THE MOST POPULAR RELIGION IN AMERICA

WARNING! WARNING! The most popular religion in America... what is it? Its not Christianity. Its also not Islam, Judiasm, Buddhism, Taoism, or any other religious “ism”.


According to Christian Smith, a professor and associate chair in the Department of Sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and director of the National Study of Youth and Religion, the number one religion in America is something called "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism" (MTD).

Mr. Smith conducted an extensive research project aimed at discovering the religious and spiritual beliefs held by U.S. teenagers.  After hundreds of discussions about religion, God, faith, prayer, and other spiritual practices, the youth of America summarily referred to their beliefs in such bizarre ways that Smith and his team labeled the hodgepodge of beliefs with a humanistic definition... Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. This religious attitude is characterized by five fundamental beliefs:


1. "A god exists who created and ordered the world and watches over human life on earth." 2. "God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most all world religions." 3. "The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself." 4. "God does not need to be particularly involved in one's life except when God is needed to resolve a problem." 5. "Good people go to heaven when they die."

This is a religion that is far more about comfort, individualism and conformity that it is about meaning, calling, and sacrifice. What makes it particularly challenging is that it is not offered through a new MTD movement or denomination. It is actually catching on and being practiced in churches where leaders think of themselves as traditional orthodox Christian. Here’s a run down of the impact the key aspects of MTD are having in the Church:

Moralistic – Do Good attitude. 
This is the belief that the Gospel can be reduced to improvements in behavior. This moralistic approach to life believes that central to living a good and happy life is being a good, moral person. That means being nice, kind, pleasant, respectful, and responsible; working on self-improvement; taking care of one’s health; and doing one’s best to be successful.

The Christian leader that is inclined naturally toward moralism, will begin to avoid the cross as the means of salvation, justification and sanctification. They will shame families and congregations into doing better and deal harshly with those who fail to perform to the level of acceptable behavior. To deal with the pressures of ministry, a man declares himself as moral in comparison with other Christian leaders. The true standard for morality is Jesus Christ and no one can attain morality without His righteous imputation (Romans 4:3-8). Moralism or behavior modification will not help anyone gain favor with God or ease life’s pressure.

Therapeutic – Be Nice and Smile.
This is the belief that adherents enjoy psychological benefits by participating in something good. This is not a religion of repentance from sin or living as a servant of the holy sovereign God. Rather, it is about feeling good, being happy, secure, at peace. It is about attaining subjective well being, being able to resolve problems, and being nice to people. It is doing good things so that you feel good about yourself.

Church leaders who have taken the first step of avoiding the cross, will lean toward this solution as the way to marginalize the effects of sin. They might be inclined to resign from ministry to find a more favorable environment. This person focuses only on the positives and avoids conflict at all costs—even if compromise of principles is necessary.

Many well-meaning Christian leaders offer therapeutic solutions to the problems we face. They suggest that we need hobbies or retreats or new routines. One preacher said that to deal with his stress, he listens to soothing music, hangs around good friends, gets a massage and shoots guns. Apparently, he shoots guns to compensate for his other less masculine practices to cope with pressure. Another preacher said “I take mental holidays while I am at church during the week.” What does that mean? Holidays from what? Finally, another preacher said, “I have a note card that I wrote to myself inside my desk. It simply says, ‘Lighten up and smile.’” I wonder if that note card works if he or a family member contracts a terminal illness? These men are giving spiritual advise to hurting congregants who are trying to comprehend the nature of sin and the existence of God. When churches and pulpits are filled with these ideas, it’s no wonder moralistic therapeutic deism is thriving in America.

Deism – Just Do it.
This is the belief in a God who exists, created the world, but leaves you alone to do your thing. In this belief, God is like a Divine Butler who waits for you to call upon Him to intervene or a Cosmic Genie who grants your wishes. If things do not go as one expects, God gets the blame.

Deism is the natural response of a leader who avoids the cross. If fact, this leader really doesn’t believe in a sovereign God. But he likes church work. To get the job done, so he has to get a consultant, or get more educated or get systems and structures to fix the problems he faces. He has a tendency to work on the superficial structures of his personal life and to align his life with leadership maxims and pragmatic quick fix ideals. He adapts quickly to methods that are good rather than adopting principles that guide. These may not be the stated principles he verbalizes, but his actions and attitudes show this is how he functionally operates.

