to Jesus and forcing people with laws to live the right way. What that seems to do is to create pushback and ultimately people who openly reject Christianity. That’s kind of like in the 80s when the US went on the attack against the drug cartels trying to curb the problem of drug abuse by attacking the supply of drugs coming in to the country. The consequence of that was a loss of supply which lead to a dramatic increase of demand, increasing violent crime all over. The idea was then posed to attack demand, which led to programs like DARE and such who worked to break the desire for drugs by offering other avenues. Maybe if we lead with our actions as Christians, loving other people by reaching out, helping, and serving, we might show people that Jesus offers a better life and then they might listen instead of reject. Action is a much better communicator than conversation. Consider Matt 5:14-16 (ESV).
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
Next Steps
The Kingdom of God is growing. Allow God to show you and use you to complete the work and bring back the King!
- Challenge your perception; research God’s work around the world.
- Be an olive branch; use your arms to bring the love of Christ to others.
This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come (Mt 24:14). The gospel is moving; hell is not winning. Let’s get to work.
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