Comments on: Could Christianity die out within a century? http://kevinbussey.com/2008/06/24/could-christianity-die-out-within-a-century/ confessions of a follower of Jesus Christ struggling to recover from legalism Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:20:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Joel Brueseke http://kevinbussey.com/2008/06/24/could-christianity-die-out-within-a-century/#comment-8720 Joel Brueseke Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:40:59 +0000 http://kevinbussey.com/?p=1021#comment-8720 I just read a blog post from a man in Australia who quoted from a letter that I think very much addresses this. I think the central message in the letter is that Jesus said He will build His church and the gates of hades will not stand against it. "Christianity" (the Christian religion) may or may not die out, but of course Jesus didn't come to start a religion. :) The 'institution' known as the church may or may not fizzle out. But His true church runs on an even better battery than the Energizer Bunny. It's not based upon the power of man, it's based upon Jesus Christ, the Chief Cornerstone. This is exciting! <a href="http://john-caesura.blogspot.com/2008/06/when-will-we-learn.html" rel="nofollow">john-caesura.blogspot.com</a> <em>Joel Brueseke's last blog post..<a href='http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/graceroots/~3/320985579/too-many-rules-vinnie-barbarino-is-so.html' rel="nofollow">Too many rules! Vinnie Barbarino is so confused!</a></em> I just read a blog post from a man in Australia who quoted from a letter that I think very much addresses this. I think the central message in the letter is that Jesus said He will build His church and the gates of hades will not stand against it. “Christianity” (the Christian religion) may or may not die out, but of course Jesus didn’t come to start a religion. :) The ‘institution’ known as the church may or may not fizzle out. But His true church runs on an even better battery than the Energizer Bunny. It’s not based upon the power of man, it’s based upon Jesus Christ, the Chief Cornerstone. This is exciting!

john-caesura.blogspot.com

Joel Brueseke’s last blog post..Too many rules! Vinnie Barbarino is so confused!

]]> By: bret http://kevinbussey.com/2008/06/24/could-christianity-die-out-within-a-century/#comment-8707 bret Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:48:24 +0000 http://kevinbussey.com/?p=1021#comment-8707 Read Josh McDoweels : The Last Christian Generation Read Josh McDoweels : The Last Christian Generation

]]> By: Cycleguy’s Spin » A Scary Study-Part 1 http://kevinbussey.com/2008/06/24/could-christianity-die-out-within-a-century/#comment-8686 Cycleguy’s Spin » A Scary Study-Part 1 Wed, 25 Jun 2008 10:18:46 +0000 http://kevinbussey.com/?p=1021#comment-8686 [...] to be a slippery slope we are on as the church.  Recently Kevin Bussey posted the following blog (click here) to read it.   Then  yesterday I read the following news release from a religious news [...] […] to be a slippery slope we are on as the church.  Recently Kevin Bussey posted the following blog (click here) to read it.   Then  yesterday I read the following news release from a religious news […]

]]> By: Michael http://kevinbussey.com/2008/06/24/could-christianity-die-out-within-a-century/#comment-8655 Michael Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:53:13 +0000 http://kevinbussey.com/?p=1021#comment-8655 I worry about this too. Our pastor actually preached on this a couple of weeks ago. His outlook was that church attendance was shrinking at an incredible rate. However, he argued, that when church attendance whittled down, what was left was The Church. I think it was a good argument. Just because there are X number of people who attend church, that doesn't mean that they are all part of The Church. Some go for social time, others because they feel they have to, and others because they want something from God. In the end, I do think that The Church is shrinking. I also believe that this is bad news for our country, as the Bible shows that God blesses the nations that follow Him. Oh by the way . . . this is just more proof that their is a spiritual war going on out there. <em>Michael's last blog post..<a href='http://searchingforgodajourney.blogspot.com/2008/06/ecclesiastes-chapters-3-5-turn-turn.html' rel="nofollow">Ecclesiastes Chapters 3 - 5 : Turn, Turn, Turn</a></em> I worry about this too. Our pastor actually preached on this a couple of weeks ago. His outlook was that church attendance was shrinking at an incredible rate. However, he argued, that when church attendance whittled down, what was left was The Church. I think it was a good argument. Just because there are X number of people who attend church, that doesn’t mean that they are all part of The Church. Some go for social time, others because they feel they have to, and others because they want something from God.

