The Fastly Changing America, the Decline of Christianity, and the Need for Revival: 4 Major Sins That Call for Immediate Repentance
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Pew Research predicted that by 2070, Christianity will be a plurality, but not the majority. I predicted around 2015/2016 that the traditional church would be drastically less effective than it has been in the past. I reiterated these sentiments towards the end of 2018, and here we are after COVID-19 far removed from the Christian norm we once knew.
I submit to you that this is all in the good intentions of God, who wants to revive this dying country so she may rejoice in the God of her salvation (Psalm 85:6). Such a revival amidst a declining nation must be brought about by a serious commitment to prayer and fasting. Furthermore, it must be brought about with true repentance. And if repentance is necessary for revival we must recognize what it is we must repent for. Therefore, I submit the following sins of the American church and those which requires our repentance in order to experience true revival:
4 Major Sins that Calls for Immediate Repentance:
1. Sin of greed and materialism
Churches are getting many donations online and online church participation has increased.
• In just a single year, over $2.2 billion in church donations were given online.
• 44% of people prefer to engage in prayer from home.
• 53% of practicing Christians streamed their churches’ services online.
Out of every $4 people in the U.S. donate, $3 is given to religious organizations.Congregations in the U.S. earn a huge amount of money every year.
• The latest church revenue statistics show that religious congregations in the U.S. take in around $74.5 billion per year. Around 17 million American Christians visit the official websites of their churches regularly.
The Bible says, in 1 Timothy 6:6-10 “6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out. 8 If we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. 9 But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
2. Sin of pride, arrogance, and narcissism
Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is one of 10 personality disorders recognized in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
A recent national study by the American Association of Christian Counselors found that 31.2% of active ordained pastors scored in the diagnostic range for narcissistic personality disorder.
Stein’s (2003) 5 attributes of a narcissistic church:
Members will believe their organization to be extraordinarily special and unique. This is not normal pride but is instead highly exaggerated to the point of delusion.
A powerful sense of self-aggrandizement and entitlement leads to a kind of unconscious imperialism or an unconscious omnipotence:
The organization is all powerful and . . . cannot recognize that anything of value might exist outside its boundaries.
The organization believes itself to be omniscient; that is ,it has access to all information, both internal and external, that is relevant to the organization and interprets the information correctly.
The delusional lows it not only to be dismissive of other organizations, people and information, but also to treat them with a kind of triumphant contempt.
These attributes become permanently embedded in organizational functioning (pp. 537–538).
Solomon wrote in Proverbs 16:18 “18 Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall.” He also wrote in Proverbs 11:2 “2 When arrogance comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom.” Paul added to this in 1 Timothy 3:6 “6 He [a leader] must not be a new convert, or he might become conceited and incur the same condemnation as the devil.
3. Sin of sexual immorality
According to a research conducted by Barna Group, 64% of U.S. Christian men and 15% of U.S. Christian women admitted to watching pornography 12 times a year; 25% of pastors admit they are currently battling with pornography or sexual addiction according to Focus on the Family survey; 33% clergy stated they had visited sexually explicit websites according to Christianity Today survey.
A study conducted in 2000 from Christianity Today shows that 45 percent of Christians indicate having done something sexually inappropriate, and 23 percent having extramarital intercourse (Anderson, 2000). These numbers pretty much mirror the national averages.
According to a study by Church Law and Tax, one in every six employees or volunteers reported being sexually harassed in the Church or ministry context. Seventy percent of respondents said they were harassed by more than one person, and of those who reported their harassment, 66% reported that no action was taken (regardless of whether they were believed).
57% of Christians believe it is acceptable to participate in casual sex outside of committed relationships.
Scripture teaches in Ephesians 5:3 “3 But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you, as is proper for saints.”
4. Sin of division
Estimations show there are more than 200 Christian denominations in the U.S. and a staggering 45,000 globally, according to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity.
Jesus prayed in John 17:21 “21 May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me.”