A Revived Church Is America’s Only Hope
By Dr. Michael Brown - April 22, 2019
What happens when a nation loses its conscience? When the light barely shines in the darkness? When t***h is obscured by lies? We can answer those questions with another question: What does America look like in 2019?
We are a nation adrift. A nation confused. A nation in danger of completely losing our moral bearings. A nation where right is now wrong and wrong is now right. A nation where evil is celebrated and virtue is denigrated.
But I don’t primarily blame the society at large for these problems. I don’t primarily blame the people of the world (although, to be sure, each individual will give account to God for his or her actions).
I blame us, the believers, the followers of Jesus. We who claim to speak for God.
I blame us, the ones who are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
There is too much compromise in our midst. Too much carnality. Too much worldliness. Too much hypocrisy. Too little encounter with the living God. And that’s why so many churches are bleeding members.
As the brand new Gallup poll reports:
“U.S. Church Membership Down Sharply in Past Two Decades.”
Yes:
“Half of Americans are church members, down from 70% in 1999.”
And:
“Membership has fallen nine points among those who are religious.”
In my view, one of the biggest reasons people are leaving the church is because they are not truly encountering the Lord (or, are no longer interested in Him). And, quite naturally, decreased church membership quickly t***slates into decreased church influence.
Put another way, less light shining means more darkness. And the less brightly that light shines, the more the darkness prevails.
Really now, how can we change the world if we have become like the world? How can we point people to Jesus when we hardly resemble Him? How can we call for social t***sformation when we haven’t experienced (or, are not currently walking in) personal t***sformation?
I’m truly thankful for the millions of committed Jesus-followers in America today. They are swimming against the tide and going against the grain, no matter the cost. They are raising their children in godliness and keeping their marriages holy. And as singles, they are living with real integrity.
They are good witnesses on their jobs. They are making a difference in their communities. They are rich in good works. They are sharing their faith with friend and foe alike.
What great examples they are, even as the world scorns and mocks them.
But, for the most part, they are exception to the rule. And that’s because, for the most part, the American gospel is a watered-down gospel, a cheap substitute for the real thing. It bypasses the cross, promises happiness and prosperity, and neglects the call to consecration, to sacrifice, to service.
No wonder we can number in the multiplied tens of millions yet our spiritual impact is so minimal. No wonder we can have an almost endless number of outlets – from TV to radio and from our pulpits to the internet – with such meager results.
Gallup reports that:
“U.S. church membership was 70% or higher from 1937 through 1976, falling modestly to an average of 68% in the 1970s through the 1990s. The past 20 years have seen an acceleration in the drop-off, with a 20-percentage-point decline since 1999 and more than half of that change occurring since the start of the current decade.”
Worse still:
“Most millennials were too young to be polled in 1998-2000. Now that they have reached adulthood, their church membership rates are exceedingly low and appear to be a major factor in the drop in overall U.S. church membership. Just 42% of millennials are members of churches, on average.”
That is a cause for real concern.
That alone should get us crying out to God afresh.
That alone should cause to ask some deep and searching questions.
In his book The Signature of Jesus, Brennon Manning made this striking statement:
“If indeed we lived a life in imitation of his, our witness would be irresistible. If we dared to live beyond our self-concern, if we refused to shrink from being vulnerable, if we took nothing but a compassionate attitude toward the world, if we were a counterculture to our nation’s lunatic lust for p***e of place, power, and possessions, if we preferred to be faithful rather than successful, the walls of indifference to Jesus Christ would crumble. A handful of us could be ignored by society, but hundreds, thousands, millions of such servants would overwhelm the world. Christians filled with the authenticity, commitment, and generosity of Jesus would be the most spectacular sign in the history of the human race. The call of Jesus is revolutionary. If we implemented it, we would change the world in a few months.”
He was not exaggerating at all, and this is America’s most pressing need: to recapture the revolutionary nature of the gospel and to live it out for the world to see.
Organized religion is not the key. Another new strategy is not what we need. Improved methodology is not the issue.
What we need is a fresh encounter with Jesus. A return to our knees, to the Word, to holiness, to the power of the Spirit, to sharing our faith afresh, to boldness, to passion, to compassion.
When that happens in the Church, the world will be affected — dramatically. It is America’s only hope. It is revival or we die!
bahmer wrote:
A Revived Church Is America’s Only Hope
By Dr. Michael Brown - April 22, 2019
What happens when a nation loses its conscience? When the light barely shines in the darkness? When t***h is obscured by lies? We can answer those questions with another question: What does America look like in 2019?
