We are not making history; we are DISAPPOINTING IT! With one important distinction, the 21st Century Church is nothing like the 1st Century Church. At least, not yet!
The early Church existed during the time of the Roman Army’s occupation of Israel and Judah, and especially the City of Jerusalem. The Roman Empire was the most influential world power at the time, corrupting the subdued peoples and cultures with idolatry and immorality.
Sounds familiar?
Our great and mighty nation is doing the same thing and replacing the God of our Fathers with the Power of the State and inflicting upon us its immorality, cancel culture, and wokeisim.
In addition, the early Church suffered tremendous threats and persecution, as well as death by the religious zealots. These religious leaders and their disciples were the Early Church’s main archenemy in most of Asia Minor countries and cities, as well as the more significant Mediterranean areas.
They wanted to silence the preaching and testimony of Jesus Christ and keep his teachings from spreading and ruining their religious influence, power, and control of the people.
Sounds familiar?
The LGBT- XYZ community and its religious zealots and political activists are trying to silence the preaching and testimony of Jesus Christ and keep his teachings from spreading and ruining their influence and control over the people and culture. They are trying to destroy Christianity by infiltrating our churches, ministries, schools, and organizations, including our Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and all wholesome cultural institutions.
How about the Islamic Extremists-Jihadists’ insatiable appetite for the blood of Christians and infidels?
The tables are turned, and this group of fanatics is threatening to wipe out even the Jews and all of Israel. And now it appears an alliance between the far left, including the Socialists and Marxists are, forming an unholy alliance with the Jihadists against Christianity and the Jewish people. Now the “enemy of my enemy is my friend” has again become the mantra, whereby two evils join forces to destroy their common enemy, which is you and me!
Sounds familiar?
All of the Apostles, including many of the Early Church Fathers and their families, were arrested, tortured, and murdered, not just because of their faith but more so because of their outspoken proclamation of their dedication to the Gentile Nations and Jews in Israel and beyond.
And let me add this one thing:
THEY WERE NOT ARRESTED, TORTURED, OR MURDERED WHILE PREACHING IN THE COMFORTS OF THEIR CHURCHES BUT IN THE MARKET PLACES AND PLACES WHERE UNSAVED GENTILE PEOPLE GATHERED.
I agree with John Zaste; our proclamation needs to go way beyond the walls and doors of our Churches. It is not enough to invite unsaved people to visit our Churches to hear the Gospel. Too many Churches are not preaching the Gospel anyway. Also, the past century has shown us that indoor Church preaching has done little to impact our culture, cities, and country.
Our nation has thousands of Christian universities and colleges. Still, these have not persuaded our government, influenced our politics or culture, or provided us with preachers like the Apostle Paul or the Apostle Peter.
We’ve squandered the Gospel by preaching it only to the choir!
The early Church would not have had the impact it enjoyed if it did not invade its culture and challenged the prevailing philosophies of its time. The early Church’s message would’ve petered out (sorry, Peter) had it confined and limited its services within its sanctuaries and preaching to believers. Oh, wait, they had no palatial buildings, steeples, or chapels. They had each other, and they met in their homes, and yet it was they that changed the world!
Christians, along with Jews and the Unborn, are being dehumanized. But not to marginalize us, but to ultimately murder us. The Evil of our age is out to destroy all who hold to the testimony of Jesus Christ and those who obey His commands. All those that value life and God.
Revelations 12:7
“…Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring–those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.”
We need just a little more similarity.
Call To Courage 