MTD is not an official religion, which makes it all the more dangerous to those seeking to know the true God. The implication of all of this is that the philosophies of MTD are dominating churches, pulpits, books, and counseling and coaching sessions.  God, Jesus, the Bible, prayer, all being slowly but certainly marginalized to insignificant.


Moralistic Therapeutic Deism cannot sustain a life. It cannot build a community. It cannot call people to take up a cross. Young people, raised in the Church, are embracing MTD as their religion under many names, forms variations and themes. Many older adults are embracing these themes in a quest for unity and brotherhood. MTD is capturing our culture in such deep ways that we’re hardly aware that it threatens the foundations of Christian faith.

We now face the challenge of evangelizing a nation that largely considers itself Christian, overwhelmingly believes in some deity, considers itself fervently religious, but is loosing its identity and connection to historic Biblical Christianity.

Sadly, we have failed our children, the Church has failed our children. Our failure to teach this generation of teenagers the realities and truths of Biblical Christianity will mean that their children will know even less and will be even more readily seduced by this new form of paganism.

MTD is a pathway to eternal destruction. Concerned Christians must understand how to combat MTD and build a Biblical strategy to combat this insidious evil. Leaders cannot be seduced by the good feeling expressions of MTD! Leaders... PREPARE the Church to respond to the threat of this new religion!

Moralistic Therapuetic Deism CANNOT stand against Biblical TRUTH, PRAYER, OBEDIENCE, REVERENCE, CONFESSION, SERVICE to OTHERS, STUDY, FORGIVENESS, BEARING WITH ONE ANOTHER, FELLOWSHIP and BROTHERHOOD. Be armed for the fight... for it is against unseen spirits!

Change the World by the Power of Christ

Christians have different visions of how to transform the political structures of the world. Some argue that change needs to come from the top down, with righteous leaders and believers in positions of power. Others believe that true political transformation swells from the ground upward, as average people's work and prayers rev the engines of political change.

Whether believers want to occupy political office to effect change or simply preach to it, we must all agree that the significance of the Christian message of the Gospel should be the center piece of a global conversation for change.

Change begins with a broken heart and grows to Passion

Where does change... the prospects of change begin? The human brain is a wonderfully complex organ, processing different kinds of information in different areas. For example, the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body and usually processes emotion. Scientists find ways to map where thoughts are processed, answering such questions as: “Where is romantic love located? It's not actually your heart … it's the basal ganglia region of the brain.” But have you ever noticed that some information, however important, never seems to register both intellectually and emotionally with humans?

The reality of poverty, war, and injustice in today's impoverished societies can seem like trivia, information that remains disconnected from reality. This is especially the case in developed, prosperous societies.

The desire to work for God's Kingdom must begin with a broken heart. A Christians desire to help others is grounded in the fact that while we didn't deserve anything, Christ still died on the cross to save us from our sins. Do you know someone who has sacrificed much for others?

The fact that God came to save the world, through Jesus, empowers Christians with significant responsibilities to work to bring “ change and peace” to the world. This responsibility must change our perspective. For example, when was you last time you focused on problems and issues that were not your own?

We must change our orientation... and begin thinking of the world's problems not as theirs but as ours. Before Christ... you lived in a “my” world. After Christ came into your life... all around us becomes a “we” world. What can “we” do to change the plight of the sick, homeless, and suffering? We don’t have to look far to find them... they are with us in every place, in every nation around the world.

The relationship of Christianity to political power is complicated by the reality of compromise. Politicians constantly barter and bargain for compromise on a variety of issues, while Christianity hopes to attain purity above all else.

The transforming power of God comes through love, not laws. As important as good laws are, just laws cannot substitute for a body that loves justice. It is not revolutions and upheavals that clear the road to new and better days for impoverished peoples, but someone's soul, inspired and ablaze with a love for God.

Finding, experiencing, trusting, embracing, and walking in the light of God’s love... that’s how people change. When people change... so goes the world.

God’s Word is being Spoken in Haiti!

Audio Bibles are helping in much needed outreach to the impoverished Haitian people

After the devastating earthquake in Haiti in mid-January, hundreds of disaster relief teams, aid agencies, NGO’s and governments rushed into Port-au-Prince to provide vital food, water and medical supplies.

According to a recent new release from Faith Comes By Hearing, the ministry came alongside more than 100 of these groups to provide 3,400 solar-powered Audio Bibles, called Proclaimers, to minister to Haitians’ spiritual needs.