We are a nation adrift. A nation confused. A nation in danger of completely losing our moral bearings. A nation where right is now wrong and wrong is now right. A nation where evil is celebrated and virtue is denigrated.
But I don’t primarily blame the society at large for these problems. I don’t primarily blame the people of the world (although, to be sure, each individual will give account to God for his or her actions).
I blame us, the believers, the followers of Jesus. We who claim to speak for God.
I blame us, the ones who are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
There is too much compromise in our midst. Too much carnality. Too much worldliness. Too much hypocrisy. Too little encounter with the living God. And that’s why so many churches are bleeding members.
As the brand new Gallup poll reports:
“U.S. Church Membership Down Sharply in Past Two Decades.”
Yes:
“Half of Americans are church members, down from 70% in 1999.”
And:
“Membership has fallen nine points among those who are religious.”
In my view, one of the biggest reasons people are leaving the church is because they are not truly encountering the Lord (or, are no longer interested in Him). And, quite naturally, decreased church membership quickly t***slates into decreased church influence.
Put another way, less light shining means more darkness. And the less brightly that light shines, the more the darkness prevails.
Really now, how can we change the world if we have become like the world? How can we point people to Jesus when we hardly resemble Him? How can we call for social t***sformation when we haven’t experienced (or, are not currently walking in) personal t***sformation?
I’m truly thankful for the millions of committed Jesus-followers in America today. They are swimming against the tide and going against the grain, no matter the cost. They are raising their children in godliness and keeping their marriages holy. And as singles, they are living with real integrity.
They are good witnesses on their jobs. They are making a difference in their communities. They are rich in good works. They are sharing their faith with friend and foe alike.
What great examples they are, even as the world scorns and mocks them.
But, for the most part, they are exception to the rule. And that’s because, for the most part, the American gospel is a watered-down gospel, a cheap substitute for the real thing. It bypasses the cross, promises happiness and prosperity, and neglects the call to consecration, to sacrifice, to service.
No wonder we can number in the multiplied tens of millions yet our spiritual impact is so minimal. No wonder we can have an almost endless number of outlets – from TV to radio and from our pulpits to the internet – with such meager results.
Gallup reports that:
“U.S. church membership was 70% or higher from 1937 through 1976, falling modestly to an average of 68% in the 1970s through the 1990s. The past 20 years have seen an acceleration in the drop-off, with a 20-percentage-point decline since 1999 and more than half of that change occurring since the start of the current decade.”
Worse still:
“Most millennials were too young to be polled in 1998-2000. Now that they have reached adulthood, their church membership rates are exceedingly low and appear to be a major factor in the drop in overall U.S. church membership. Just 42% of millennials are members of churches, on average.”
That is a cause for real concern.
That alone should get us crying out to God afresh.
That alone should cause to ask some deep and searching questions.
In his book The Signature of Jesus, Brennon Manning made this striking statement:
“If indeed we lived a life in imitation of his, our witness would be irresistible. If we dared to live beyond our self-concern, if we refused to shrink from being vulnerable, if we took nothing but a compassionate attitude toward the world, if we were a counterculture to our nation’s lunatic lust for p***e of place, power, and possessions, if we preferred to be faithful rather than successful, the walls of indifference to Jesus Christ would crumble. A handful of us could be ignored by society, but hundreds, thousands, millions of such servants would overwhelm the world. Christians filled with the authenticity, commitment, and generosity of Jesus would be the most spectacular sign in the history of the human race. The call of Jesus is revolutionary. If we implemented it, we would change the world in a few months.”
He was not exaggerating at all, and this is America’s most pressing need: to recapture the revolutionary nature of the gospel and to live it out for the world to see.
Organized religion is not the key. Another new strategy is not what we need. Improved methodology is not the issue.
What we need is a fresh encounter with Jesus. A return to our knees, to the Word, to holiness, to the power of the Spirit, to sharing our faith afresh, to boldness, to passion, to compassion.
When that happens in the Church, the world will be affected — dramatically. It is America’s only hope. It is revival or we die!
A Revived Church Is America’s Only Hope br By Dr. ... (
show quote)
Terrific piece, bahmer, thanks
debeda wrote:
Terrific piece, bahmer, thanks
Thanks you that is how I see it as well.
bahmer wrote:
A Revived Church Is America’s Only Hope
By Dr. Michael Brown - April 22, 2019
What happens when a nation loses its conscience? When the light barely shines in the darkness? When t***h is obscured by lies? We can answer those questions with another question: What does America look like in 2019?
