"BOLOGNA" CHRISTIANITY IS ON THE MARCH

By NiteOwlDave
niteowldave@gmail.com

Despite what some naysayers suggest, organized Christianity as defined by the masses is not on a worldwide downslide.

According to http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_Christianity_declining#ixzz1BKitWH6o, Christianity is undergoing healthy growth in the Far East, especially in South Korea where Christianity is reportedly mushrooming.

“Of the 11 largest churches in the world, 10 are in South Korea, and some of them exceed 30,000 in membership so that they have to have 7 - 10 services on a Sunday in a large conference arena to fit everyone in,” the site reports.

The site points out that in some countries, including those in Western Europe, organized Christianity has been in decline since the 1960s. It reports that Christianity is growing – and growing rapidly – in other parts of the world.

Christianity has the most followers with 2.1 billion. Islam has 1.8 billion followers in our world population of about six billion people, reports http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_makes_Islam_one_of_the_fastest_growing_religions#ixzz1BLCQpQJ6.

Sadly, the Roman Catholic section of Christianity, which is 90 per cent bunk and is really a major non-Biblical cult, makes up one billion or one half the total, according to http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_Roman_Catholics_are_there.

The idea that 2.1 billion earth-dwellers are true Christians comes under fire from evangelicals who say what is called Christianity in surveys like this flies in the face of real-deal Christianity as defined by the Bible.

Conservative Christians see those who embrace Bible-plus- tradition and salvation-by-works theology as full-blown baloney with no Biblical basis.

Says fundamentalist preacher Harold Smith, “We have churches full of people who have been Christianized, but not born again. Consequently they try to live what they do not have. In order to live a Christian life, one must first have the life. Hence, Jesus said in John 3:7, “Ye must be born again.”

He says the world gets most of their teaching about Christianity from the TV preachers and asks, “What do they see in them?”

“1. They see many different denominations when the Bible says that there is only one body of people called the church. (Eph. 4:4 and Matt 16:18) Jesus speaks of my church, singular.’

“2. They see a group of greedy money lovers who are living in luxury at the expense of the poor donors. This is contrary to the Bible view in James 2:5 which says, ‘Has not God chosen the poor of the world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to them that love him?’ James 5:1 adds, ‘Go to now, ye rich, weep, howling over your miseries that are coming upon you.’

“3. They see many of them who have fallen in sexual scandals that have rocked the nations. Of this, the half has not likely been told. God’s people are exhorted in 1 Peter 1:16, ‘Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.’

“4.They see in the Christians the same as the rest of the world; greed and self gratification like everyone else. Why is all this? It is simply because there has been no real genuine repentance of sin. Repentance means a change of mind toward sinning against God. One cannot be saved without it. Jesus said, “Repent or perish (Luke 13:3,5)

“The reason for the confusion out there is that too few are preaching like Paul. We must first repent toward God, then have a committed faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, says Acts 20:21. Repentance does not turn people from God, but it turns them toward God.”

THE IRANIAN PEOPLE CORRECTLY SEE CHRISTIANITY AS PHONY BOLOGNA

There is an interesting reason why Muslims smirk at Christianity and call it phony baloney.

An internet chat room acquaintance, Nader (last name withheld), a Muslim who fled Iran to convert to Christianity and is now a self-supporting translator of Christian books to the official language of Iran, Farsi, has this insightful response,

“In Iran, the US is thought of as a Christian country which I know now it certainly is not,” said the courageous middle-aged man.

“When I was growing up, I saw American TV programs where these ‘Christians’ who used drugs, cheated on their families, were corrupt in business. Like the rest of my Muslim friends, I thought this is what Christians do.”

Preacher Harold Smith sums up: “The problem with Christianity today is not the world, but those who profess to be Christians.”

SAVED IN A “FLASH”

revives_u@gmail.com

Hi. My name is Helen. I have a daughter, born in 1995. I am a saved Christian. My road to making Jesus my Lord and Savior is winding with many gullies along the way.

I grew up agnostic. My mother had a horrible Catholic upbringing and became an atheist at a young age.