While relief efforts are meeting physical needs, Faith Comes By Hearing's Audio Bibles are helping to bring the promises of God in the native language of people so desperate for hope and answers.

“It is a word of hope in the midst of much suffering,” said an aid worker in the news release, who contacted Faith Comes By Hearing for Haitian Audio Bibles. Three months have now passed since the earthquake, and field reports are coming back from groups that used Proclaimers.

The news release stated that one aid worker, noticed at a Bible study that not everyone had a Bible. So the aid worker approached the woman leading the group, who explained that some of the women and men weren't able to read. “We gathered them and explained what the Proclaimer was and how it was to be used. This gift was received with joy, tears and hugs. “During our stay at the camp, we were able to witness many times the Proclaimer being used. Some mornings we woke to the recorded voice of the teachings they were listening to.”

According to the news release, another team that took along Proclaimers was responsible for repairing freshwater wells and pumps to provide clean drinking water.

“We fixed 37 well pumps and had a Proclaimer playing at each well site in the disaster area,” said another aid worker. “The people were amazed when they heard the Word of God, and they asked questions. We also placed one of these Proclaimers at a primary school near the Dominican Republic border. The children love hearing the Word and smile while they listen.”

The news release said the outreach has wide support, and is being generously funded by individuals, churches, foundations, and groups across the country. For example, a sub sandwich shop owner in Port Orange, Fla., collected donations for Proclaimers and gave nearly $4,800. A children's group from Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Ky., also gave more than $1,300.

“The church as a whole took up collections for food, medical supplies, and also raised money for the tents,” said Steve Young, SECC Children's minister, speaking in the news release.

In the children's ministry, he said, “We support a different mission every month. The kids got excited about this because of the timeliness. A lot of the kids keep up with current events, and it was important for them to know that they helped someone. We felt honored and pleased to be part of it.”

Volunteer teams and short-term missions groups can continue to request Audio Bibles for their Haitian outreach through the “Every Church Every Village” program.

Since the devastating quake to hit Haiti in January, Faith Comes By Hearing is working with over 70 churches, ministries, and disaster relief organizations providing food, water, and supplies, to take Proclaimers® (solar-powered Audio Bibles) to minister to the emotional and spiritual needs of the people. For additional information visit www.faithcomesbyhearing.com

Haiti... Reality and Recovery by the Numbers

(CLICK on the GRAPHIC to Enlarge for easy reading)

When disaster strikes, we often attempt to quantify the event numerically. We categorize the chaos, destruction and death toll through statistics. We don’t always get a clear picture of the real toll and human suffering by simply applying the numbers.

After Chile’s recent 8.8 magnitude earthquake on February 27th, the media within 24 to 48 hours... called it 6 times, 30 times, 50 times, 300 times, 500 times 700 times, and finally 1,000 times larger than Haiti’s 7.0 quake. You get the picture... we tend to exaggerate the numbers in times of crisis, overstating reality for a multitude of reasons.

True reality... Chile saw far fewer casualties than Haiti and charitable giving is likely to be much lower as well.

Death tolls alone don’t seem to draw our attention anymore. Burma’s Cyclone Nargis in 2008 killed an estimated 170,000. However, largely because of the countries restrictive regime, International donations totaled only about $310 million. Donations to Haiti surpassed that figure in less than 9 days. Maybe its proximity, the closeness of Haiti to the U.S. that has created the outpouring of assistance and financial aid.

Whatever it is that tugs at our emotions and motivates giving to Haiti... we must not stop. The road to recovery for Haiti as a viable nation and culture will be a long and arduous journey.

Here’s a look at the current state of Haiti by the numbers:

222,417 - Confirmed Death Toll on February 24th according to the Haitian Government

300,000 - Likely Final Death Toll according to Haiti’s Government

52,000 - Confirmed Death Toll, according to an investigation by Radio Netherlands

“Well under 100,000” - Likely Final Death Toll according to Radio Netherlands.