We are a nation adrift. A nation confused. A nation in danger of completely losing our moral bearings. A nation where right is now wrong and wrong is now right. A nation where evil is celebrated and virtue is denigrated.
But I don’t primarily blame the society at large for these problems. I don’t primarily blame the people of the world (although, to be sure, each individual will give account to God for his or her actions).
I blame us, the believers, the followers of Jesus. We who claim to speak for God.
I blame us, the ones who are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
There is too much compromise in our midst. Too much carnality. Too much worldliness. Too much hypocrisy. Too little encounter with the living God. And that’s why so many churches are bleeding members.
As the brand new Gallup poll reports:
“U.S. Church Membership Down Sharply in Past Two Decades.”
Yes:
“Half of Americans are church members, down from 70% in 1999.”
And:
“Membership has fallen nine points among those who are religious.”
In my view, one of the biggest reasons people are leaving the church is because they are not truly encountering the Lord (or, are no longer interested in Him). And, quite naturally, decreased church membership quickly t***slates into decreased church influence.
Put another way, less light shining means more darkness. And the less brightly that light shines, the more the darkness prevails.
Really now, how can we change the world if we have become like the world? How can we point people to Jesus when we hardly resemble Him? How can we call for social t***sformation when we haven’t experienced (or, are not currently walking in) personal t***sformation?
I’m truly thankful for the millions of committed Jesus-followers in America today. They are swimming against the tide and going against the grain, no matter the cost. They are raising their children in godliness and keeping their marriages holy. And as singles, they are living with real integrity.
They are good witnesses on their jobs. They are making a difference in their communities. They are rich in good works. They are sharing their faith with friend and foe alike.
What great examples they are, even as the world scorns and mocks them.
But, for the most part, they are exception to the rule. And that’s because, for the most part, the American gospel is a watered-down gospel, a cheap substitute for the real thing. It bypasses the cross, promises happiness and prosperity, and neglects the call to consecration, to sacrifice, to service.
No wonder we can number in the multiplied tens of millions yet our spiritual impact is so minimal. No wonder we can have an almost endless number of outlets – from TV to radio and from our pulpits to the internet – with such meager results.
Gallup reports that:
“U.S. church membership was 70% or higher from 1937 through 1976, falling modestly to an average of 68% in the 1970s through the 1990s. The past 20 years have seen an acceleration in the drop-off, with a 20-percentage-point decline since 1999 and more than half of that change occurring since the start of the current decade.”
Worse still:
“Most millennials were too young to be polled in 1998-2000. Now that they have reached adulthood, their church membership rates are exceedingly low and appear to be a major factor in the drop in overall U.S. church membership. Just 42% of millennials are members of churches, on average.”
That is a cause for real concern.
That alone should get us crying out to God afresh.
That alone should cause to ask some deep and searching questions.
In his book The Signature of Jesus, Brennon Manning made this striking statement:
“If indeed we lived a life in imitation of his, our witness would be irresistible. If we dared to live beyond our self-concern, if we refused to shrink from being vulnerable, if we took nothing but a compassionate attitude toward the world, if we were a counterculture to our nation’s lunatic lust for p***e of place, power, and possessions, if we preferred to be faithful rather than successful, the walls of indifference to Jesus Christ would crumble. A handful of us could be ignored by society, but hundreds, thousands, millions of such servants would overwhelm the world. Christians filled with the authenticity, commitment, and generosity of Jesus would be the most spectacular sign in the history of the human race. The call of Jesus is revolutionary. If we implemented it, we would change the world in a few months.”
He was not exaggerating at all, and this is America’s most pressing need: to recapture the revolutionary nature of the gospel and to live it out for the world to see.
Organized religion is not the key. Another new strategy is not what we need. Improved methodology is not the issue.
What we need is a fresh encounter with Jesus. A return to our knees, to the Word, to holiness, to the power of the Spirit, to sharing our faith afresh, to boldness, to passion, to compassion.
When that happens in the Church, the world will be affected — dramatically. It is America’s only hope. It is revival or we die!
A Revived Church Is America’s Only Hope br By Dr. ... (
show quote)
True Christians remain silent while pseudo Christians are loud and obnoxious. Satan wanders around like a lion, seeing whom he may devour..........true soldiers of Christ hide while pseudo Christians gather up the lost and hand them to Satan.
Most "Church's" have become tools of Satan.
lpnmajor wrote:
True Christians remain silent while pseudo Christians are loud and obnoxious. Satan wanders around like a lion, seeing whom he may devour..........true soldiers of Christ hide while pseudo Christians gather up the lost and hand them to Satan.
