What is the Condition of the American Church?

What does Jesus have to do with the condition of the church and the wrath of God revealed in the culture?

I read this article as well and I know if the study that was reported through various sources. I didn't take it to mean that atheism is on the rise. But I do think it is telling that some people are turning away from 'organized' religion and turning inward. Organized religion has gotten quite a rap these past 40 years with the emergence of the religious right and political forces. They've perverted the basic tenants of religions like Christianity and shaped them to serve their agenda. They use moral panics to scare people into supporting them, caring little about the damage they do, the money they waste, or the people they hurt. And it may very well be getting to a point where people don't want to deal with it anymore and follow their religion on their own terms without the church dictating them.

Jesus promised to build the church and the ‘gates of hell shall not prevail against it’, meaning that nothing can prevent His purposes in the church. The apostles tell us that He is ‘head over all things to the church’. If Christ rules the nations with a rod of iron, then He rules them for the good of His church. Scripture and history are consistent in that the church is purified by persecution. An anti-Christian state an the harlot church are the agents of persecution.

jack, things are getting along so good, what do people even need a church for? Deviance is down, crime is down, perverts are out of the closet they've ALWAYS been in, etc; the only people rocking the Happy Boat are those darned dogmatic religious rightwing nuts creating "moral panic", caring about no one but only how much money they can take in.


Eccl 12:
11The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

12And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

13Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

14For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.


I believe I'll stick to what I know: evil is evil and good is good.

What do you mean that the bible and history are consistent in showing that the church is purified by persecution?

First, I have no problem with non-denominationalism. Although I am a Baptist by membership, I enjoy other worship styles and accept some side doctrines that the SBC is not wholly comfortable with. I'm okay with, for example, some people speaking in tongues. I think it's abused greatly, but it was a legitimate gift in the Bible and I believe it may be a gift still active in today's church -- though probably not by about 90 percent of the people who claim it.

What concerned me about that article was the idea that it was okay to mix Wiccan with Roman Catholicism with Buddhism with evangelical Christianity. It's not. The Christian God is a jealous and intolerant fellow. If you want to be His child, you'd best know the altar you're kneeling at. He will have no other gods in the hearts of His people. Which means that a Christian cannot also be a Buddhist or a Wiccan. To practice that which gives glory to another deity is to kneel at the altar of a false god and true Christians cannot do that.

Finally, I do believe Christians should be in regular attendance with other Christians. It keeps us focused on righteousness and prevents us from distorting BIblical truth because of the accountability there. If by non-affiliation it is meant that you get up close and personal with your pillow on Sunday morning rather than going to church -- well, I think there's something wrong with your walk with the Lord -- up to and including that you really don't have one.

When Jesus taught hard truths about the cost of following Him, He lost followers.

In Acts, some Christians turned aside because the going got rough. They didn't like the pain of persecution and they decided to go back to being Jews or Saturn worshippers.

Historically, persecution has always refined the body of Christ. It takes a certain amount of courage, born of a steadfast faith, to say "I know you have the power to kill me for disobeying you, but I will choose to obey God rather than man." Peter and John had that courage. Paul had that courage. The Christians of the first three centuries of the church broke along that line of courage. The martyrs of the English Inquisition displayed that courage. It is a courage that only true Christians can evidence.

Thus, persecution refines the church. The Christian church has for 1700 years been a generally fine place of fellowship and raise a family and celebrate the milestones of your life. Its numbers grew during those times. When times came to take a stand -- as during the Reformation -- then some chose to stay seated or to run and hide in the corner. And, that seperates out those who are truly Christians and those who are just hanging out enjoying the vibe.