63 Million Tons of Rubble must be cleared away before Rebuilding can begin (Rueters)

$7.2 to $13.2 Billion - The cost of the damage to the country (Inter-American Development Bank)

$81 Billion - Cost in Damage caused by Hurricane Katrina in the U.S. (NOAA)

59 Aftershocks of 4.5 or greater - 16 of 59... 5.0 or greater

1,700 Easatimated Career Christian Missionaries are Based in Haiti

5% -- Haiti’s Protestant Population in 1940
20% -- Haiti’s Protestant Population in 1960
30% -- Haiti’s Protestant Population in 2010

2 in 3 of Haiti’s Protestants are Born Again Christians

Remember Haiti and its physically and emotionally depleted and impoverished people in your prayers. Continue to assist and support the Christian Missions that are working day and night to bring comfort and spiritual hope to a people who have suffered at the hand of cruel governments and natural disasters for decades.

Speak Up! Reaching People for Christ

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?" "Come," he replied, "and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter). (John 1:35-42 NIV)

When it comes to speaking to others about our faith, two things are true about us. The first... we all desire to see our friends, relatives, and acquaintances come to accept Christ as their savior. The second... we are stymied as to how to make that happen. What do I say? What if I say the wrong thing? When is the right time? Generally speaking, we are intimidated when it comes to witnessing to others about Christ.

Without a doubt all of us have some level of difficulty with evangelism... proclaiming the Gospel to a stranger, a co-worker and to relatives. We’re uncomfortable sharing our faith, even embarrassed at times.

It’s not that we don’t want to share our faith. It’s not that we do not have concern over lost relatives and friends. We do care. Because we care, we feel a sense of guilt over not doing very much to reach them. The task of evangelizing family, friends and even strangers seems to be too much for us. After all, don’t you have to be very knowledgeable of the Bible in order handle the gospel message properly in leading people to Christ?

First we need to be careful not to make sharing Jesus more complicated than it really is. In the Bible, we see many people sharing Jesus who were without formal theological training or for that matter much education at all. In fact, the most effective witnesses Christ were just newly saved themselves. They were novices... new converts filled with awe, passion and enthusiasm to share the message of salvation through Christ. In the passages in the book of John, we see Andrew telling his brother Peter about Jesus. But Andrew was just introduced to Jesus himself. So, if we consider his example, we find a practical method which shows us how to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with people we come in contact with.

It is a simple method, yet very effective. As a matter of fact, most often the simplest methods are the most effective. It is the KISS method — “keep it simple saint”. The simpler, the better.

Following on the idea of “keeping it simple”... there are two simple steps that Andrew took to lead his brother to Jesus.

I. He Went and found His Brother

In verse 41...The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon. The first step Andrew took to lead his brother to Jesus was to seek him out. We must take the same first step. If we are going to be effective in leading people to Jesus, we must first seek out unsaved people. We must spend time in places where we will be around people we know to be unsaved. There is simply no other alternative.

In order to do this there are four important things we need. The first thing we need is to know where they are. That seems simple enough. But you would be surprised at how many Christians do not take the time to think this through. You may say, lost people are everywhere." True, they are everywhere. But the very fact that they are everywhere sometimes serves as an obstacle to reaching them. We can be overwhelmed with the sheer numbers of lost people in this world. There are so many. Where do we start? How can we reach the world for Jesus? It seems like an insurmountable task! Sometimes you can be so overwhelmed by the vastness of the task that you give up before you begin. You can be so overwhelmed by the everybody that you fail to reach anybody.

The question is... not where are all the lost people, but where are the lost people you can reach? You must know where your mission field is. If you’re going to fish, you must fish where the fish are. After all, Jesus has called us to be fishers of men.

The second thing we must have is information about those we seek out. We must know them by name. Who are the people that comprise your personal mission field? Do you know them by name? Yes, should be your answer. God has given each one of us a mission field. We are all missionaries, called to reach the world for Jesus. But God has called us as individuals, to reach our circle of friends and acquaintances with the gospel message. The typical person has a circle of friends, relatives, and acquaintances numbering about forty people. That number may be slightly more or slightly less depending on your particular situation. These are the people who comprise your mission field. These are people you know by name, people you work with, neighbors and the like. These are the people, God expects us to seek out for Christ.

The third thing we need in order to reach these people, is to care enough about them to go after them. We must understand the gravity of their situation. We must understand that without Christ they are truly lost and under the condemnation of sin. They are condemned people. Without Christ there is no hope for them. This “state of condemnation” is not an abstract concept we can debate or ignore. That is why God commands us to go into all the world. That is why Jesus came. The Bible says, "For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son." (John 3:16) God loves all of humanity and so must we. We must care enough to seek them out, and to use whatever influence we have to lead them to Christ.