Most "Church's" have become tools of Satan.
When a church hires a pastor that only preaches feel good sermons the real Christians become bored and then they start to leave and seek other churches where there is a godly preacher and that leaves that original church full of dead or dying Christians that want to feel good about themselves. Right now we have to many feel good preachers and not enough of the fire and brimstone variety. We also need to preach about the Holy Spirit and then also the t***h must always be preached. I could go on but you get the drift.
bahmer wrote:
A Revived Church Is America’s Only Hope
By Dr. Michael Brown - April 22, 2019
What happens when a nation loses its conscience? When the light barely shines in the darkness? When t***h is obscured by lies? We can answer those questions with another question: What does America look like in 2019?
We are a nation adrift. A nation confused. A nation in danger of completely losing our moral bearings. A nation where right is now wrong and wrong is now right. A nation where evil is celebrated and virtue is denigrated.
But I don’t primarily blame the society at large for these problems. I don’t primarily blame the people of the world (although, to be sure, each individual will give account to God for his or her actions).
I blame us, the believers, the followers of Jesus. We who claim to speak for God.
I blame us, the ones who are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
There is too much compromise in our midst. Too much carnality. Too much worldliness. Too much hypocrisy. Too little encounter with the living God. And that’s why so many churches are bleeding members.
As the brand new Gallup poll reports:
“U.S. Church Membership Down Sharply in Past Two Decades.”
Yes:
“Half of Americans are church members, down from 70% in 1999.”
And:
“Membership has fallen nine points among those who are religious.”
In my view, one of the biggest reasons people are leaving the church is because they are not truly encountering the Lord (or, are no longer interested in Him). And, quite naturally, decreased church membership quickly t***slates into decreased church influence.
Put another way, less light shining means more darkness. And the less brightly that light shines, the more the darkness prevails.
Really now, how can we change the world if we have become like the world? How can we point people to Jesus when we hardly resemble Him? How can we call for social t***sformation when we haven’t experienced (or, are not currently walking in) personal t***sformation?
I’m truly thankful for the millions of committed Jesus-followers in America today. They are swimming against the tide and going against the grain, no matter the cost. They are raising their children in godliness and keeping their marriages holy. And as singles, they are living with real integrity.
They are good witnesses on their jobs. They are making a difference in their communities. They are rich in good works. They are sharing their faith with friend and foe alike.
What great examples they are, even as the world scorns and mocks them.
But, for the most part, they are exception to the rule. And that’s because, for the most part, the American gospel is a watered-down gospel, a cheap substitute for the real thing. It bypasses the cross, promises happiness and prosperity, and neglects the call to consecration, to sacrifice, to service.
No wonder we can number in the multiplied tens of millions yet our spiritual impact is so minimal. No wonder we can have an almost endless number of outlets – from TV to radio and from our pulpits to the internet – with such meager results.
Gallup reports that:
“U.S. church membership was 70% or higher from 1937 through 1976, falling modestly to an average of 68% in the 1970s through the 1990s. The past 20 years have seen an acceleration in the drop-off, with a 20-percentage-point decline since 1999 and more than half of that change occurring since the start of the current decade.”
Worse still:
“Most millennials were too young to be polled in 1998-2000. Now that they have reached adulthood, their church membership rates are exceedingly low and appear to be a major factor in the drop in overall U.S. church membership. Just 42% of millennials are members of churches, on average.”
That is a cause for real concern.
That alone should get us crying out to God afresh.
That alone should cause to ask some deep and searching questions.
In his book The Signature of Jesus, Brennon Manning made this striking statement:
“If indeed we lived a life in imitation of his, our witness would be irresistible. If we dared to live beyond our self-concern, if we refused to shrink from being vulnerable, if we took nothing but a compassionate attitude toward the world, if we were a counterculture to our nation’s lunatic lust for p***e of place, power, and possessions, if we preferred to be faithful rather than successful, the walls of indifference to Jesus Christ would crumble. A handful of us could be ignored by society, but hundreds, thousands, millions of such servants would overwhelm the world. Christians filled with the authenticity, commitment, and generosity of Jesus would be the most spectacular sign in the history of the human race. The call of Jesus is revolutionary. If we implemented it, we would change the world in a few months.”
He was not exaggerating at all, and this is America’s most pressing need: to recapture the revolutionary nature of the gospel and to live it out for the world to see.
Organized religion is not the key. Another new strategy is not what we need. Improved methodology is not the issue.
