America, has been known for more than 300 years as... “The land of the free and the home of the brave”. Known as the country that inspired the rest of the world with its freedom and democracy, a nation “under God” a Christian nation known for sending thousands of gospel preaching missionaries to all part of the world.
Is American still the Christian country it claims to be? Is it what most of our founding fathers meant for it to be when they drafted a bill of rights and a constitution that stood for liberty as well as “freedom of religion?”
Sadly, the nation that was once the greatest force for missions in the world, has become the field in greatest need of mission outreach.
There is no argument that American preachers and churches have inspired positive outreach around the world. However, their ability and willingness to continue doing so is being threatened by a culture that ignores truth and biblical principles while openly mocking those who cleave to Godly principles and values.
The evidence of openness in America to proclaim the gospel remained strong for over 300 years. It was important for early church planting evangelists to see that every community had a church. With the great migration west in the 1800s, the gospel swept across America and the church was the focal point in every community. The church was one of the first buildings constructed as communities were established. Many of those churches were the homes of the first schools. The preacher and his wife were often the first teachers and the Bible was the first text book. Our great grand parents learned to read from the Holy Bible. Even when schools moved from churches to a pubic setting, “The Pledge of Allegiance” and prayer were part of every morning.
From the earliest days of America, dedicated believers called “missionaries” left the security and comfort of their homes, families, country and church to take the “good news”, the “gospel”, across the known world.
This is how it had been for more than three hundred years, until something went very wrong. The church as we have seen it for three centuries has changed drastically. Many of the small town American churches have simply closed their doors. Large mega Churches became regional worship centers serving a number of small towns with newer facilities, larger youth and children’s programs, up to date style of worship and other activities that met the needs of increasingly secular families more concerned with social matters rather than truth and spiritual growth.
God, the gospel of salvation, the care and concern for others have been marginalized by the secularization of Christianity in America. In the book, Resurrecting the Church, author Frank Fears says this... “Our ranks are swollen with non-believers unable to articulate a salvation testimony, or even a grasp of the biblical plan of salvation. Most of our churches, if not completely dead, are paralyzed. This is the result of walking by sight, and consistently operating in the flesh. It is time to return the church to her rightful owner. It is time to repent and slaughter the sacred cows of political correctness, passivity, and “don’t ask–don’t tell Christianity”. What the Lord said of the church at Sardis, is completely true of a majority of our churches today. They have a reputation of being alive, but are actually dead.”
Mr. Frank continues, “Those of us who were born before 1950, received as our birthright, citizenship in a Christian nation. This is now post-Christian America. It was lost on our watch. Only 40% of the largest evangelical denomination (Southern Baptist Convention) that are on the rolls are in attendance on any given Sunday.”
The reason churches are dead is because a large percentage of those sitting in the pews are spiritually dead church goers.
Beginning in the year 1990, there were a number of efforts started to reach every home for Christ. To literally saturate the American people, every home with the message of Christ. There were citywide and nationwide campaigns to distribute full length Christian films to each home in every community in the United States while other organizations committed themselves to getting as much gospel literature into the hands of every adult in targeted areas through mailings or phone calls. Church planters organized campaigns to start 40,000 churches in 10 years, as they believed that new churches would be the most effective way of consistently reaching new people that might have had negative experiences at long established churches.
Over a 10 year period, from 1990 to 2000, over 5,000 independent organizations with the purpose of evangelism was registered with the IRS. It was reported that over 100 million tracts and Bibles were distributed by high school ministries, rescue missions and door to door efforts. In addition, the revenues from Christian books and music exceeded $1 billion every year. As much as 10% of that total was associated with products that were purely evangelistic.
Did any of this massive effort work?
American ministries did in fact saturate the country with the gospel, but the results didn’t turn out as planned. Blanketed and saturated yes, but not in a good way. If you have ever witnessed what happens in severe rains, when the ground becomes so saturated with water that it simply runs off without doing any good, that’s what happened with the gospelization of America. Noted researcher George Barna summarizing the evangelical activities of that 10 year period says this... “We have learned that being exposed to information does not mean that people absorb it, understand it or embrace it.”
Many American missionaries serving in foreign countries will tell you that America and the American church are the focal point of prayers around the globe. Christians in the underground church in China, as well as believers in restrictive regions of India and throughout the impoverished Third World nations, are praying for a revival of the American church. They still believe America should remain the strongest of lights in the dark world and a source of support to mission outreaches and those in need throughout the world.
In a recent blog entry, the president of Asbury Theological Seminary writes: "The Millennial generation self identifies as approximately 7% Christian. This is only 2% from being eligible to be classified as an unreached people-group." In America, a class of people are on the verge of becoming a qualified unreached people’s group?
North America, a Christian nation, once a beacon of light to the world, is the fastest growing mission field in the world. Why has this happened?
There are several serious issues with America’s Christian heritage. Recent studies show that a majority of Americans say they have no religious affiliation at all. Many so-called Christians [in name only] claim an affiliation through some vague, family tie or cultural kind of alliance or allegiance. For more than 60 years, America has been growing increasingly secular and humanistic.
Another challenge facing American Christianity... most people now see Christianity as merely a moral system. While morality is important to a healthy society, it should not be the first message Christianity... the first and foremost is the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel saves, morality preserves the good order of society and cultures.
These things are true, the evidence abounds. What can be about it?
The apostle Paul was unashamed to say, "What you have worshiped in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.” America today, is a nation of people unaware of the true gospel of Jesus Christ. The solution for restoring America as a Christian nation begins with putting God back on top, in first place in American society, culture, schools, government in every aspect of American life. Then, it is a matter of preaching the gospel, the truth of God’s Holy Word, the Bible, unvarnished, undiluted by contemporary morays. The power of the unchanging gospel message builds bridges, start conversations and engages with people who are far from God.
Churches and their ministries from the pulpit and in community outreach must be less about us and more about Jesus, His Kingdom and His mission. If we're going to retore the America’s Christian heritage, to be faithful in faithless times, the faithful are going to have to leave where we are comfortable. We're going to have to go and tell, not just wait for them to come and hear. That may mean reshaping the ways we preach and lead the church. We must build a Biblically faithful church.
It is not too late for America, but now is the time to “humble ourselves, seek His face, turn from our wicked ways” and watch God spiritually restore and heal our land.
May we all be bold and wise as we engage an increasingly hostile and confused culture with the greatest news the world has ever known... Jesus Christ, the way, the truth and the life.
