Tools for Monday: The Abiding Relevance of Christ
Will Christianity survive? Is it any longer relevant? Most people in the West have major doubts.
The most recent survey conducted by the Evangelical Church of Germany (EKD) found that only thirteen percent of Germans still value what are called traditional “church-religious attitudes.” Fifty-six percent of those surveyed said that they prefer “secularism” to Christianity. You can read an article about the survey in a reputable German newspaper website here: Glaube in der Krise: Studie zeigt Bedeutungsverlust der Kirchen In Deutschland (nzz.ch)
This news is disheartening, but not shocking. Americans seem to be following our European neighbors. Our fellow Austinites are no exception. About 64% of people in the 78748 zip code do not attend any religious activity on a regular basis. We could debate the why’s and wherefore’s of this information ad nauseum, but suffice it to say, Christianity appears to be on its way out of the mainstream, and it may not return for some time…if ever.
However, just because Christianity isn’t mainstream does not make it irrelevant. In fact, the New Testament provides ample evidence that Christianity may even function more effectively when it goes underground. Jesus said that God’s kingdom works like yeast in dough, or like a growing mustard seed. It’s barely perceptible, but it is working and growing despite the odds stacked against it. Jesus himself promised that the gates of hell will never ultimately succeed against the church (Matthew 16:18).
Consider for instance the following article from Ayaan Hirsi Ali of Stanford University. Her story is intriguing and captivating. It appears that she just recently came to faith in Christ, which appears to me as nothing short of miraculous, given her background. The Spirit is giving her tremendous insight into the abiding relevance of hope in the Lord. Please click on the link to view the article.