Our ancestors have presided over the demise and collapse of Christianity in the Western world. It has tumbled to the ground. Congregations close their doors weekly as once flourishing facilities fold up and shut their doors. The marvelous and majestic cross of Jesus Christ fades in the twilight of this, the post-modern after morning. The way of emptiness reigns; a vacuous consumerism matched with a flashy media landscape flooding our minds with depravity, lawlessness, hyper-skepticism, and sexual frenzy.
The children of the older generation all around us declare their superiority over the old religions, the old foolish ways of the past. The rise of the "non-religious" make mighty declarations:
"There is no God"
"God endorses slavery!"
"All religions are the same thing"
"All the wars in the name of religion!"
"The Bible is bad because it doesn't endorse homosexuality!"
On and on and on the list goes. All such objections are definitively contestable, but I wonder if they really want an answer? Or more so, are they seeking a quick slogan, a devastating one-liner that conveniently side-steps the central question: "What if God is really real?"
On and on and on the list goes. All such objections are definitively contestable, but I wonder if they really want an answer? Or more so, are they seeking a quick slogan, a devastating one-liner that conveniently side-steps the central question: "What if God is really real?"
Despite all the evidences for God's existence, and there are mountains of evidence, little of it sees the light of day, because it seems we simply don't want it to be true. Post-modernism is the perfect sugar pill that tells me everything I want to hear: Nothing matters, there is no truth, there is no god, and I can make up whatever meaning feels right to me. And suddenly, I'm off to the races, to do anything.
This has happened from the very beginning of time. The first generation witnesses the blessings of God (such as in the history of Israel), and their children turn from God. Or as I heard it explained, the first generation accepts faith with proof, the second generation assumes faith without proof, and then the third generation raised on faith without logical proofs turns from that faith and declares their superiority over the old faith.
I can see it all around me. There are two different places in town, just here in Wausau where I feel quite uncomfortable while I'm there. Panera bread in Wausau, I used to host a Bible study there. And every Thursday this young kid, probably 16, seeing our shirts and the Bibles would just glare across the counter. And every time since then I go to Panera and I get that same glare and sharp attitude when I order. It's the same thing at a coffee shop I frequent. I recall one day I wrote on the cover of a Bible "free" and I left it out for someone to take if they wanted. Next time I went there one of the assistant managers, he had pulled the Bible behind the counter and he tossed it onto the table in front of me next time I was there, like, "we don't want this here." Which I suppose is his right, but it didn't feel very good.
Wausau, Wisconsin is quite a traditional bastion still even with all the changes in their country, population of about 80,000. But one by one the churches in the area are closing their doors, mostly Catholic and Lutheran congregations. And if you go to Madison, Wisconsin and try discussing Christianity in public wow, the hostility just vibrates off people. You can just feel it, sense it. There were a few moments when I thought I might be attacked verbally from across the room.
But that is the way of things. Social and cultural changes begin in the big cities, Madison, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and then slowly the smaller cities change as a result too, like say in Wisconsin cities like Green Bay, Eau Claire, Wausau, Stevens Point, and Sheboygan. It just takes a bit longer.
Christianity was really caught unprepared, with aging leadership and honestly, arrogance. It was cultural to attend church for many decades. There was no need or desire for apologetics, science, philosophy, or even fun, and in no more than thirty or forty years, the great experiment of Christian-influenced culture seemed to crumble across Europe and the United States. Strangely enough at the same time Christianity began to grow by leaps and bounds in China, South Korea, and the Middle east.
There are many contributing factors, but much of the blame falls on the church. The church has failed their own children and sent their children off into a world of sin. Certainly the secularism doesn't help. The socialist atheist professors at once Christian universities brainwashing untold hundreds of thousands of students into dead ideologies doesn't help either. The mainstream media and Hollywood's insane dive into sexual depravity and sin celebration has certainly done untold damage to millions and millions of young impressionable minds. And the corrupt mega-corporations, bankers, and politicians certainly cause incredible outrage. But it's worse than that, the awful conglomeration of government and business into a sort of oligarchy of the wealthy and powerful has led to poverty, inflation, broken homes, and strained overworked spiritually bankrupt people. Then there is the genocide of 65 million children by the unspeakable horror of child sacrifice our culture dresses up in the guise of abortion, or "choice."
