Category: Uncategorized

Many evangelical Christians feel discouraged at the decreasing number of church attendees, not only in the United States, but in other countries as well. An article from Pew Research which detailed “Striking Findings from 2021” talked about a rise in the number of religiously unaffiliated Americans:

“About three-in-ten Americans are religiously unaffiliated, a 10 percentage point rise from a decade ago, according to a survey conducted between May and August. Currently, 29% of U.S. adults are religious “nones” – those who describe themselves as atheists, agnostics or “nothing in particular.” By comparison, 16% described themselves this way when the Center first asked the question in 2007.

Christians continue to make up a majority of the U.S. population (63%), but their share is 12 points lower in 2021 than it was in 2011. Christians now outnumber religious “nones” by a ratio of a little more than two-to-one. In 2007, when the Center began asking its current question about religious identity, Christians outnumbered “nones” by almost five-to-one (78% vs. 16%).” [1]

What do these statistics really mean for Christians?

If Christians are defined as people who believe the gospel of Jesus and follow the teaching of the Bible, how much has their number actually dropped? In previous generations of Americans, it was considered “good” to go to church and believe in God. Their sense of ethics would tend to adhere to traditional Judeo-Christian values. They would call themselves “Christians” because they came from a “Christian” community.

But how many of these traditional church-goers could actually explain their beliefs? How many lived out their lives according to Biblical principles and desired to seek out God’s will in their day-to-day lives? How many understood the concept of a personal relationship with God? How many were actually saved?

It’s difficult to judge if the number of born-again Christians has decreased or not because one can call themself a Christian without actually having been “born again.” Most European countries have been considered “Christian nations” for many centuries, and yet were oppressed by tyrants and cruel clergymen. Before the Civil War in the United States, most slave holders would have claimed to be Christians. Even Adolf Hitler said, “Besides that, I believe one thing: there is a Lord God! And this Lord God creates the peoples.” [2]

There’s no statistic which can tell us with certainty how many truly born-again Christians live in a nation. A positive way to look at declining church attendance, however, is that we as Christians can see perhaps with a little more clarity who around us is ignorant of the gospel and reach out to them. Those who in the past have masqueraded as Christians will discard their pretense and either seek genuine answers or show no interest in knowing Jesus at all.

I would encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ to not be disheartened by empty pews, but rather look at their families, friends and neighbors and be the church towards them rather than fret about convincing them to go to service with you. This is what will have the most profound and lasting impact anyway.

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” — Colossians 3:16

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Sources:

[1] https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/12/17/striking-findings-from-2021/

[2] Hitler: speeches and proclamations, 1932-1945 : the chronicle of a dictatorship (ed. 1990)

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.”

–Galatians 1:6-9

Do any of the descriptions on the following list describe a church you’ve attended, either in the past or currently?

1. The people in your church have an “Us vs. Them” mentality: Those who believe in Jesus are good. Those who don’t believe in Him are bad.
2. There’s talk about the church extending “too much grace” when it comes to a less-than-desirable person in the pew.
3. You notice there seem to be many people who never believe they’re doing enough for God. They say things like, “I should pray more often” rather than “I love to pray.”
4. Outsiders don’t visit often (perhaps because the church is known for its legalism). People who are deeply hurting due to their sins or poor choices feel humiliated and embarrassed around you or people in your congregation.
5. Congregants actively avoid people who have a different worldview from them or who struggle with an outwardly visible sin.
6. There’s a general attitude among church members that being right is more important than being kind.
7. People are smug about their Bible knowledge and feel superior to those less educated about Scripture.
8. People who are deeply hurting due to their sins/poor choices feel humiliated and embarrassed around you.
9. This list has made you very uncomfortable, angry or indignant and you want to start defending yourself or your congregation—with Bible verses. [1]

The items on this list (taken from research.lifeway.com) are all signs of a church which is breeding legalism rather than love.