What we need is a fresh encounter with Jesus. A return to our knees, to the Word, to holiness, to the power of the Spirit, to sharing our faith afresh, to boldness, to passion, to compassion.
When that happens in the Church, the world will be affected — dramatically. It is America’s only hope. It is revival or we die!
A Revived Church Is America’s Only Hope br By Dr. ... (
show quote)
How can we change the world if we are like the world? That may be the reason church attendance has dropped. Churches are now embracing sin, not to save from sin but accepting sin among us.
bahmer wrote:
When a church hires a pastor that only preaches feel good sermons the real Christians become bored and then they start to leave and seek other churches where there is a godly preacher and that leaves that original church full of dead or dying Christians that want to feel good about themselves. Right now we have to many feel good preachers and not enough of the fire and brimstone variety. We also need to preach about the Holy Spirit and then also the t***h must always be preached. I could go on but you get the drift.
When a church hires a pastor that only preaches fe... (
show quote)
I do and I can see the the Catholic Church is not the only church with problem priests, vicars, ministers, pastors.
bahmer wrote:
A Revived Church Is America’s Only Hope
By Dr. Michael Brown - April 22, 2019
What happens when a nation loses its conscience? When the light barely shines in the darkness? When t***h is obscured by lies? We can answer those questions with another question: What does America look like in 2019?
We are a nation adrift. A nation confused. A nation in danger of completely losing our moral bearings. A nation where right is now wrong and wrong is now right. A nation where evil is celebrated and virtue is denigrated.
But I don’t primarily blame the society at large for these problems. I don’t primarily blame the people of the world (although, to be sure, each individual will give account to God for his or her actions).
I blame us, the believers, the followers of Jesus. We who claim to speak for God.
I blame us, the ones who are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
There is too much compromise in our midst. Too much carnality. Too much worldliness. Too much hypocrisy. Too little encounter with the living God. And that’s why so many churches are bleeding members.
As the brand new Gallup poll reports:
“U.S. Church Membership Down Sharply in Past Two Decades.”
Yes:
“Half of Americans are church members, down from 70% in 1999.”
And:
“Membership has fallen nine points among those who are religious.”
In my view, one of the biggest reasons people are leaving the church is because they are not truly encountering the Lord (or, are no longer interested in Him). And, quite naturally, decreased church membership quickly t***slates into decreased church influence.
Put another way, less light shining means more darkness. And the less brightly that light shines, the more the darkness prevails.
Really now, how can we change the world if we have become like the world? How can we point people to Jesus when we hardly resemble Him? How can we call for social t***sformation when we haven’t experienced (or, are not currently walking in) personal t***sformation?
I’m truly thankful for the millions of committed Jesus-followers in America today. They are swimming against the tide and going against the grain, no matter the cost. They are raising their children in godliness and keeping their marriages holy. And as singles, they are living with real integrity.
They are good witnesses on their jobs. They are making a difference in their communities. They are rich in good works. They are sharing their faith with friend and foe alike.
What great examples they are, even as the world scorns and mocks them.
But, for the most part, they are exception to the rule. And that’s because, for the most part, the American gospel is a watered-down gospel, a cheap substitute for the real thing. It bypasses the cross, promises happiness and prosperity, and neglects the call to consecration, to sacrifice, to service.
No wonder we can number in the multiplied tens of millions yet our spiritual impact is so minimal. No wonder we can have an almost endless number of outlets – from TV to radio and from our pulpits to the internet – with such meager results.
Gallup reports that:
“U.S. church membership was 70% or higher from 1937 through 1976, falling modestly to an average of 68% in the 1970s through the 1990s. The past 20 years have seen an acceleration in the drop-off, with a 20-percentage-point decline since 1999 and more than half of that change occurring since the start of the current decade.”
Worse still:
“Most millennials were too young to be polled in 1998-2000. Now that they have reached adulthood, their church membership rates are exceedingly low and appear to be a major factor in the drop in overall U.S. church membership. Just 42% of millennials are members of churches, on average.”
That is a cause for real concern.
That alone should get us crying out to God afresh.
That alone should cause to ask some deep and searching questions.
In his book The Signature of Jesus, Brennon Manning made this striking statement:
“If indeed we lived a life in imitation of his, our witness would be irresistible. If we dared to live beyond our self-concern, if we refused to shrink from being vulnerable, if we took nothing but a compassionate attitude toward the world, if we were a counterculture to our nation’s lunatic lust for p***e of place, power, and possessions, if we preferred to be faithful rather than successful, the walls of indifference to Jesus Christ would crumble. A handful of us could be ignored by society, but hundreds, thousands, millions of such servants would overwhelm the world. Christians filled with the authenticity, commitment, and generosity of Jesus would be the most spectacular sign in the history of the human race. The call of Jesus is revolutionary. If we implemented it, we would change the world in a few months.”
