Posted on 05/07/2005 8:05:03 AM PDT by churchillbuff
What is the fastest-growing religion on Earth?
Most news reports suggest it is Islam.
But a new book makes a compelling case it is a new, or, perhaps, old form of biblically inspired evangelical Christianity that is sweeping through places like China, Africa, India and Southeast Asia.
In "Megashift," author Jim Rutz coins a new phrase to define this fast-growing segment of the population. He calls them "core apostolics" - or "the new saints who are at the heart of the mushrooming kingdom of God."
Rutz makes the point that Christianity is overlooked as the fastest-growing faith in the world because most surveys look at the traditional Protestant denominations and the Roman Catholic Church while ignoring Christian believers who have no part of either.
He says there are 707 million "switched-on disciples" who fit into this new category and that this "church" is exploding in growth.
"The growing core of Christianity crosses theological lines and includes 707 million born-again people who are increasing by 8 percent a year," he says.
So fast is this group growing that, under current trends, according to Rutz, the entire world will be composed of such believers by the year 2032.
"There will be pockets of resistance and unforeseen breakthroughs," writes Rutz. "Still, at the rate we're growing now, to be comically precise, there would be more Christians than people by the autumn of 2032, about 8.2 billion."
According to the author, until 1960, Western evangelicals outnumbered non-Western evangelicals - mostly Latinos, blacks and Asians - by two to one. As of 2000, non-Western evangelicals outnumbered Westerners by four to one. He says by 2010, the ratio will be seven to one.
"There are now more missionaries sent from non-Western nations than Western nations," he writes.
This trend, says Rutz, has been missed by Westerners because the explosive growth is elsewhere.
Hundreds of millions of these Christians are simply not associated with the institutional churches at all. They meet in homes. They meet underground. They meet in caves. They meet, he says, in secret.
And what is driving this movement?
Miracles, he says.
"Megashift" attempts to document myriad healings and other powerful answers to the sincere prayers of this new category of believer, including, believe it or not, hundreds of dramatic cases of resurrections - not near-death experiences, but real resurrections of actual corpses.
"When I was a kid in Sunday school, I was really impressed that 3,000 people were saved on the Day of Pentecost," he writes. "I thought, 'Wow, that'll never happen again!"
But, Rutz says, it now happens around the globe every 25 minutes.
"By tomorrow, there will be 175,000 more Christians than there are today," he writes.
The essence of Rutz's book is about how Western Christians can tap into what he sees as a mighty work of God on Earth.
"Very few people realize the nature of life on Earth is going through a major change," he writes. "We are seeing a megashift in the basic direction of human history. Until our time, the ancient war between good and evil was hardly better than a stalemate. Now all has changed. The Creator whose epic story flows through the pages of Scripture has begun to dissolve the strongholds of evil. This new drama is being played out every hour around the globe, accompanied sometimes by mind-bending miracles."
God have mercy on your unwarrantedly judgmental, accostive, punitive soul.
"... once you catch the fish with your "bait", do you continue to feed it bait for the rest of its life?"
Obviously, you didn't read what I said .. or you wouldn't have made the above statement. Unless you're going to read my post - please don't bother me with your juvenile musings.
Hmmmm? I'm beginning to wonder if you "know GOD's voice".
Who said anything about babies?
"I will keep my faith and not chase after a man who has found his own 'better way'."
That's an admirable quality .. just be careful not to be judgemental JUST because it's a "new and different way" you might be judging it incorrectly. Allow the Holy Ghost to tell you - and you won't go wrong.
You said this in post #156. I may be wrong but it sounded to me like you were saying kh was not wrong in anything he said as the Holy Spirit caused him to say it. Yet you admit that "saying everyone must speak in tongues is out of balance". Do you think that benny hinn is doing the work of the Holy Spirit since he too has confessed that Jesus is Lord? By the way kh and warren dont "win souls". That is something the Holy Spiri does. They merely plant seeds. Only a vain man would take credit. I am also of the belief that any TV evangelist that gave a darn about being a shepard and helping Gods children would live a more modest life style. And with that I will stop trying to convince you that many men teach false doctrines.
The god of "secret code numbers" is YOUR reality. Pray to him all you like.
Smith Wigglesworth raised 12 people from the dead - I think it was in the early 1900's - so what's so unusual about it ..?? I wouldn't call him a "new category of believer".
Since I have personally experienced several healings - which are documented - I think it's because believers have matured to the point where GOD can operate more freely through their faith in HIS ability to heal.
Every new move of GOD is always met with sceptics.
Hmmmm? Maybe you're in that church to pray for that Pastor to have wisdom and discernment. Geeeeee, what a concept.
In other words, they have learned the words as spoken, not sung, then just sing the syllables to the tune and understand what they are supposed to mean. That is, alas, no different from learning the meaning of the words and then scatting the song. Sing "tra la la" and know that it is supposed to mean "Jesus Loves You".
You can have 10 people in the same Bible class and end up with 10 different interpretations of what was taught.
That is nothing new .. and it's because we are humans and we can miss it. But .. one of the secrets is knowing you're just human and you can miss it - and therefore the problem comes from "believing your own press" - instead of relying on the Holy Ghost to teach you the truth of what you heard.
I have a good Pastor - and he taught me.
Well, that pastor at THAT church is the one who tossed me because I refused to go along with him. I prefer to go along with Him (with a capital "H"). I believe we should be God Led, not "purpose led".
I really doubt that Christ would condone the hatred and arrogance being displayed in this movement...
"Well, that pastor at THAT church is the one who tossed me because I refused to go along with him. I prefer to go along with Him (with a capital "H"). I believe we should be God Led, not 'purpose led'."
Mathew 5:44 - "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;"
There ya go - with that scripture GOD is leading you!!
Many these days just buy their sermons in prepackaged units. Why, may I ask, are THEY necessary then? Just get a projector and let everyone watch someone else give a sermon.
As I said earlier, many pastors perceive their role in the church differently than I do. Some of that is because people expect the pastor to be THE ministry. So he sets up some silly seeker-friendly crap to draw in the prey, give them a feel-good message and a false gospel, and everyone else can come in and never feel pressure to serve or to make a difference in the world themselves -- or to even clean up their own lives and develop a one-on-one relationship with their Maker. So why bother going?
Well, TommyDale, I'd love to be a fellow church member with you. You'll find something else.
Perhaps it's too difficult for us to speak the same language.
. . .
And I will try and avoid enhancing your understanding of such matters.
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