I have to think childhood abuse when she was age five contributed to her hatred of God and organized religion. My brother and I were raised with confused feelings of God and church people.

My mother told us the word God was just to create fear. She said God was a trick word. As a child, she was told by the priests that she was too bad to enter Heaven when she dies, and she would be sent to Hell’s fire for sure.

It makes sense to me that a life of hearing one is not good enough for God’s Heaven wouldn’t bring a person to knowing God’s love for them.

She was adamant that God should not be mentioned in public school. Because of the God word, she made my brother and me sit down when the other students stood for the pledge of allegiance to the flag. I was so embarrassed when I got stared down by my classmates.

‘CHURCHES ARE BAD’

I never went to church during my childhood and teen years. Like my mother, I associated churches with being bad.

My parents got divorced when I was a toddler. I saw my father just a few times a year, mainly during Christmas, Easter, and summer breaks.
Because my father was English and an accomplished actor, I went to England quite a few times during my late teen years, visiting relatives.

I loved England’s old churches. What beautiful ancient stone structures they were. The blown glass, and beautifully tinted colored windowpane designs were mind blowing. It must be magnificent to see the windows from the inside.

I can just imagine the sunlight creating a magnificent light show throughout the whole church.

As expected, I refused to go into the churches. What I wouldn’t give to go into them for a church service now!

SLAMMED WITH JESUS TRUTH

How I came to know Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior is a miraculous story that many may dismiss. I credit my brother for God finding me, although my brother was a bull in a china shop. He was saved at about age 23 after a near fatal drug overdose.

He told our family about his salvation and what we must do to get into Heaven. His approach was not the best. He became argumentative when the family challenged his hallelujah claims.

My salvation shows that God is everywhere.

God does hear every word we say. I had always argued with my brother about God’s existence. It didn’t help that my brother kept getting in my face to try to make me believe.

In the mid 1990s, I became so angry with his pushy approach, I felt I had one of two choices to make: I was going to punch my preachy brother in the face or seek out this God of his.

This may sound weird, but I went for a walk…and WALKED RIGHT INTO THE ARMS OF JESUS. BAM.

Full of anger at my brother one cold, winter night, I ploughed through two feet of snow toward the back of my mother’s large property. I spat out fowl language at this Jesus Christ. I ordered “Jesus” to prove his existence.

Suddenly, a literal beam of light that I could see slammed my heart. The force was so strong it knocked me onto my bottom. I could not get up. I don’t know exactly what God said to my subconscious, but the Lord God Christ put me in my place. I began to cry and I bowed to God. I opened my heart to Jesus and spilled all.

I prayed for about 15 minutes. All the anger toward my brother and God was drained away.Tears streamed down my face.

I told Jesus about my frustrations, my deepest sins. I asked for forgiveness and accepted His forgiveness. I will never forget this born-again experience. I am a child of God. The love Jesus shows for me is like no other love.

Until I go to Heaven one day, I will rejoice with my Savior. You might find this sinner’s prayer useful.

Dear God:

I am a sinner.

Others have sinned greater than I have. Nevertheless, I stand before you now as a lost sinner, deserving of Hell. I choose to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who became a man.

I choose to believe that He allowed Himself to be put to death, that He rose again on the third day and is alive today. The Bible says that Jesus Christ shed His blood and died to pay the penalty for our sins, and I believe that.

Father, I want to be cleansed of all my sins right now. I know that Jesus Christ died to make me right with God and that I am forgiven for all my sins and will go to Heaven when I die. Right now at (time and date)___________________, I bow at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ, and I am dumping all of my sins there. And I mean ALL of them!

I ask that the blood of Jesus Christ wash away all my sins - past, present and future. I believe that the blood of Jesus Christ washed away all my sins - past, present and future.

I am sorry for my sin, God, and I accept your forgiveness. Right now, I declare that I am a Christian. I ask, Father, that you will make me aware of when I want to sin, and give me the courage to say No.

I ask, too, that you will help me understand the Bible, and to make the rest of my days on earth count for eternity.

I pray all of this in the name of Jesus Christ - my new Lord and Savior. Amen.