Hello, BRN Family! It’s good to be with you today!
In Matthew 9, we read, “35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Christianity in North America and Europe are experiencing an ever-increasing hostility from secular media, university teaching systems, and the workplace. The growth rate of Christianity is unsustainably low in America and virtually zero in Europe.
At the same time, there are places in the world where Christianity is growing faster than any time since the first century. More and more ethne (every language and people group) is building great momentum as more unreached and unengaged people groups are being transformed by Jesus’ Kingdom values and are becoming the newest disciples and missionaries.
Listen carefully to this growth data from the Center for the Study of Global Christianity. In Africa, the number of Christians is growing at almost 3% per year, and in Asia nearly 2%. The growth rate of Christianity in all of North America was ½ a percent (Mexico is factored in this equation) and .04% in Europe.
What does this mean? In 1900 there were 9 million Christians in Africa, but in 2000 there were 335 million. Recent data is reporting that the church in Africa has become 618 million with a trajectory from 728 million by 2025. They all have one thing in common: the DNA of Kingdom of God values.
What can possibly change the trajectory of this downward spiral where we live? Well, let me tell you four ways Jesus’ values are still transforming places around the world:
There is a DEPENDENCE ON PRAYER.
Jesus started and sustained His ministry with abundant prayer, and current movements suggest there is no movement without abundant prayer and fasting. Multiple hours are invested in intercessory prayer and prayerwalking before a movement occurs. It is not uncommon to see miracles, healing and deliverance as a result of these prayers.
There are ORDINARY AND UNLIKELY PEOPLE achieving the impossible.
In movements God releases the whole body to play a role in the movement.
The Movements are HOLISTIC.
Disciples are focused on proclaiming the Gospel and compassionate service
There is SELF-DISCOVERED OBEDIENCE-BASED DISCIPLEMAKING.
The Kingdom of God is NOT a metaphor, but a reality. Jesus is King and His disciples align their lives to His values and will.
Our greatest need and desire is to see a movement of God across Pennsylvania and South Jersey! Would you please pray to this end? Thank you! God bless you!