He was not exaggerating at all, and this is America’s most pressing need: to recapture the revolutionary nature of the gospel and to live it out for the world to see.
Organized religion is not the key. Another new strategy is not what we need. Improved methodology is not the issue.
What we need is a fresh encounter with Jesus. A return to our knees, to the Word, to holiness, to the power of the Spirit, to sharing our faith afresh, to boldness, to passion, to compassion.
When that happens in the Church, the world will be affected — dramatically. It is America’s only hope. It is revival or we die!
A Revived Church Is America’s Only Hope br By Dr. ... (
show quote)
Yup, you clowns don't know how to "Jesus" right, double down on the same ridiculous suggestions that have been offered by the SLBC for 2 decades with zero results.
How 'bout just walking the walk instead of stabbing poor people in the back. Start feeding 1000 people instead of the government if you're on the right track.
Give me break. What a bunch'a Hypocrites.
bahmer wrote:
When a church hires a pastor that only preaches feel good sermons the real Christians become bored and then they start to leave and seek other churches where there is a godly preacher and that leaves that original church full of dead or dying Christians that want to feel good about themselves. Right now we have to many feel good preachers and not enough of the fire and brimstone variety. We also need to preach about the Holy Spirit and then also the t***h must always be preached. I could go on but you get the drift.
When a church hires a pastor that only preaches fe... (
show quote)
This pastor sold feel good chemicals, maybe this again is another story about taking things too far:
Excerpt:
"The driver, a stocky 54-year-old man with shaggy blond hair and a goatee, seemed as low-risk as they come. John Lee Bishop had established himself as one of the most successful pastors in America. His mega-church, Living Hope, was one of the country’s fastest-growing congregations. With over 8,000 members, it occupied an 85,000-square-foot former Kmart superstore in Vancouver, Washington, a working-class suburb just up the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon. Locals called it “the Kmart Church.”
Bishop’s mega-church was a kind of blue-light special for those who other churches left behind: gay teens, junkies, the homeless, anyone who felt excluded. Bishop understood “the unchurched,” as he called them, because he started out as one himself, a social misfit damaged by an abusive childhood and turned off by organized religion. With his long hair, ripped jeans, and laid-back demeanor, he looked like Sammy Hagar, whom he was sometimes mistaken for, and preached like a Vegas showman, nearly getting mauled by a 350-pound tiger he brought onstage for a Noah’s Ark service."
http://www.vanityfair.com/style/2019/04/how-a-pastor-became-a-drug-runner-for-a-mexican-cartel
bahmer wrote:
A Revived Church Is America’s Only Hope
By Dr. Michael Brown - April 22, 2019
What happens when a nation loses its conscience? When the light barely shines in the darkness? When t***h is obscured by lies? We can answer those questions with another question: What does America look like in 2019?
We are a nation adrift. A nation confused. A nation in danger of completely losing our moral bearings. A nation where right is now wrong and wrong is now right. A nation where evil is celebrated and virtue is denigrated.
But I don’t primarily blame the society at large for these problems. I don’t primarily blame the people of the world (although, to be sure, each individual will give account to God for his or her actions).
I blame us, the believers, the followers of Jesus. We who claim to speak for God.
I blame us, the ones who are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
There is too much compromise in our midst. Too much carnality. Too much worldliness. Too much hypocrisy. Too little encounter with the living God. And that’s why so many churches are bleeding members.
As the brand new Gallup poll reports:
“U.S. Church Membership Down Sharply in Past Two Decades.”
Yes:
“Half of Americans are church members, down from 70% in 1999.”
And:
“Membership has fallen nine points among those who are religious.”
In my view, one of the biggest reasons people are leaving the church is because they are not truly encountering the Lord (or, are no longer interested in Him). And, quite naturally, decreased church membership quickly t***slates into decreased church influence.
Put another way, less light shining means more darkness. And the less brightly that light shines, the more the darkness prevails.
Really now, how can we change the world if we have become like the world? How can we point people to Jesus when we hardly resemble Him? How can we call for social t***sformation when we haven’t experienced (or, are not currently walking in) personal t***sformation?