The fourth thing we must have is something to share. Andrew not only sought his brother, he shared what he had found with him. We see in verse 41... The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). Andrew shared his own experience of discovering the Messiah. That’s how you start... by simply sharing your own experience of coming to know Christ.

Don’t worry about deep, complex, theological stuff here. This is about sharing our own personal experience of how Christ has changed our lives. Most people are not interested in arguing about deep theological truths. Most people already think they know what the Bible teaches, so going down the intellectual path will turn people off before you even get their attention.

It’s best not to argue the Bible with unsaved people. Rather, what you need to share is your own personal experience of coming to know Christ. It’s hard for anyone to argue with a personal experience, especially when they may have known you long enough to have seen the changes in your life and attitudes after you became a Christian. Personal experiences are almost the best way to start a dialog about Jesus Christ. Remember when Jesus healed a certain blind man... then the blind man was questioned by the religious leaders about who Jesus was. The blind man essentially said, "I don’t know about all of these theological arguments, all I know is once I was blind and now I see." We do not have to argue about theological issues. What we need to do is share simply our own experience. Share your new hopes and inner joy at how Christ has helped you cope with life’s challenges. Everyone will be able to identify with such experiences.

II. He Brought Him meet the Christ

We see in verse 42... he brought him to Jesus. Andrew not only sought his brother, he also brought his brother to Jesus. So we must not only seek out our unsaved friends and share with them our own experience, we must also bring them to a place where they can hear more, meet other Christians and experience an environment where they can make a decision for Christ. In Andrew’s case he literally brought his brother to Jesus. In our case, we can at least bring them to a place where they have an opportunity to hear the Gospel and be touched by the power of God. Bring them to church.

For all we do we must not stop short of this. This the key. The objective of evangelism is to evangelize. The objective of fishing is to catch fish. The objective of fishing is not to just bait the hook well... it is not just to see the fish take the bait... it is not just to get the fish on the line, it is to get the fish in the boat.

The Church that Jesus founded is not a fishing society. It’s not about meetings, accurate attendance figures and a membership roll, or to make sure the members pay their dues. Christians gathering together in assembly is much more than talking about evangelism. It is much more than well planned strategies for evangelism, rules to follow when sharing the gospel, regulations concerning the proper attire for do doing so, and so on. Fishermen are people who catch fish. Evangelists are people who talk to others about Christ. If you never drop a line in the water... you can’t call yourself a fisherman. If you never speak to others about your personal experiences of being a follower of Jesus Christ... you can’t call yourself an evangelist... and maybe not a Christian either.

The real issue a simple one. Christians do a lot of talking, strategizing and planning about fishing for lost souls, but what we really need to do is go find them and speak about HIM.

If we’re going to proclaim to our family and friends the gospel of Jesus Christ, we must act with urgency. We must take the time to seek them out, to share with them our own experience of knowing Christ, and bring them to church. Do not be afraid... GOD will be with you.

Fighting Poverty in the World... Does the “money” strategy work?

CAN WE explain human behavior? CAN WE change how we help the poor? CAN WE save the world? Many people and organizations spend countless amounts of money and energy trying to do just that.

Every year, wealthy countries and donors ship billions upon billions of dollars in aid to the developing world. The money has not bought prosperity: Diarrhea still kills 1.5 million children annually. More than 210 million kids work when they should be in a classroom. Polio, which had once been eradicated in all but four countries, is spreading across Africa again. Some 2.6 billion people have no access to modern toilets. And more than 1 billion people did not have enough to eat in 2009, setting a new record. Why is the world in such dire straits when enough money is available to solve the problems?

How can vast sums of money not produce some tangible, measurable, sustainable result? In the under-developed world a lot of the money gets spent by well-meaning people with no idea what they're doing. Corruption in these countries runs rampant, therefore the vast sums of money from donors and wealthy countries is largely wasted.

Obviously, much of the money that goes to help the developing world is not being used effectively. But what's not so obvious is how all that money should be spent. That’s not to say there are not enough “projects” to suck up the money, because that’s never been a problem. The real question is what projects get funded, how are they funded, and what is the expected result. To transform the living conditions of 100 million poverty-stricken people in Africa, Asia, and Latin America you need much more than funding.

