Continuing Pastor Kennedy's message on America's Christian heritage and witnessing for the Gospel, he explains that in 1986, 40% of the people
professed that they had been “born again” through a personal experience with
Jesus Christ, which had transformed their life. If we continue to increase and
accelerate the growth of Christianity in America, then we shall have a
Christian majority in this nation. In order to achieve this, we need to do more
in the way of “uphill” evangelism. About 90% of all evangelism has been
“downhill” evangelism. We have been witnessing to the inferior (i.e. children,
nursing homes and hospitals, who are physically inferior / the homeless and in
prisons who are socially inferior) for fear on intimidation. Reaching these
people is needed and good, but we also need to reach up to those who are
somewhat superior. We need Christians courageous enough to witness to the
people running this country, the Media, our Education system, the Arts and the
Sciences. Reach the various people in the various levels of bureaucracy that
govern and influence this nation; too many of whom are completely in the dark
about the spiritual truths that Christ brought into this world. We need to have
a strategy that can change this world Christ’s sake. Go to the college
professors, Biology professors, and Sociology profession to share the Gospel
(many of whom are quite receptive). They have been omitted and have never heard
the Gospel. Witness to people of influence whenever and wherever you can.
Witnessing to the “uphill” soul is equal to the “downhill”, but their influence
may be 50 million times more. Pray for them and witness to them. We can make a
difference in this nation!
In addition to evangelizing,
we need to realize that if we are going to fulfill the Great Commission and
Cultural Mandate of Christ, all of God’s people need to live as God commanded
in Genesis
1:28, Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth
and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of
the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Take
all the potentiality that God built into every sphere of life and perfect
those, offering them up to the glory of God. That is what we are to do, but
instead of doing that the church has disobediently retreated from those
spheres. We have left them to unbelievers, who have moved into the vacuum,
taking the potentialities there and have twisted, distorted and perverted them
to offer up the hideous result to the glory of their father, the devil. The
evidence is easily found in our magazines, movies and television programs
today. We need to do something about that, as God is being robbed of His own
glory in His own world. We need to start to make an godly influence on that.
Christians need to talk to
their children about going into areas where they can make a godly difference in
this country; not just somewhere that they can make money, but where they can make
a difference for Jesus Christ with the Christian perspective. Christians need
to run for Public Offices from President to Dog-catcher. We can reclaim this
nation for God! Do you believe that can be done? Well, we need to begin to get
ready. What can you do in society, in government and in public or private
schools so people get a view of life from a Christian perspective? This is the
kind of perspective when the nation was founded; a perspective of life that
has, unfortunately, been lost.
John
11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the
resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die,
he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do
you believe this?”
Atheists and secular
humanists censor all Christian messages while accusing Christians of
censorship. In their exclusive thinking, you may receive all the non-Christian
message you want, but may receive no Christian messages. In our US History and
Social Studies text books in America today, religion is almost totally ignored
and virtually no mention of it in the last 100 years. There is a definite bias,
prejudges and censorship that purposely cuts religion out of the public schools
in America. This is history being re-written to meet the current godless
secular public policy and this hidden agenda is being done salaciously and
silently behind the scenes. The secular textbook writers demonstrate a positive
paranoia concerning evangelical Christians and Christianity. Today, we as
Christians need to stand up and say, “Thus far and no further shall thou go.”
Americans are beginning to
see what is happening negatively and ungodly in this country. Christians are
beginning to wake up to what the responsibilities and potentialities are in
reaching the lost and changing this culture. It is an exciting time to be a
Christian. It is a time when every Christian should overcome the fear of
witnessing for Christ, a time when every Christian should be willing to share
the gospel and be equipped to do so boldly and courageously and a time when God
is doing great things. America is going to have a revival with a great change
in morality and spirituality. We are going to see many of the evils that have
decimated and plagued this land removed to a great extent. And this is going to
come about through the power of the Gospel. It begins with each and everyone us
called to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Christ is the only person to really
get excited about!
The witness of the Gospel is
the greatest need in this critical hour, as there is a struggle between faith
and unbelief. It is a crucial, exciting and challenging time to be a Christian.
But, what is needed is courage. We need preachers that teach the truth of the
Word of God, tell it like it is and challenge their people to step into the
gap. We need churches who are courageous and not afraid to step on toes of
activist unbelievers in order to share the Gospel and bring godly change to
lives and our culture. Are you courageous for Christ? Are you bold for the
Kingdom of God? Not all that profess possess. Christian is our name, so we need
to change our conduct for the Lord to align our walk and ministry with Christ’s
or change our name. God’s will be done.
In Christ, Brian
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