It's ugly. It's bad. And it's getting worse, not better. Which is why I write this today. We need heroes. We need action-oriented heroes, working day and night for the truth. We need humble leaders. We need dedicated, genuine, hard working, brave, inspired, and pragmatic new leaders. We need heroes.
This is a call, a humble request, for new, young heroes of the faith. Rise up my brothers and sisters. Rise up now. Now, today. You are so needed. Your ancestors have presided over the collapse of the faith we rejected. But I'm calling on you to take up the rusty broken banners of the Christian faith and begin your triumphant campaigns across the west to lead the fallen, broken, lost, "tolerant" masses back to the truth!
You will be hated for it, you will be shunned for it, you will be mocked for it, but the truth is on your side; the scientific truth, the moral truth, the philosophical truth, the reasonable truth, when it's all boiled down, all these forces of truth belong to the Christian, even if they have been rejected and lost by prior generations.
The older generations, when they see you rising up young leaders, some may try to stop you, dim your light, or even shun you. They may call you judgmental or not kind enough. They may say you need to tone it down or be more tolerant. Some may force you right out the doors of the church, and try to lock you out because they're afraid of your passion and drive for Jesus Christ. Not only will you face the "tolerant" post-modern spirit of the age, mocking you and shutting you out, but you'll face the self-righteous remnants of fading Christendom attempting to shut you out, quiet you down, and guide you toward the lukewarm sleepy religion so ubiquitous among the modern church. Believe it, I've faced both personally.
Nevertheless great warriors, great minds, young heroes, you are so needed, if you're out there now, please, rise up, and work hard, never give up and keep fighting even when all hate you and despise you and shun you for the beautiful cross of Jesus Christ! And refuel your fire, your passion for the Bible, for God, for the truth, love the truth, adore the grace, and take a stand for Jesus Christ the Lord of the Universe!
Operate in the wilderness, make bastions of your homes and towns to stand against the night, the tidal wave of sin celebration approaching from the cities; set up outposts of hope and truth, devise plans and operate in boldness and love and truth. Setup lighthouses of hope in the big cities, shine brightly the beacons of truth across the nation; operate like John the Baptist amongst the wilderness, boldly proclaiming the truth of the gospel, raw, uncut, genuine, full, wise, humble... share, proclaim boldly and bravely!
You are so needed young hero, and all is against you, but God the Father is for you, and since he is for you, none can stand against you. Prayers are out for you young heroes, that you would be raised up, equipped, and fired up to the core with genuine drive, passion, fire, and incredible faith in your Lord, your Savior, your Comforter whom says to you: "Go forth and make disciples of all nations!" Lead the revolution, lead the young and old back to the truth!
Amen.
This has happened from the very beginning of time. The first generation witnesses the blessings of God (such as in the history of Israel), and their children turn from God. Or as I heard it explained, the first generation accepts faith with proof, the second generation assumes faith without proof, and then the third generation raised on faith without logical proofs turns from that faith and declares their superiority over the old faith.
I can see it all around me. There are two different places in town, just here in Wausau where I feel quite uncomfortable while I'm there. Panera bread in Wausau, I used to host a Bible study there. And every Thursday this young kid, probably 16, seeing our shirts and the Bibles would just glare across the counter. And every time since then I go to Panera and I get that same glare and sharp attitude when I order. It's the same thing at a coffee shop I frequent. I recall one day I wrote on the cover of a Bible "free" and I left it out for someone to take if they wanted. Next time I went there one of the assistant managers, he had pulled the Bible behind the counter and he tossed it onto the table in front of me next time I was there, like, "we don't want this here." Which I suppose is his right, but it didn't feel very good.
Wausau, Wisconsin is quite a traditional bastion still even with all the changes in their country, population of about 80,000. But one by one the churches in the area are closing their doors, mostly Catholic and Lutheran congregations. And if you go to Madison, Wisconsin and try discussing Christianity in public wow, the hostility just vibrates off people. You can just feel it, sense it. There were a few moments when I thought I might be attacked verbally from across the room.
