The Church is Unstoppable

Perhaps we are the mistaken ones.

USA Today - cites Gallup and Barna with some dire statistics - that US Church membership has dropped below 50% in the first time in 80 years and the share of practicing Christians has dropped in half since 2000.

Startling. Makes us ask the question - Is the church still viable?

Voltaire in the 16th Century said religion would crumble within fifty years

Predictions that the church is dying are not new.

In 1710, English thinker Thomas Woolston said Christianity would be gone by 1900.

Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels and Sigmund Freud each predicted that religion would soon disappear.

In 1882 the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche declared, “God is dead.”

In 1968 renowned sociologist Peter Berger wrote that in, “the 21st century, religious believers are likely to be found only in small sects, huddled together to resist a world wide secular culture.”

So, is that the case? Is Christianity dying and we are simply the holdouts? The last to recognize the trend?

No way! Far from dying, I would argue that the church is unstoppable!

Matthew 16:18 NIV

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

Jesus’ Vision for the Church

spread to the ends of the earth and include all nations

Matthew 28:18–19 NIV

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

1 Chronicles 16:24 NIV

Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

2 Peter 3:9 NIV

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Revelation 5:9–10 (NIV)

And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.

You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”

Jesus’ Vision for the Church

Certain people would like us to believe that the church is dying or that things are not going well in Christianity, but no matter how bad things look, history tells us that the church survives.

The Church is Resilient

The Waldensians

12th century

Inaccessible valleys in the Alps

attacked by armies seeking to suppress their heresies

Getting tired by the 16th century and many members returned to Catholicism

Heard rumors of a reformation taking place in Germany, Switzerland and France.

The Church is Resilient

Sent an emissary who confirmed the rumors

The Waldensians were greatly encouraged! - most doctrine agreed. Joined the protestant reformation.

The Waldensians living in France, who’s lands were most valuable, were invaded and practically exterminated. Those who survived fled to the Alps.

Edicts forbidding Protestant worship and commanding attendance at Mass.

The region of the Piedmont, which was more accessible, was invaded and the people fled to the Alps. The Waldensian community in the South of Italy was completely exterminated.

When it was clear that the Waldensians would not give up their faith, a larger army, supported by the Pope, was gathered.

The Church is Resilient

The Waldensians defended themselves and routed many invasions.

6 men held off an entire army at a pass - throwing rocks.

Peace - then plague. Only 2 pastors survived

1655 - commanded under penalty of death to sell their land and leave.

Army came to enforce the edict. Feigned peace. The waldensians, gave them food and shelter.

2 days later, the “peaceful” army attacked, killing men, women and children.

Still they resisted. and survived.

Some, tired of the constant attack, fled to exile. Others remained in their ancestral lands.

The Church is Resilient

Weren’t granted freedom until 1848.

Famine - 1850

After much debate, they finally decided to immigrate to Uruguay and later to Argentina.

In 1975 the two contingents of Waldensians made it clear that they were still one church by deciding that they would be governed by one synod.

Today, the Waldensian Church has 45,000 members - 30,000 in Italy and 15,000 in Uruguay and Argentina.

2 Corinthians 4:8–9 NIV

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

The Church is Resilient

The Waldensian church is a beautiful picture of resiliency

That is great the the church has survived against all odds. but maybe we are hearing these dire statistics and predictions because the church simply isn’t relevant anymore. What difference does it really make?

The Church is Relevant

Robert Woodberry’s research - studying the link between Protestantism missionary work and democracy.

His conclusion -the single, most important factor in a blossoming democracy today, was the presence of a 19th century missionary.

He writes:

“Areas where Protestant Missionaries had a significant presence in the past are on average more economically developed today, with comparatively better health, lower infant mortality, lower corruption, greater literacy, higher educational attainment (especially for women), and more robust membership in nongovernmental associations.”

That is a big claim! but his research is solid. In fact, when he published a summation of his 14 years of research in 2012 in the American Political Science Review, the disciplines top journal, he won four major awards.

But why? Why did the presence of missionaries make such a big difference?

Here are two short stories to illustrate the difference made by missionaries.