I grew up in a conservative, predominantly Christian homeschooling community. I had a happy childhood and youth and I’m thankful for how I was raised. Unfortunately, many of my peers do not share my sentiments.

I had a tight-knit group of friends, but as we entered adulthood many of them decided not to follow Christ. I noticed something I found interesting: when my friends speak out against Christianity on social media, they are almost always actually speaking out against legalism and religious abuse. I’ve realized that they never knew the gospel; they only knew a legalistic church culture.

I see those who fear hell and punishment, even when as children they adhered to Christian beliefs and would have said they were saved. It was a deeply saddening revelation for me that a troubling amount of so-called Christian families don’t understand the gospel or the doctrine of grace.

God gave the Hebrews in the Old Testament many rules to follow in order to show them what perfection looks like. They failed to live up to the standard God gave them. That’s why He sent His son, Jesus, to take the punishment mankind deserved.

And Jesus was hurt by religious leaders.

When Jesus came, he was accused of being a drunkard and a glutton; even of being demon possessed. In the end, religious people murdered Him.

The way religious leaders of Jesus’ day treated Him contrasted starkly with the way Jesus treated sinners and societal outcasts.

“Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, ‘Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?’ This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, ‘Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.’ And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.'”

–John 8:1-11

The old law, the one God gave to the Hebrews, said that adulterers should be stoned. When Jesus came, died, and rose again the righteousness of God was manifested apart from the law, “although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” (Romans 3:21-26)

No longer does mankind need to attempt futilely to enter heaven by their own goodness. Now we can rest in a real, loving relationship with God.

[1] https://research.lifeway.com/2019/05/28/9-signs-your-church-is-a-breeding-ground-for-legalism/

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw His star when it rose and have come to worship Him.’ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;  and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

^‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
    who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

–Matthew 2:1-6

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The wise men followed the star of Bethlehem. They assumed it was leading them to King Herod’s palace. It’s logical that the prophesied savior would be born in a palace, but because they stopped following God’s leading they went a direction which diverted from Jesus. Herod was alarmed by the wise men’s news of a savior and because of his fear, he had all the baby boys in Bethlehem murdered. It’s possible that if the wise men had just kept following the star, Herod would not have known about Jesus, nor would he have murdered the babies.

This should serve as a reminder to us of the importance of having faith in God’s leading and not simply assuming what His will is. Even though the wise men diverted from the path God intended for them, He was still in control. He warned Joseph and Mary and protected Jesus from harm.

God allows us to choose our own path in life. He allowed the wise men to go to Herod’s palace. He allowed Herod to cause the great suffering prophesied in Jeremiah 31:15;

“A voice was heard in Ramah,
    weeping and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
    she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”

I used to be anxious and fearful that I would stray from God’s will. Simply by reading the Bible, or the news for that matter, we can see the terrible consequences which come from disobeying God. Now, however, I take comfort in knowing that God is always in control even when we make mistakes. It was God giving freedom of choice to Herod which allowed him to kill those babies. Those little boys were too small to know right from wrong and must have gone to heaven. It was only the families left behind who suffered unbearable grief.

In all the chaos, God still carried out His plan:

“Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Rise, take the child and His mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy Him.’ And he rose and took the child and His mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I called my son.'” -Matthew 2:13-15

God protected Jesus, His own son, until the right time. Then He allowed Him to be tortured to death for our sins and share in the grief and suffering of humanity. Now we have the option to be adopted as God’s children and join our loved ones in heaven. We can have faith and take comfort in knowing that God has our best interests at heart. He can see “the greater good.” I dare say He IS the greater good. God is able to fulfill His will despite our mistakes.

Furthermore, just as the wise men went back to following the star when they didn’t find Jesus at the palace, it’s never too late for us to turn back to God’s will for us. He’ll always be there, eager to lead us where He wants us to go. James 1:5 promises, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

Trust that God is bigger than your mistakes. Trust that He loves you and that you can rest in Him.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” -Proverbs 3:5-6