It’s a common theme in secular Western media that Christianity is all but on its last legs, that “nones” are the future, and that religious faith is an exhausted remnant of a benighted, pre-scientific past. Nothing could be further from the truth. Even in the secular West it’s only partly true, but in the rest of the world Christianity is exploding. I’ve read and heard this in various places, but the secularists are so dominant in Western culture that the impression we’re given is that Christianity is passe. Even in the West, especially in America, that’s laughable. Unfortunately it’s easy to accept the secular narrative because we don’t know what’s actually happening on the ground. As well informed as I think I am, a talk I recently listened to by Pastor Rick Warren opened my eyes to the relentless march of God’s building and expanding of his church. When looking at much of the sorry state of our fallen world we too often forget Jesus’ promise that the gates of hell will not prevail against his church.
The talk Warren gave was at the Colson Center’s recent Wilberforce Weekend, and it was titled, “The Greatest Force for Good on Earth.” But wait, didn’t the late-not-so-great (he is rotting in the ground after all) Christopher Hitchens declare that “religion poisons everything”? Didn’t Richard Dawkins say that “forcing” religion on your children is child abuse? In fact, Christianity and Christians have been doing good for so long that it’s really on a 2,000 year roll. The historical facts are clear that because Christianity is the greatest force for good on earth that it took over the Western world, and to this day leaves marks of its good everywhere it goes.
In addition to listening to Pastor Warren’s talk, a great book to read to counter the secularist/atheist narrative is Rodney Stark’s The Rise of Christianity. Another book I’m looking forward to reading that affirms Warren’s premise is a recent book by Dr. Jeremiah Johnson, Unimaginable: What Our World Would Be Like Without Christianity. Most people have no idea how much the blessings we’ve inherited from Christianity inform the freedom and prosperity we all enjoy. Without it the world would be a much darker place.
For those of you with children, countering the secularist lies is easy once you know the truth. Study up!
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