In the end, I do think that The Church is shrinking. I also believe that this is bad news for our country, as the Bible shows that God blesses the nations that follow Him.

Oh by the way . . . this is just more proof that their is a spiritual war going on out there.

Michael’s last blog post..Ecclesiastes Chapters 3 - 5 : Turn, Turn, Turn

]]> By: M. Steve Heartsill http://kevinbussey.com/2008/06/24/could-christianity-die-out-within-a-century/#comment-8646 M. Steve Heartsill Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:00:12 +0000 http://kevinbussey.com/?p=1021#comment-8646 What Joel said. <em>M. Steve Heartsill's last blog post..<a href='http://steveheartsill.blogspot.com/2008/06/unappreciated-police-help.html' rel="nofollow">Unappreciated Police Help</a></em> What Joel said.

M. Steve Heartsill’s last blog post..Unappreciated Police Help

]]> By: Joel Brueseke http://kevinbussey.com/2008/06/24/could-christianity-die-out-within-a-century/#comment-8645 Joel Brueseke Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:29:08 +0000 http://kevinbussey.com/?p=1021#comment-8645 The survey amongst the disciples (those closest to Christ) after Christ had died and was buried, said that that was the end of the little 'movement' that had begun under the leadership of Jesus. I think we need not fear. :) I think that instead of worrying about trends around the world, we need to simply focus on, in general, loving people as the Lord does, as we grow in His love ourselves, and sharing the good news. The Spirit kept Paul out of Asia at one time for some reason (Acts 16:6). Some time later (three chapters later as it's recorded), "all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus..." (Acts 19:10). My personal thought is that if we just keep on being who God has made us to be, individually and as a larger body, and simply follow His lead and let His life animate us (instead of trying to make it all happen ourselves) then we need not worry one bit. This is God's world and it's His gospel, and He's very able to get His word out through His people when and where He wants to. I admit that sometimes I just don't get it. :) But we have to trust His word that "He is before all things, and <i>in him all things hold together</i>. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross." Col 1:17-20 <em>Joel Brueseke's last blog post..<a href='http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/graceroots/~3/278780001/bizzy-weak.html' rel="nofollow">Bizzy weak</a></em> The survey amongst the disciples (those closest to Christ) after Christ had died and was buried, said that that was the end of the little ‘movement’ that had begun under the leadership of Jesus.

I think we need not fear. :)

I think that instead of worrying about trends around the world, we need to simply focus on, in general, loving people as the Lord does, as we grow in His love ourselves, and sharing the good news. The Spirit kept Paul out of Asia at one time for some reason (Acts 16:6). Some time later (three chapters later as it’s recorded), “all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus…” (Acts 19:10).

My personal thought is that if we just keep on being who God has made us to be, individually and as a larger body, and simply follow His lead and let His life animate us (instead of trying to make it all happen ourselves) then we need not worry one bit. This is God’s world and it’s His gospel, and He’s very able to get His word out through His people when and where He wants to. I admit that sometimes I just don’t get it. :) But we have to trust His word that “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” Col 1:17-20

Joel Brueseke’s last blog post..Bizzy weak

]]> By: Bill(cycleguy) http://kevinbussey.com/2008/06/24/could-christianity-die-out-within-a-century/#comment-8644 Bill(cycleguy) Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:52:33 +0000 http://kevinbussey.com/?p=1021#comment-8644 I would say we should go after the lost but not at the expense of truth. I may be wrong here but I do see people reaching out but also compromising the truth. See my post tomorrow "A Scary Study" for reasons I am concerned. <em>Bill(cycleguy)'s last blog post..<a href='http://billgrandi.ovcf.org/wordpress/?p=313' rel="nofollow">What I Learned?</a></em> I would say we should go after the lost but not at the expense of truth. I may be wrong here but I do see people reaching out but also compromising the truth. See my post tomorrow “A Scary Study” for reasons I am concerned.

Bill(cycleguy)’s last blog post..What I Learned?

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