Barbarian, noting the high rate of Muslim refugees in Europe converting to Christianity.
Ironically, the refugee flood may increase the number of committed Christian in Europe.
That fact certainly seems to indicate a stronger Church than Islam can handle. It's not just in Europe. In 1900, the largest religion in Africa was Islam. Now, it's Christianity.
Make your peace with God, and let it be.
The condition of the church is as I've described.
On the other hand, a lot of traveling fund raisers would have us believe otherwise so as to contribute to their private pockets and accounts. Too many wolves in sheep's clothing have come among us with one hand on the Bible and the other in someone else's pocket. Study to show yourself approved unto God and man. Be wary as a serpent, but innocent as a sheep. Don't get sucked into false assertions and fake ideology.
Europe is almost completely secularized. The Holy See has bemoaned this publicly on a number of occasions. Our family hosted foreign exchange students from France and they told us that wearing religious ornamentation in school is forbidden. Restrictions are growing, driven by popular assent.
African Christianity is suffering from growing wars and terrorism. The US now has over ten thousand troops in central Africa. The cover story is to combat terrorism, but in truth we are there to interdict trade with China and other nations, specifically with regard to yellowcake (not a dessert confection - google yellowcake).
In South America the indigenous people are rapidly returning to their pagan beliefs. I know. I've been there. Have you? I've also talked to Christian missionaries who have retreated from the field (in Peru where I went). I am told the Quechua people are literally taking their churches apart so as to rebuild ancient temples and high places.
Central America isn't much farther behind. While many American churches still send tour groups to nations such as Guatemala, there is little or no evidence of growth. Most of what these people see is spiritual stagnation. The reason is that these people were sold a false gospel - that belief in Christ would result in physical and monetary prosperity. It hasn't happened and as a result many have left the church. Spirituality for them is fireworks to drive away evil spirits. As a general statement of fact, there is little or no objective truth being taught in the Western Hemisphere with regard to God and the Bible.
A former pastor of mine has an interest in Christian missions in Japan. After a two month hiatus, he returned to tell the congregation the church is stagnating there too. He tells the truth about this because he has no personal designs to milk the church of mission money. Presently he's turned his attention to Alaska where the indigenous Eskimo peoples are badly in need of solid religious conversion. Unfortunately the work is not glamorous and the people are beyond the Arctic circle. They get little help from the churches of America because they are a little people full of meanness and ugliness and the hard realities of living day to day (
according to those who've escaped the society there).
My son spent several months in mainland China. He reports that government suppression of the church is neither as pronounced as Americans are led to believe, but that it isn't in a growth spurt either - also as Americans are led to believe. The church in China is stagnating. This is not the story that American hucksters are telling us, but it IS accurate testimony of my son who was there in person. Have you been there?
According to PEW & Gallup poll research, regular attendance in America (
defined by pollsters as one Sunday a month) is down more than fifty percent from 1950 levels. If the current trend continues in the US, it will be 10% by 2050. Although figures for synagogues aren't as accurate as those for churches, there is some indication of the same trend in Jewish denominations; Orthodox, Reconstructionist and all the variations of Reform Judaism from liberal to conservative.
In Asia a popular resurgence of the philosophy of Confucius and Buddha are well underway as is devotion to Hinduism Jainism and Sikhism. I also visited India and enjoyed an evening with a Sikh. Much of what I'm relating here is from personal knowledge as well as legitimate polls from established organizations.
What do you know from personal experience? Share what you've discovered from personal experience, not from tapping on your keyboard in your closet or echoing what some religious snake oil salesman has whispered in your ear.
Finally, there is a resurgence of anti-semitism throughout America and Europe. It is as the days of the 1930's prior to WWII. The church doesn't seem to want to get involved in this issue - as it was in those days too. In fact, most major American church denominations have embraced the BDS movement, which is an overt attack upon the State of Israel. They have neglected the blessing and curse of Genesis 12:3. In this they suffer decline. In this they turn their back upon God and the Word of God.
It should be noted that massive gospel crusades in America where thousands would be saved and frequent revival meetings at a local level are now a thing of the past. As a general rule, churches do not sponsor or organize large evangelical meetings any more. Indeed most major US denominations have accepted a policy of denying the Bible as THE Word of God. Instead they have voted amongst themselves to make the Bible equal to all other forms of literature - equal and not limited to the Qur'an.
The church is dying and that is a fact. This information is provided to the reader by myself free of charge and that is the difference.
If I listened to traveling preachers I'd think all is well in heaven and on earth - after I'd contributed money that is....
All is not well in Christendom. The last days of the church are upon us - in fulfillment of prophecy of Christ. Luke 21:24 was fulfilled on June 7, 1967 when the IDF liberated Jerusalem.
The time to repent of our sins and private hidden fetishes is upon us. The time of the end has come. Time to repent is now. Time to make peace with God has never been more urgent than now.
that's me, hollering from the choir loft....
