AWAKENING

 
AWAKENING
 
In his book, The Kings Cross: The Story of the World in the Life of Jesus author Timothy Keller tells about an interview with Andrew Walls a distinguished historian of world Christianity.  Walls noted that where other world religions began, that is still there center today.  Islam started in Arabia, at Mecca, and the Middle East is still the center of Islam today.  Buddhism started in the Far East and it is still the center of Buddhism.  The same with Hinduism—it began in India and it is still predominately an Indian religion.
 
He goes on to say that Christianity is the exception.  It’s center is always moving, always on a pilgrimage.  The original center of Christianity was Jerusalem, but when the Hellenistic gentiles embraced the faith it moved to the Hellenistic Mediterranean world- to Alexandria, North Africa and Rome and stayed there for a number of centuries.  But then the northern Europeans—Franks and Anglo-Saxons and Celts took hold of the Christian faith and soon the center of Christianity moved to northern Europe.  There (and in North America through colonization and immigration) the center has rested for a thousand years, but recently it is shifting again.
 
 
Walls points out, “In the twentieth century, Christianity receded in Europe, and North America it just barely kept up with the population growth.  Meanwhile in Latin America, Asia and Africa, it has been growing at up to ten times the population growth rate.  In the past decade a major corner was turned: More than 50% of Christians in the world now live in the southern hemisphere.”  
 
Walls interview has been on my heart and I want to leave you few thoughts.
 
1.        GOD IS A GLOBAL GOD.  God is truly at work around the world.  “For God so loved the world…”  Jesus has the world on his heart and He is at work in the lives of those who have a humble open heart to the Gospel.  He doesn’t play favorites and He speaks all languages.  It reminds me that if we are going to be a biblically based community of believers we need to be like Jesus and have the world on our heart.
 
2.       WE NEED TO JOIN GOD WHERE HE IS AT WORK.  “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you: you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1: 8   Our mission of taking the Gospel to the world as followers of Christ begins at home but it does end there.  We need to see where God is at work in our homes, community and church but we also need join God in His work around the world.  It reminds me that as believers and as a church family we need to have the world on our heart through prayer and mission involvement.  I am excited to see how we can engage the world as a body of believers.  Everyone in our church can be involved in this world mission in some way.  Some through prayer, some through giving and some through going.     I believe God has some exciting ways we can join Him in the future.
 
3.       WE NEED TO PRAY FOR A SPIRITUAL AWAKENING IN OUR NATION.  Wall’s interview reminded me that God is truly at work around the world but globally speaking not here.  As a nation, America is in spiritual decline.  I think the truth is we see it all around us.  If we are not careful our tendency is to set back as believers and critic and complain about the state of our nation but my question to you and to me is ARE WE PRAYING FOR OUR NATION? 
 
If renewal is to come, it needs to begin in me and in you.  I want to encourage you to pray for spiritual awakening in our country.  I want to encourage you to join me in daily  praying for a God sent spiritual renewal. One in which there would be no question about the fact that it was a sovereign move of God.  That it would begin in our lives, our homes, our community, our church.  If we as believers seek God with all our hearts, I believe our God will answer in a powerful way.  We have an incredible promise.  “If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”  II Chronicles 7: 14.  Let’s be a part of a great movement of God where history will record His undeniable work once again in North America.
 
Let’s remember we serve a great God and have an incredible  joy of joining Him in His kingdom agenda.  There is no greater privilege.
 
Pastor Scott