All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth.
Colossians 1: 6
Colossians 1: 6
It is time to celebrate what God is doing around the world right now! We have taken a look at the need. We have been challenged to PRAY, to GIVE and to GO. Take some moments throughout this day to rejoice in the work that God through His Sovereign Rule is doing in the world TODAY!
Christianity is experiencing explosive growth in Asia, Africa and Latin America today. It is estimated that in China alone 28,000 new believers are being added to the church daily. The numbers have grown from an estimated 1.5 million in 1970 to approximately 90 million today.
Christianity in Nepal has grown from almost non-existent in 1960 to almost 1 million today.
Over the last few decades, South Koreans have been flocking to Jesus by the millions. In response, the UN has officially reclassified as a Christian nation this one-time Buddhist stronghold.
Only nine million Christians were in Africa in 1900, but by the year 2000, there were an estimated 380 million Christians. Much of the Christian growth in Africa is now due to African evangelism rather than Western missionaries.
Brazil and Guatemala have experienced the largest number of converts to Christianity in Latin America. A few years ago it was estimated that the growth in some areas was as much as 8,000 new converts every day. God is alive and at work all around the world. Rejoice, celebrate and give thanks.
It is thought provoking to note that the greatest growth of the church is happening where opposition is the greatest. Whether it is communism or opposition from radical leaders of other religions, Christians in these parts of the world understand what it means to lay their lives on the line for the sake of Jesus Christ. Tens of thousands of believers meet together in underground churches in China every week. In some parts of the world many have been killed and many church buildings have been burned or vandalized. Go to persecution.com to find out more about persecution going on in the world today.
The task is hardly over. There is still much to be done. But the Church led by Jesus Christ is alive and well. Nothing will stand in the way of what God wants to do. Give thanks for the opportunity that you and I have in being a small part of the great work that He is doing.
Prayer: Lord, keep us always in PRAYER, always ready to GIVE and always ready to GO when You call. Thanks for the reminders of the great work that you are doing every moment of the day. Stir our hearts lest we become complacent. Let the fire always burn deep within us as we seek to obey Your bidding. Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment