The Explosive Growth of Chinese Christianity

[ThomasMore]

From the Prison Fellowship Ministry's "Breakpoint" (http://www.breakpoint.org/listingarticle.asp?ID=6955) site:

At the time of the Communist takeover in 1949, there were 4 million Christians in China. Today, there are an estimated 111 million, which makes China the third-largest Christian country in the world, behind the United States and Brazil. By 2050, the Center estimates that the number of Christians will have doubled.

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China may soon occupy the role that the United States has occupied for the past 200 years: "the natural ground for mass evangelization." He adds that "if this occurs, the world will change beyond our capacity to recognize it."

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Chinese Christians are already secretly "training missionaries for deployment in Muslim countries."

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What's remarkable is this vision is taking shape even as Chinese Christians undergo persecution.More at breakpoint.org (http://www.breakpoint.org/listingarticle.asp?ID=6955). This is thrilling news!

[PaulRevere]

Communism persecutes religion because it is a competitor for the people's devotion. Devotion to the party, state, and leaders is paramount in leftist ideology, beit Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, Mao, Castro, and so on.

The Chinese communist party is losing control because they give the people nothing to believe in. China is nothing but a teeming mass of selfish people ruled by corrupt dictators.

The people want more, and they are turning to Christianity to find meaning and purpose. I admire those willing to face fierce persecution for what they believe in.

[ThomasMore]

Communism persecutes religion because it is a competitor for the people's devotion. Devotion to the party, state, and leaders is paramount in leftist ideology.

Agreed: To the left, human nature is infinitely malleable, and the State is God. The Dear Leaders and Fuhrers of the world want unalloyed allegiance to them -- any faith in a God greater than the dictator or party, any sense of right and wrong that can challenge the earthly power are anathema to them.

[Riverboat]

What's remarkable is this vision is taking shape even as Chinese Christians undergo persecution. On the contrary, the blood of martyrs is what makes Christianity grow.

[DoctorDoom]

And in those nations where freedom of religion is the norm, Christianity is dying. One sign is that the people who attend church spend more time in bitching about the pews, the air conditioning, and who is sitting next to them than in communing with God. We have it too easy. We have never been persecuted. And with ease and safety comes weakness.

Add to that the apostasy of "liberal" Christianity and we are breeding generations of fair-weather Christians who will walk away from Christ in a heartbeat when the going gets rough. They'll take the mark without a second thought.

My hope is that if it ever comes to making the choice, may I die with the name of Christ on my lips.

[Trovalor]

My hope is that if it ever comes to making the choice, may I die with the name of Christ on my lips.

In addition to the death tax that libs want, you'll get a double whammy for the inevitable Jesus tax I'm just waiting for them to try to impose.

[ThomasMore]

My hope is that if it ever comes to making the choice, may I die with the name of Christ on my lips.

I would wish for the same.

And in those nations where freedom of religion is the norm, Christianity is dying. One sign is that the people who attend church spend more time in bitching about the pews, the air conditioning, and who is sitting next to them than in communing with God. We have it too easy. We have never been persecuted. And with ease and safety comes weakness. Perhaps I am seeing things through rose-colored glasses, but...

In the United States, I see a split between two cultures -- a Christian culture and a secular culture. The gap is widening and becoming more clearly defined.

I do see a very vital Christian culture in some sectors.

[DesertFox]

Agreed. All is far from lost in America.

[DoctorDoom]

Perhaps I am seeing things through rose-colored glasses, but...

In the United States, I see a split between two cultures -- a Christian culture and a secular culture. The gap is widening and becoming more clearly defined.The gap has always existed between the Church and the world.

John 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

John 17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

If there are "Christians" that the world loves and honors, they are not of God.

James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

If there is a widening gap between the world and the Church, it is due to the Church coming to its senses and going back to God. And concomitant with that growing gap will be a lessening of the size of the Church as the goats are separated from the sheep.

I do see a very vital Christian culture in some sectors.The culture will diminish in scope as it separates itself from the secular world, and the CINOs and pew warmers abandon it in favor of comfort and ease. They prefer a "church" where they can spend an hour on Sunday morning and leave unmoved, untaught, uninspired, unstimulated, unimpressed, unreached and unchanged.

[Lazarus]

Communism persecutes religion because it is a competitor for the people's devotion...Very true... But in the case of Christianity specifically, Communism persecutes it because Communism is the invention of Satan and was specifically designed by him as a tool in his revolution against Christ - It is Satan's pseudo substitute for the Plan of God... Satan truely believes he can bring about a perfect world under his rule if he can herd all people into the cattle pens of Communism...In a nation where Communism had such a firm grip on its people, it must gaul him to see Christ infiltrating one of his strongholds...

China may soon occupy the role that the United States has occupied for the past 200 years: "the natural ground for mass evangelization." He adds that "if this occurs, the world will change beyond our capacity to recognize it."This is a statement that every Christian here should pay close attention to...

There is nothing sacred about the US - we are not God's chosen people... We have been blessed over our 200+ years of existance because there has always, up until now, been a strong pivot of mature believers in this country... The nation was founded on Christian doctrines and we have been the source of missionaries carrying the gospel of Christ to the world... This fact beyond all others is why the US has been so prosperous in the world...

The same principle was once applied to Great Britain before they began to reject God's doctrines in their culture... At their peak they were sending missionaries to every corner of the world where the British flag flew, and untold millions were led to Christ under the Union Jack - no so anymore... And today they are a shadow of their former glory and power as a nation...

However, if Christ continues to grow in China, their masters will ultimately be defeated, they will be a free people governing themselves, and they will replace the USA as God's client nation to the world... And we will drift into insignificance...

We hear everyday, from all manner of expert analysts, the reasons why China is becoming stronger and growing at an exponential rate... But in the end, there is only one reason - The people of that nation are embracing Christ and God's word...

And we are following Great Britain in God's history as an example of how a nation loses "client nation" status due to the people's rejection of Christ...