The Church is Relevant

What about today?

According to Sociologist Bradely Wright’s research, Christians who regularly attend church have lower divorce rates, watch fewer X rated movies, have lower adultery rates, and have lower rates of drunkenness. In addition, Christians who attend church regularly have lower rates of domestic violence, have commited fewer crimes and are less likely to use illicit drugs.

In short, the church is making a difference!

I guess the author of hebrews was right...

Hebrews 10:24–25 NIV

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

The Church is Relevant

Ok, you say, fine. The church is resilient and relevant, but isn’t the church still in decline?

The Church is Viral

Statistics say show that Christianity is declining in the United States, but that isn’t the whole story.

In the U.S. mainline Christianity has seen a significant decline in the last two decades, but Evangelical numbers have been holding steady.

Percent of the world population that are Christian - 1970 - 33.2% 2020 - 33.3%

In addition, worldwide, the percent of Christians is holding steady from 33.2% of the world’s population in 1970 to 33.3% in 2020.

Number of Christians in the world - 1970-1.2 Billion 2020 - 2.6 Billion

Not only has Christianity held steady and grown with the population of the world, different dimensions of Christianity have grown.

Pentecostals and Charismatics have gone from 5.1% of Christianity in 1970 to 27.8% in 2020

In addition, the geographical location of Christianity has shifted from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern.

In 1970 Christians in Africa, Asian and Latin America represented 41.3% of Christians worldwide. By 2020 they represented 64.7%

Christianity is growing, shifting and adapting, but it is certainly not dying. Even when it appears to be dying, it isn’t. Take China for example.

The Church is Viral

Establishing churches in China was difficult. Many times there were started and then squashed out. In the 16th century the Jesuits managed to found a small church. It survived another period of isolation and was leading a precarious existence by the 19th century when missionaries were allowed in again.

The Chinese government did not favor the presence of “Western Barbarians” and missionaries were only allowed in certain areas. Converts were very slow in coming.

The Church is Viral

Then war broke out - end- special provisions for missionaries and Christians.

Christianity began growing.

Boxer Rebellion 1899-1901 - violent expression of resentment toward foreign intervention.

over 30,000 Chinese Christians were killed.

in 1911 the way was cleared for missionaries once again. Church was flourishing. tens of thousands of missionaries. leaders were being trained. future was bright.

The Church is Viral

Instead of converting the whole nation, as some expected, World War II broke out. Then the Cold War, then the Cultural Revolution.

During these years practically all foreign missionaries left the country.

in 1950 - things got worse. Church consolidation, confiscation of church property. Then during the Cultural Revolution, persecution and the closing of all churches.

Fear that Christianity in China would disappear.

The Church is Viral

walking and nodding past old church buildings. meeting in secret small groups.

1970- more freedom to Chinese Christians. Christianity in China had grown!

1900 - 5 million Christians.

1970 - 50 million and it is still growing today.

Acts 8:1 (NIV)

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

Acts 8:4 NIV

Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.

The Church is Unstoppable

The Church is resilient, relevant and viral. It has overcome all odds, made huge differences in the lives of individuals and the world and it is growing!

But there is still work to be done. Jesus’ vision was that the church would bring his good news to all nations.

As of 2020 it is estimated that there are still 1,900 unreached people groups in the world.

It is thought that only 9.9% of non-christians in Western Asian have contact with a Christian. 11.9% in South-Central Aisa and Northern Africa and 20.8% in Northern Europe.

That means, out of 100 non-Christians, only 10 of them have ever known a believer.

In 2010, 1 in 5 Children globally was under weight. 1/3 of the children in Southern Asia were under weight.

The UN estimates that in 2012 863 million people live in slums

That is compared to 260 million in 1970

Although 1 in 6 people globally live in slums, few than 1 in 500 missionaries work in slums

The Church is Unstoppable

The church is not dying. It is alive and growing and worth being a part of.

But there is still work to be done to fulfill Jesus’ vision of a church with people from all nations.

I will leave you with words from Paul in Romans 10:14

Romans 10:14 NIV

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?