But that is the way of things. Social and cultural changes begin in the big cities, Madison, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and then slowly the smaller cities change as a result too, like say in Wisconsin cities like Green Bay, Eau Claire, Wausau, Stevens Point, and Sheboygan. It just takes a bit longer.
Christianity was really caught unprepared, with aging leadership and honestly, arrogance. It was cultural to attend church for many decades. There was no need or desire for apologetics, science, philosophy, or even fun, and in no more than thirty or forty years, the great experiment of Christian-influenced culture seemed to crumble across Europe and the United States. Strangely enough at the same time Christianity began to grow by leaps and bounds in China, South Korea, and the Middle east.
There are many contributing factors, but much of the blame falls on the church. The church has failed their own children and sent their children off into a world of sin. Certainly the secularism doesn't help. The socialist atheist professors at once Christian universities brainwashing untold hundreds of thousands of students into dead ideologies doesn't help either. The mainstream media and Hollywood's insane dive into sexual depravity and sin celebration has certainly done untold damage to millions and millions of young impressionable minds. And the corrupt mega-corporations, bankers, and politicians certainly cause incredible outrage. But it's worse than that, the awful conglomeration of government and business into a sort of oligarchy of the wealthy and powerful has led to poverty, inflation, broken homes, and strained overworked spiritually bankrupt people. Then there is the genocide of 65 million children by the unspeakable horror of child sacrifice our culture dresses up in the guise of abortion, or "choice."
It's ugly. It's bad. And it's getting worse, not better. Which is why I write this today. We need heroes. We need action-oriented heroes, working day and night for the truth. We need humble leaders. We need dedicated, genuine, hard working, brave, inspired, and pragmatic new leaders. We need heroes.
This is a call, a humble request, for new, young heroes of the faith. Rise up my brothers and sisters. Rise up now. Now, today. You are so needed. Your ancestors have presided over the collapse of the faith we rejected. But I'm calling on you to take up the rusty broken banners of the Christian faith and begin your triumphant campaigns across the west to lead the fallen, broken, lost, "tolerant" masses back to the truth!
You will be hated for it, you will be shunned for it, you will be mocked for it, but the truth is on your side; the scientific truth, the moral truth, the philosophical truth, the reasonable truth, when it's all boiled down, all these forces of truth belong to the Christian, even if they have been rejected and lost by prior generations.
The older generations, when they see you rising up young leaders, some may try to stop you, dim your light, or even shun you. They may call you judgmental or not kind enough. They may say you need to tone it down or be more tolerant. Some may force you right out the doors of the church, and try to lock you out because they're afraid of your passion and drive for Jesus Christ. Not only will you face the "tolerant" post-modern spirit of the age, mocking you and shutting you out, but you'll face the self-righteous remnants of fading Christendom attempting to shut you out, quiet you down, and guide you toward the lukewarm sleepy religion so ubiquitous among the modern church. Believe it, I've faced both personally.
Nevertheless great warriors, great minds, young heroes, you are so needed, if you're out there now, please, rise up, and work hard, never give up and keep fighting even when all hate you and despise you and shun you for the beautiful cross of Jesus Christ! And refuel your fire, your passion for the Bible, for God, for the truth, love the truth, adore the grace, and take a stand for Jesus Christ the Lord of the Universe!
Operate in the wilderness, make bastions of your homes and towns to stand against the night, the tidal wave of sin celebration approaching from the cities; set up outposts of hope and truth, devise plans and operate in boldness and love and truth. Setup lighthouses of hope in the big cities, shine brightly the beacons of truth across the nation; operate like John the Baptist amongst the wilderness, boldly proclaiming the truth of the gospel, raw, uncut, genuine, full, wise, humble... share, proclaim boldly and bravely!
You are so needed young hero, and all is against you, but God the Father is for you, and since he is for you, none can stand against you. Prayers are out for you young heroes, that you would be raised up, equipped, and fired up to the core with genuine drive, passion, fire, and incredible faith in your Lord, your Savior, your Comforter whom says to you: "Go forth and make disciples of all nations!" Lead the revolution, lead the young and old back to the truth!
Amen.