You must have a government in place that cares about solving the problems of its people. Don’t all governments want to improve the living conditions for its people? Not necessarily. The complexities in solving most problems in the developing world hinge on ethics. So called third world democratic governments aren't always ethical. Ethical standards must prevail in governmental leadership and philosophies for internal economic growth and human development. When the ethical standards of a nation, a government and even its peoples erode... poverty persists and increases.

Christian missionaries and relief organizations serve an important function in the developing world. They “stand in the gap”... supplementing the voids in ethical standards, values and policies that do immeasurable harm to impoverished peoples.

As long as the economic systems of the world controlled by a handful of nations, continue to operate as they now do, there will be no end to poverty and disease in countries of the developing world.

The west's lifestyle is directly linked to and sustained by the developing world, where millions of impoverished people work for pennies making cheap products that are shipped to economically powerful nations for price competitive consumption. No one in America, or Germany, or the UK or any other developed nation wants to pay for good and services manufactured at high costs. The economic engine of prosperous nations runs on the fuel of slave-like labor provided by the world’s impoverished peoples living in “developing countries”.

Missionaries and Christian relief and aid organizations help people with immediate needs, such as the many relief and restoration programs in earthquake devastated Haiti. Their work turns chaos and crisis into sustainable habits for establishing new life patterns. 


Christian mission frequently works among the world's poorest citizens, in their villages and nations. Sometimes their evangelistic efforts are met with resistance and persecution, as is the case in many parts of India and the Middle East. However, in the face of and governmental opposition, it is the Christian missionaries and relief workers who are making “grass roots” level life changes that give people a chance at a better life. Add evangelism to the mix, and you have a formula that can create genuine hope for a better life and eternal future.

God desires that all people hear about Him and His promises. No one can “hear” if their utmost concern is daily survival. You can’t get peoples attention when they are oppressed, hungry or starving. You can’t get people to trust when governments ignore poverty and disease. You can get people to listen, when ethnic cleansing, war and brutality is a way of living for many people.

Let anyone who has ears to hear, let him hear. (Matthew 13; Mark 4; Luke 8) Jesus said that phrase several times in the Gospels, once at the conclusion of His parable of the Sower. Overcoming the conditions of poverty in the developing world requires two kinds of sowing and harvesting... one for real food to sustain physical life and one that sows the Word of God that can have everlasting benefits.

The act of sowing as depicted in Jesus’ parable is commonly associated with primitive farming methods, much like the ways of farming in the developing world. For just as Jesus told his disciples that the farmer goes out to sow his seed in order to yield a crop, so too do missionaries sow the Word of God in order that, ‘He who has ears to hear, let him hear’. Along with “casting the Word”, they teach practical farming methods –– fertilization, irrigation and installation of water purification systems. They establish schools and help with community organization. All... to make the lives of impoverished people easier. Then... they can “hear” attentively the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We must never forget.... in countries of the developing world, Satan has effectively promoted the greed and selfishness that devours basic ethical values. Once ethics and values are consumed by greed and corruption, the ensuing strife and poverty prevent people from hungering after the gospel. Heap upon a man enough problems, oppression and fears, and he will be contentedly enslaved to his poverty.

Missionaries are working hard around the world to “stand in the gap”... to be a bridge to hope and renewal... to help ease life’s daily challenges so that those they help will “hear the gospel”.

What can you do? Three simple things. Pray for missionaries and the work they do. Give financially to missionaries and the organizations that assist them in the field. Work with God's plan to help the impoverished peoples of our world.

HOW do YOU COPE with SUFFERING?

Earthquakes, Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Tsunamis, Human abuse, Torture, Persecution. All these things happening all over the face of the earth.

How do you cope with stories of horrific natural disasters, abuse, persecution and trouble? It's a question we all frequently ponder these days. The world is a very unkind place. Besides the natural disasters such as the recent devastating earthquake in Haiti, you hear of Christians being abused for their beliefs, of rapes, of massacres, of children suffering and dying from starvation, and all manner of injustice. The tragedy and the sadness can be overwhelming, leaving you feeling powerless and emotionally overwrought. What can you do? Can anything you do... make a difference?

You may be one of many people asking the question, "Where is God in all of this?" "How can He possibly love humanity and allow these tragic things to happen?"

