STAND FIRM: The Future the American Church - So, If the Church Will Face Challenges, Then What?

      This series has been looking at the future of America and the future of the church according to biblical prophecy. Of course, the church’s future is far clearer in Scripture than we can deduce to understand our nation’s future. After laying out the future, I’ve aimed at how we can be practically prepared, asking what tangible ways we can move toward being Christ-followers and churches who remain faithful rather than those who turn away. I by no means have the answers, but I’m hoping to stir this conversation.

      The last article in the series looked at some practical considerations we can make since we can conclude that America will at least not be the unilateral superpower it is today. In this article, I want to focus on the practical steps that can be made in our own following of Jesus and our churches. In the first article on the church’s future, we looked at three passages that give an overview of churches and the state of Christianity at the end of the age — Matt. 24:9-14, Rev. 6:9-11 and Dan. 12:1-3.

      These three passages painted the same picture — a very challenging time for the church while, at the same time, the church rising to extraordinary heights and making a true impact. Matthew tells us the church will fulfill the Great Commission. The passage in Revelation says there will be those who keep the Word of God and live out a powerful and faithful testimony. The passage in Daniel talks about wise believers who shine and help others to the truth. Those are the good things, but the major challenges mentioned in all of them are persecution and the repercussions of that on the church and the world becoming more and more sinful and infiltrating the church.

      Though this seems to be universal at the end of the age — we’ve seen this already throughout history and even today in nations where Christians are persecuted. In those times in history when the church was persecuted, the gospel grew the most, and the church made its greatest impact. Today, it is nations like Iran and Afghanistan that lead the world in the growth of the gospel, but these are two of the most dangerous places to be a believer.

      This seems to be a constant — when the church is hit the hardest or when the world is the darkest and most oppressive, the church and the gospel grow and bring transformation. That is a principle we need to establish in our churches and in our circles of Christian friends, but I believe there is a caveat American churches also need to recognize.

      Gospel spreading and a church on fire happen in the most oppressive locations and environments, but that seems to be when the gospel spreads for the first time. The same does not seem to be the case in places where the gospel once blossomed due to fierce persecution and oppression. The underground church then went “above ground” as persecution waned, but the persecution came back. Today, for the most part, the gospel is taking hold in Iran and Afghanistan in a way that it never has before. The gospel and the church excel in that dark, oppressive environment.

      We see this in the Mediterranean nations the Apostle Paul brought the gospel to in the first century. Modern-day Turkey became the hotbed for the first Gentile churches. The letters to Ephesus and Galatia were to believers in modern-day Turkey. The seven churches of Asia in Revelation were in modern-day Turkey. These churches rose despite persecution and oppressive paganism, but eventually, that persecution returned under Islam and stomped out Christianity. In such locations, the gospel has not caught hold in a major way again. We see this in Europe today as the once chief location of Christianity has waned and few fires flicker today.

      I believe the church does thrive in persecution and oppression and when this happens in the United States, we will fare more like the ancient churches of Asia Minor and, more recently, Europe. That doesn’t mean there won’t still be those who remain faithful, but it means it will be extra difficult. It will be believers who are growing in ways and developing communities of believers that can continue against the tide of persecution and increased darkness that will thrive.

      We can begin now by talking about it, heeding the warnings, strengthening our walks with the Lord and creating faith communities that can withstand these trials.

         — Jake is a state missionary and would love to share about the work in Northwest Arkansas and encourage your church to stand firm. (standfirmministries.com)