We Are NOT the Most Unchurched Generation in History
I've said it before, "The generation after my generation is the most unchurched generation in the history of the world…and we need to act or (fill in your doom and gloom statement here.)"
Statistics show that the church is declining (at least it is in America).
However, I've recently ran across an idea in the Scriptures that totally blow the theory up that the next generation is the most unchurched generation…because…
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2,000 years ago the entire WORLD was UNCHURCHED! (Uh…that would make it the most unchurched generation EVER!) Seriously, 0% of the population OF THE WORLD went to church.
Then Jesus did that thing in Caesarea Philippi (see Matthew 16:13-19) where He literally launched the church. (I love it that He went to a pagan city to do it!)
There were around 12 people there–TWELVE!!! (I'm still thinking this was the MOST unchurched generation in history!)
By the time we get to Acts 1:15 we have about 120 people in the church…and we see that they…
Were filled with vision from Jesus
Focused on Jesus and His resurrection
Empowered by the Holy Spirit
Focused on God's Word
Not obsessed with keeping religious people happy (which cost many of them their lives!)
And the result…by the time we get to Acts 2:41 we see that church attendance had increased significantly, then in Acts 4:4 we see it continuing to grow…and by the time we reach Acts 5:14 Luke (who wrote the book of Acts) had actually stopped counting it had gotten so huge.
AND…I believe the church has as much potential in today's world as they did back then!!! We just need to get our focus back…which was…
Were filled with vision from Jesus
Focused on Jesus and His resurrection
Empowered by the Holy Spirit
Focused on God's Word
Not obsessed with keeping religious people happy (which cost many of them their lives!)
Let me say it one more time…we have as much potential as the early church did…and instead of sitting around and complaining about the condition of the church we should step up and simply get back to the roots of why we're doing this thing in the first place.
I say if God did what He did in the book of Acts He can do greater things today!
Let's pray for that!
Let's work towards that!
And let's reach this entire WORLD with HIS GOSPEL!!! Because…
YOUR church can do exactly what God has called it to do!
He reigns…and when we RECOGNIZE Him we will RESPOND in faith!
Let's GO FOR IT!