Understanding and acceptance is required. For starters, we need to take a Biblical view of suffering. Jesus suffered not just the physical agony of the crucifixion, but also through the persecution, abuse, trial and abandonment that preceded it... for our sake. And yet, in the death of Jesus, we see God's wholehearted identification with the plight of the human race. He surrenders his only child for the sake of love for the whole the world (John 3:16). God is not insensitive to our suffering. He knows all about it. Suffering, though often times beyond our comprehension, can still be part of his plan. But that doesn’t mean God is causing these natural disasters or promoting violence and conflict.

Suffering, as we know it, is a consequence of human sin in the world. We can't help but rub shoulders with pain of many kinds and sometimes it's no one's fault. The world we live in is broken. Although God has completed the final spiritual solution to our sin in the death and resurrection of Jesus, we still live with the repercussions of a world that has not yet come to its conclusion. God has promised an end to all suffering at a time when he will make everything new (Revelation 22).

But in the meantime, God has given us this promise: to turn evil to good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). Think about this... it's in periods of intense suffering that we are convinced of our need for God. When all else is taken away, all the comforts and blessings of this world, you find it's just you and God, alone together. At that point, some people reject God for good, blaming Him for their circumstances. But others find themselves drawn closer to Him, not fully understanding His reasons and struggling to grasp His purposes, but trusting Him, nevertheless. Everything they learned during the good times is now tested. The capacity to endure must be cultivated in every true believer. Endurance makes it possible to hold on to the knowledge of God's promises and His love. Endurance is our engine that keeps us going, moving forward, holding out for the time when whatever trial we are experiencing will be over.

As a Christian, you care about humanity and want to help resolve suffering. You don’t have to personally be in the middle of an earthquake’s devastation or personally persecuted for your belief in Jesus Christ, to suffer right along with those who are in the middle of such events. It's in this crucible of suffering that our faith is refined. We may or may not see miraculous changes to any of the horrible events. That's entirely up to God. Nonetheless, His individual concern for us is such that he will make sure our faith in Him will grow stronger and more certain... if we allow Him to continue working in us and through us.

The Power of Prayer. Even if we ourselves are not undergoing severe suffering, we can sometimes feel so desperate for those who are, that we become overwhelmed with anxiety for their plight. Little things in their stories can trigger this kind of reaction. Maybe it’s someone with the same name as you, or someone the same age as your son or daughter, or some other point that you personally relate to. Something triggers your emotions and you begin to comprehend the magnitude of what the people are going through.

Allow these news stories to turn your thoughts to immediate prayer. Lay these burdens at the feet of Jesus. It is not for us to carry the burdens of the world. That's for Jesus to do. He wants our emotions to overflow for the lost, hurting and suffering people of the world. Because in that deeply personal experience, He knows we will be energized to do all we can to spread the only hope a dying world has... the gospel of Jesus Christ.

When you pray... do you ask God for natural disasters to cease and persecution to end, or do you pray that suffering Christians can bear up under whatever circumstances they are experiencing? Do you pray for their perseverance and endurance? We must always pray that God's Will be done and his purposes carried out. On the one hand asking for mercy, and on the other, acknowledging that following Jesus has a cost (Matthew 10). Wherever Christians are in the world, if they’re suffering, we must trust that God has a very real and powerful influence in their lives. They live each day with only God as their strength. They are full of courage, more than willing to pay whatever cost for the cause and glory of Christ. Their lives passionately display it. As people who are suffering specifically because of their allegiance to Jesus, they know they are sharing in his suffering. And in the midst of suffering, God's glory shines its brightest.

The cross is the finest example we have of suffering and hope. It's a paradox. When bad things happen to innocent people, we are naturally outraged... overcome with sadness and sorrow. We are disgusted. We experience anger and frustration. We grieve for the loss of life and suffering. These are all intense and righteous reactions to injustice. No matter how intense our emotions, we must express these feelings to God.

Ask God to show you what you can do in response to disasters such as the earthquake in Haiti. The devastation is so great, that it will be years before something called normal returns to Haiti. In the meantime, you have many ways to help. Maybe it’s time for you to step out in faith, and journey to such a place of devastation and work with people where you can see their eyes, and personally feel the ebb and flow of life in the midst devastation. Watch, Listen and Pray continually. Allow your prayer to be turned to action.

Don't be deceived into thinking you are powerless. With God's guidance and grace, He may use you to effect change and bring results you never imagined. There are things we can do today, everyday, that can make a huge difference in the lives of suffering peoples all over the world. Rest assured... God has not abandoned them.