2 We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them.
There are two things to consider the future, where will Christianity go and will the flock stay? Here are two videos I found fascinating to illustrate these questions.
The majority of those of you who read this are based in the USA. Sometimes, we can get blinders on and think that Christians are the only major religion out there. We think the US is a Christian nation, and it is predominantly Christian, but it is not a national religion. What I find fascinating in this video is that the other religions started in one location, and spread outwardly from that place. Christianity, on the other hand, doesn't do that. Christianity had a focal point with Christ, but then quickly spread out along the coasts of modern day Europe. It also was the first to reach the Americas during the "Age of Discovery." I can't tell in the video which religion is first to enter Australia, but Christianity also is the predominant religion there.
We are told that Christ will come again when every nation has heard the gospel. Some people may think that we're nearing that time due to the Internet and information being readily available, but for some of those nations shown on the illustration, that people legitimately don't know that there is any other religion. They've never heard of Christ, nor do they even know where to begin looking. Outsiders to their religion are hunted and killed. We've had a few missionaries come to our church to speak, and they cannot say their last name, nor what country they mission in, because they must work in secret. How will we reach those countries? It is incredibly difficult and risky to drop into the middle of those zones and begin to preach, those people - bless them - are doing so and are doing it carefully. Mission work isn't everyone's calling, so what can WE do about it? Spread. Reach past our boundaries. You may not need to be the one on the border line, but maybe there's another way for you to volunteer within your church that can relieve someone else's responsibility so that they may pursue that mission work. Everyone is called to reach, but we must find the way that extends each of us.
My concern here isn't that according to statistics, the Muslim religion will become more prevalent than Christianity. My concern here is shown at the 1:14 mark. Look at the number of people that are going into the unaffiliated group of the agnostics, atheists, or non-believers. That is my concern. These people are entirely turning their back to Christ. These are people who have heard Christ's gift to us, accepted it, and later decided that they didn't want it and that they don't believe it. This is not something that happens on a map with boundary lines, but with isolated individuals. People that have been hurt and feel utterly alone, that no one on earth or in heaven cares about them. We must continue to make efforts to reach out to our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, so that we may continue to "strengthen and encourage them in their faith, so that they will not be unsettled by these trials."
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