The Sleeping Giant Woke up and Got Saved

Newsweek's recent cover story, "The Rise and Fall of Christian America," produced quite a bit of handwringing among American Christians. "Can it really be true?" we wondered. "And if it is true, what will become of the rest of the world?"

The bad news is that the Christianity in the USA is truly a pale shadow of its former self. The good news is that Jesus Christ is doing a victory march around the rest of the world! Think about these statistics, for example:

• The Christian Church imay be the largest church in China or the world. It's true the Chinese government numbers the church at only 16 million, but that's just the "registered" Christians in state churches. It has been suggested that there are more than 6,000 illegal churches meeting in homes in Beijing alone. People in the know estimate there are between 35 million to 150 million Christians worshipping in house churches across the mainland!
• In Africa, Christian churches have become so prevalent and so powerful that it won't be long before they are sending missionaries back to Post-Christian America! In Kampala, Uganda, for instance, Kampala Pentecostal not only draws thousands to worship on Sundays, but cares for hundreds or AIDS/HIV orphans in several locations around the city. Churches like this are legion in Africa.
• Across Latin America and South America, revivals are sweeping whole cities. The Pentecostal fire that is burning in these nations is in sharp contrast to the traditional Catholicism which was dominant for so long.

Gone are the days when the USA was the global center for the Christian Faith. That position of influence is rapidly shifting to the African continent. While we were busy making peace with the culture, they were determined to preach the Word in season and out. A generation later, they are enjoying revival. And here in America, atheists now outnumber Episcopalians.

Frankly, the fact that we still think of ourselves as "American" Christians reveals how earth bound and parochial we are. When you and I come to accept the Scriptural truth that we are all citizens of Heaven; when that becomes our highest allegiance; we will realize we are part of the African Church and the Asian Church as well. We all belong to the True Church of Jesus Christ. We are all brothers, sisters and joint heirs!

And when we do finally realize our highest allegiance is to Christ, perhaps we can finally stop worshipping Success and Self. At a moment like that, we might begin to experience True Repentance. And who knows? God might smile and pour out revival on the paralyzed and unconscious part of his family living in America. Selah.