I’m truly thankful for the millions of committed Jesus-followers in America today. They are swimming against the tide and going against the grain, no matter the cost. They are raising their children in godliness and keeping their marriages holy. And as singles, they are living with real integrity.
They are good witnesses on their jobs. They are making a difference in their communities. They are rich in good works. They are sharing their faith with friend and foe alike.
What great examples they are, even as the world scorns and mocks them.
But, for the most part, they are exception to the rule. And that’s because, for the most part, the American gospel is a watered-down gospel, a cheap substitute for the real thing. It bypasses the cross, promises happiness and prosperity, and neglects the call to consecration, to sacrifice, to service.
No wonder we can number in the multiplied tens of millions yet our spiritual impact is so minimal. No wonder we can have an almost endless number of outlets – from TV to radio and from our pulpits to the internet – with such meager results.
Gallup reports that:
“U.S. church membership was 70% or higher from 1937 through 1976, falling modestly to an average of 68% in the 1970s through the 1990s. The past 20 years have seen an acceleration in the drop-off, with a 20-percentage-point decline since 1999 and more than half of that change occurring since the start of the current decade.”
Worse still:
“Most millennials were too young to be polled in 1998-2000. Now that they have reached adulthood, their church membership rates are exceedingly low and appear to be a major factor in the drop in overall U.S. church membership. Just 42% of millennials are members of churches, on average.”
That is a cause for real concern.
That alone should get us crying out to God afresh.
That alone should cause to ask some deep and searching questions.
In his book The Signature of Jesus, Brennon Manning made this striking statement:
“If indeed we lived a life in imitation of his, our witness would be irresistible. If we dared to live beyond our self-concern, if we refused to shrink from being vulnerable, if we took nothing but a compassionate attitude toward the world, if we were a counterculture to our nation’s lunatic lust for p***e of place, power, and possessions, if we preferred to be faithful rather than successful, the walls of indifference to Jesus Christ would crumble. A handful of us could be ignored by society, but hundreds, thousands, millions of such servants would overwhelm the world. Christians filled with the authenticity, commitment, and generosity of Jesus would be the most spectacular sign in the history of the human race. The call of Jesus is revolutionary. If we implemented it, we would change the world in a few months.”
He was not exaggerating at all, and this is America’s most pressing need: to recapture the revolutionary nature of the gospel and to live it out for the world to see.
Organized religion is not the key. Another new strategy is not what we need. Improved methodology is not the issue.
What we need is a fresh encounter with Jesus. A return to our knees, to the Word, to holiness, to the power of the Spirit, to sharing our faith afresh, to boldness, to passion, to compassion.
When that happens in the Church, the world will be affected — dramatically. It is America’s only hope. It is revival or we die!
A Revived Church Is America’s Only Hope br By Dr. ... (
show quote)
Bahmer,
Again a great post of knowledge and wisdom. You are a wonderful teacher. How long can GOD stand by and let America worship idols and sacrifice children?
bahmer wrote:
A Revived Church Is America’s Only Hope
By Dr. Michael Brown - April 22, 2019
What happens when a nation loses its conscience? When the light barely shines in the darkness? When t***h is obscured by lies? We can answer those questions with another question: What does America look like in 2019?
We are a nation adrift. A nation confused. A nation in danger of completely losing our moral bearings. A nation where right is now wrong and wrong is now right. A nation where evil is celebrated and virtue is denigrated.
But I don’t primarily blame the society at large for these problems. I don’t primarily blame the people of the world (although, to be sure, each individual will give account to God for his or her actions).
I blame us, the believers, the followers of Jesus. We who claim to speak for God.
I blame us, the ones who are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
There is too much compromise in our midst. Too much carnality. Too much worldliness. Too much hypocrisy. Too little encounter with the living God. And that’s why so many churches are bleeding members.
As the brand new Gallup poll reports:
“U.S. Church Membership Down Sharply in Past Two Decades.”
Yes:
“Half of Americans are church members, down from 70% in 1999.”
And:
“Membership has fallen nine points among those who are religious.”
In my view, one of the biggest reasons people are leaving the church is because they are not truly encountering the Lord (or, are no longer interested in Him). And, quite naturally, decreased church membership quickly t***slates into decreased church influence.
Put another way, less light shining means more darkness. And the less brightly that light shines, the more the darkness prevails.
Really now, how can we change the world if we have become like the world? How can we point people to Jesus when we hardly resemble Him? How can we call for social t***sformation when we haven’t experienced (or, are not currently walking in) personal t***sformation?
