Evangelical collapse.

[daughter]

This article, examining the coming collapse of evangelism in the US.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20090310...A6YLu.560DW7oF

And this short video on youtube, warning of the consequences.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7UyZ...re=recommended

[9Marksfan]

Very telling - I'd seen the Paul Washer one before - could very well be prophetic. Btw, I'm guessing you meant evangelICALism?

[Joe King]

Good article. We all know that it is coming and that the persecution of Christians has been foretold by God. I feel so sad for those who will fall away due to pressure from non-believers.

[Semi-tortured]

While its probably true, Christian Science is widely considered a cult and that article is an opinion article from the Christian Science Monitor. The basic facts of the article are undoubtedly true, but they are coming from a compromised source.

[HisLeast]

Never the less. Someone will put a bullet between my eyes before I ever say the church is dead in America. I have tasted its charity. I have witnessed its selflessness. I have witnessed its determination. If it makes me a pariah amongst my peers (and/or other Christians) I will not forsake it nor condemn it.

[Oma]

Well, it matters not what the Christian Science Monitor thinks, for the Lord has promised..

and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Matt 16:18 (KJV)

All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matt 28:18-20 (KJV)

Persecution though very unpleasant for the flesh will give the churches a good cleansing!

[Veretax]

I disagree with this article.

You can't refer to Mainline, and then call them Evangelical in the same sentence. Evangelicals are not Mainline. Mainline are the most liberal churches in America which include some of the Presbyterian, Methodist, and another denomination who's name escapes me. The article is trying to paint Mainline as All Christianity, and then saying that Evangelicalism will die. I disagree.


Edit:

Note I'm not intending to paint all Presbyterian or Methodist with a broad brush, but there are many which teach or allow things contrary to scripture concerning Marriage, Homosexuality, Christ's Divinity, etc. In such churches, yes eventually they will die because people will be wondering why they are even there when they don't even believe the word of God.

[Semi-tortured]

Another problem I have with the article is the notion that evangelicals are and will be converting into Roman Catholics.

Two of the beneficiaries will be the Roman Catholic and Orthodox communions. Evangelicals have been entering these churches in recent decades and that trend will continue, with more efforts aimed at the "conversion" of Evangelicals to the Catholic and Orthodox traditions.

From everything I've seen, it seems more Roman Catholics are converting to Christianity, not the other way around. In fact, I don't know a single person who converted from Protestant to RC. And my wife is Mexican so I have plenty of exposure to RCs. My wife was a Roman Catholic turned Protestant. Her Aunt and Uncle moved over to the Protestant side. From my experience, that statement by the author seems false. Maybe it isn't and he has tons of stats to prove it. But living in So Cal (an RC hotbed due to the high Mexican population) I see the opposite trend happening.

[daughter]

I think the author is extrapolating from a statistic of one... his wife converted to Roman Catholicism.

Although I don't agree with everything in the article, I think it has some points of interest. I didn't know as much about him as you guys do. Thanks for all the feedback.

I think the public face of Christianity is going to change, and that true Christians will encounter more and more persecution. But on the plus side, true Christians will be easier to spot, and it's easier to walk with God when you're suffering. You realise there is Nobody else to trust.

[Rhyfelwr]

I think Christians, especially those of the Reformed variety, will increasingly be seen as hateful fundamentalists, hateful, intolerant, etc (who here hasn't been accused of such things).

Indeed, on another forum, on Catholic told me that I'm a Calvinist and not a Christian. But incredibly, Muslims are Christians! Below is an extract of John Paul II's 'Catechism of the Catholic Church':

"The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day."

Indeed, an Anglican told me that it is perfectly legitimate for the Pope to acknowledge that Muslims worship the God of Abraham, and yet the God of John Calvin is a murderous tyrant!

And to rub salt into the wound, here he is kissing the Koran:



And now a Palace of all Religions is being built on Rome. Half the Anglican Church is looking to return to Rome, while the other half is going liberal. There are talks between Lutherans and Catholics over reuniting. It doesn't take a great deal of imagination to see the incorporation of the Orthodox Churches. The Catholic Church may be tolerant, but it is far from Christian (I speak of the church as an institution, since there are many Catholics who are saved of course). Never before has a mainstream Christian church played the harlot to this extent, and it is becoming increasingly evident to be the church of revelation.

[JesusMySavior]

As long as there are uncompromising saints on this earth, the church will not die. As long as the saints persevere in the grace of God through Jesus Christ and are not backslidden or have lost their zeal, evangelism will not cease.

The question is - are YOU a soul winner?

Do it for Christ, the time is short. Don't think twice about leaving here with someone's blood on your hands

[danield]

I personally do not think the church will ever die, but I do see Christianity becoming out of vogue in the next 15 years or so. By this I mean people will have other issues that will rule their lives, and many forms of spirituality will lead them into false religions. I do think sin will grow to the point that the public will become callous to extraordinary living conditions. Weather it is gay marriage or drug abuse, the public’s eye will learn to accept this type of behavior. However, I do think a great awareness will grow from Christians as we approach many more birth pangs signs signaling the return of Christ, but those signs will be countered by scoffing of non-believers to try and keep non believers influence in vogue IE Bill Maher. I do not think we will be persecuted until the tribulation starts.

[JesusMySavior]

I personally do not think the church will ever die, but I do see Christianity becoming out of vogue in the next 15 years or so. By this I mean people will have other issues that will rule their lives, and many forms of spirituality will lead them into false religions. I do think sin will grow to the point that the public will become callous to extraordinary living conditions. Weather it is gay marriage or drug abuse, the public’s eye will learn to accept this type of behavior. However, I do think a great awareness will grow from Christians as we approach many more birth pangs signs signaling the return of Christ, but those signs will be countered by scoffing of non-believers to try and keep non believers influence in vogue IE Bill Maher. I do not think we will be persecuted until the tribulation starts.

It has never been "in vogue" to follow Christ. If it is, then we've been serving the wrong god. The world will always be the world no matter what, but there will soon come a time where many countries and peoples will turn their backs on God in order to serve a false idol of comfort and pleasure.

[danield]

I think if you would look at the percentage of people in America over the last 100 years that call themselves Christians, it was extremely high. It has been dropping in recent history.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/03/...9841236624212/

HARTFORD, Conn., March 9 (UPI) -- A survey of more than 54,000 people suggests U.S. residents who call themselves Christian has dropped significantly since 1990.
Those interviewed who do call themselves Christian increasingly identify as "non-denominational," "evangelical" or "born again," rather than use a denominational label, such as Methodist or Lutheran, reported the American Religious Identification Survey released Monday.
In the survey, the percentage of people identifying themselves as Christians dropped from 86 percent of the population in 1990 to 76 percent last year, The Washington Post (NYSE:WPO) reported.
Funded by the Lilly Endowment and the Posen Foundation, the survey was conducted between February and November of last year by researchers at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn.
The survey, conducted in 1990, 2001 and last year, is one of the largest surveys of religion in the United States, the Post reported.

[NHL Fever]

It has never been "in vogue" to follow Christ. If it is, then we've been serving the wrong god. The world will always be the world no matter what, but there will soon come a time where many countries and peoples will turn their backs on God in order to serve a false idol of comfort and pleasure.

You know I think is has been in vogue in various times in history to follow Christ. For example America from its inception until about 20-30 years. But I agree the majority of recorded time, being a Christian did not get you much.

What has always been popular throughout history is following whatever justifies your own pride. That will not change. I think the difference today is you can outwardly state you are pursuing precisely that, and its perfectly socially alright to do so. That, and the fact that wide-spread encouragement of that way of thinking via the media has never before been witnessed on such a scale.