I’m truly thankful for the millions of committed Jesus-followers in America today. They are swimming against the tide and going against the grain, no matter the cost. They are raising their children in godliness and keeping their marriages holy. And as singles, they are living with real integrity.
They are good witnesses on their jobs. They are making a difference in their communities. They are rich in good works. They are sharing their faith with friend and foe alike.
What great examples they are, even as the world scorns and mocks them.
But, for the most part, they are exception to the rule. And that’s because, for the most part, the American gospel is a watered-down gospel, a cheap substitute for the real thing. It bypasses the cross, promises happiness and prosperity, and neglects the call to consecration, to sacrifice, to service.
No wonder we can number in the multiplied tens of millions yet our spiritual impact is so minimal. No wonder we can have an almost endless number of outlets – from TV to radio and from our pulpits to the internet – with such meager results.
Gallup reports that:
“U.S. church membership was 70% or higher from 1937 through 1976, falling modestly to an average of 68% in the 1970s through the 1990s. The past 20 years have seen an acceleration in the drop-off, with a 20-percentage-point decline since 1999 and more than half of that change occurring since the start of the current decade.”
Worse still:
“Most millennials were too young to be polled in 1998-2000. Now that they have reached adulthood, their church membership rates are exceedingly low and appear to be a major factor in the drop in overall U.S. church membership. Just 42% of millennials are members of churches, on average.”
That is a cause for real concern.
That alone should get us crying out to God afresh.
That alone should cause to ask some deep and searching questions.
In his book The Signature of Jesus, Brennon Manning made this striking statement:
“If indeed we lived a life in imitation of his, our witness would be irresistible. If we dared to live beyond our self-concern, if we refused to shrink from being vulnerable, if we took nothing but a compassionate attitude toward the world, if we were a counterculture to our nation’s lunatic lust for p***e of place, power, and possessions, if we preferred to be faithful rather than successful, the walls of indifference to Jesus Christ would crumble. A handful of us could be ignored by society, but hundreds, thousands, millions of such servants would overwhelm the world. Christians filled with the authenticity, commitment, and generosity of Jesus would be the most spectacular sign in the history of the human race. The call of Jesus is revolutionary. If we implemented it, we would change the world in a few months.”
He was not exaggerating at all, and this is America’s most pressing need: to recapture the revolutionary nature of the gospel and to live it out for the world to see.
Organized religion is not the key. Another new strategy is not what we need. Improved methodology is not the issue.
What we need is a fresh encounter with Jesus. A return to our knees, to the Word, to holiness, to the power of the Spirit, to sharing our faith afresh, to boldness, to passion, to compassion.
When that happens in the Church, the world will be affected — dramatically. It is America’s only hope. It is revival or we die!
A Revived Church Is America’s Only Hope br By Dr. ... (
show quote)
A life of asceticism is not what the young people strive for. They have tasted of the forbidden apple and desire possessions and privilege and affluence and will pursue that god over the G-D of commandments and sacrifice. It's only when that life of hedonism fails to yield happiness and contentment and when they become enlightened to the wisdom of making lasting friendships, finding pleasure in simple acts of kindness and learning to share their good fortunes with others that there will be a return. We need to teach our children to work at their best not to accumulate fortunes and lots of stuff, but to repair the world and learn to live in balance with nature and to be content with the bounty of good health, fellowship and reverence to our creator. That's what brings enduring happiness.
MeadowFields wrote:
A life of asceticism is not what the young people strive for. They have tasted of the forbidden apple and desire possessions and privilege and affluence and will pursue that god over the G-D of commandments and sacrifice. It's only when that life of hedonism fails to yield happiness and contentment and when they become enlightened to the wisdom of making lasting friendships, finding pleasure in simple acts of kindness and learning to share their good fortunes with others that there will be a return. We need to teach our children to work at their best not to accumulate fortunes and lots of stuff, but to repair the world and learn to live in balance with nature and to be content with the bounty of good health, fellowship and reverence to our creator. That's what brings enduring happiness.
A life of asceticism is not what the young people ... (
show quote)
All true, but there is also true joy in embracing your spirituality. God is always there for us and shows us in a million ways every day. I also believe that many of you of the Jewish religion are experiencing an awakening of spirit as well
I used to go to church back when they taught about Jesus. I quit going because they became too commercialized. All they were worried about was how much money they could get!!
wolffy wrote:
I used to go to church back when they taught about Jesus. I quit going because they became too commercialized. All they were worried about was how much money they could get!!
Most Church's are 501(c)3 tax exempt businesses. You can find some that are not incorporated.
Billboards out front of many. So commercialized IMHO...(:
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