Monday Morning Insights

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    Rick Warren on “Trends in the Church” (Part 5)

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    1.  Will Islam modernize peacefully? We're going to hear more about that a little bit later tomorrow. Will Islam modernize peacefully? ? big implications on that one.

    2.  Will America return to its religious roots and faith? It's questionable whether that will happen or not. Will America return to its religious roots and faith or will it go the way of Europe and basically reject its heritage?

    3.  Which is a really big one and of particular interest to me, what is going to replace the vacuum in China now that Marxism is dead? What's going to replace it? In all likelihood, it's going to be Christianity. I've had two state dinners in China in Tienanmen Square and People's Hall with their government, with the bureaucrats there, with the Cabinet members. I've actually had them in our home and had them in our church, and they've given me pretty much carte blanche in China for some reason. I don't know why they trust me, but we've discussed this, and I've debated them. I said, "You know what the problem with China is? You want the economic freedom of the West without the freedom of speech and the freedom of religion and the freedom of information that you must have to get the other." And so, they're going through turmoil. But there are about 80 million Christians, maybe as many as 100 million Christians ? most of them evangelical ? in China right now. That's about 25 million above ground and about 75 million meeting below ground in house churches. And so it is a huge, huge wave that's taking place there.

    You can read the whole transcript here. 

    Today… The Three Great Questions of the next Twenty Years.  Rick Warren says...TREND #5:  The Three Great Questions of the Next Twenty Years Another issue that I think you need to be aware of is what I call the three great questions of the next twenty years. And I think these are questions that we’re going to be facing—they’re all religious issues—and here is what I think they are…

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    1. bernie dehler on Thu, July 14, 2005

      I see Islam as one the the very biggest issues.  I’ve been reading “Lightforce” by Brother Andrew.  Andrew is turning into one of my role-models, as far as viewing the ministry and what’s important. 


      Communism was one of the biggest threats, but it’s nearly completely dead.  China will open up, like Russia.

      Islam needs a reformation, as Christianity has been through.


      One of the biggest “achiles heel” for Islam is the evil teaching that all converts from Islam should be killed.  That’s Sharia (Islamic) law (spelling likely not accurate).  How can we live peacefully with a religious people who want to kill your spiritual brother/sister (if they convert from Islam to Christianity, or from Islam to any other religion)?  Many Muslims and other faiths aren’t even aware of this law, but the practioners of the faith (Mullah’s, Islamic teachers, etc.) certainly know.  And they want to do this killing in the name of God, no less.

       

      I know many Muslims in the USA.  Very nice people.  Luckily, we don’t have Islamic law here, and they abide by our laws!


      ...Bernie


      http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/247

       

    2. BeHim on Thu, July 14, 2005

      Sometimes it is good to understand how the world will see you and I in 20 years.

      I highly recommend you read:


      1. War and Anti-War by Andy Toffler


      The book was research from 85 to 91 and published in 91 and 93.  To a degree the predictions that were made then have come to full fruition by 2005 (he has a book coming out sometime in the next year or so I have heard).


      2. Inevitible Surprises by Peter Shwartz published in 2003.


      They are futurists (non christian) and have advised world governements, global economists and more.  Remember the old saying “when EFHutton talks” well, it applies to these guys from a “wordly” perspective.

       

      We can apply what they know to what the Bible says and begin to get a REAL good picture of the next 20 years in American Christianity.


      First, I’m sure if Todd (and maybe others) were to take a blank piece of paper and draw a line from top to bottom down the middle and on one side list all the moderates and conservatives (as a matter of perspective), who they would be on this blog and then on the other side (again from perspective) who the radicals are, you would begin to see the next 20 years.


      The moderate and conservative christians will be asked who they think the “radicals” are and placed on a “watch” list.  This will be the beginning.

       

      The future from the “world’s” perspective sees ALL religion as a threat (Christianity as well as Islam, Judism, Muslim, etc) and especially the “radicals” in each “sect”.


      It’s here where it gets “harry” because it is easy for the moderate to say David Koresh and others are radical but what about when they say it’s the guy that disagrees with me Scripturally.

       

      It will be an easy transition from a Christian perspective as much of the church is married to the world anyway (like saying things like “we all believe in the same God” while on a Larry King show or something like that).


      The Supreme Court ruling a few weeks ago also places a premium on church land as prime real estate for developers, so you can imagine how as a pastor, keeping the rich developer happy in the pew is of vital importance.  This will begin to play out in the next few years.


      Within 2, 3 or 10 years, tracking radicals will be of supreme importance (for now it is in Islam) and within 10 to 15 years, bringing these radicals to “justice” will be vital to the global economy and security.

       

      Just my thoughts but hey, what do I know, I could be wrong.

       

    3. Art on Thu, July 14, 2005

      “China will open up, like Russia.”


      Um…not!  China will destroy Taiwan, and start a war with the U.S.  If you are talking about what our nuclear warheads will do to their country then I agree - otherwise I don’t think you are seeing the big picture with China.

    4. bernie dehler on Thu, July 14, 2005

      Hi Art-


      I don’t agree with you about China.  We are very tight with them— they hold a lot of our money, and they are even buying up USA companies, real estate, etc. (recent Newsweek article).  Christianity Today had an article, a few months back, about Bibles even being printed on Communist presses.  China is in incredible flux, even though it make look “sale ole” on the outside.  I agree with Rick Warren’s point #3, and his experience, on this completely…

      Here’s a similar CT story:


      http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2002/011/4.56.html


      ...Bernie


      http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/247/

       

    5. Rick on Sat, July 16, 2005

      Hey guys have you forgotten that they will come from the east,north, south, to overtake Israel who do you think they are talking about? China will never be a true honest friend to the west. You can make it a peaceful religon if you say it is, but that does not make it so, anymore than putting a kitten in a muffen pan will mske it a muffen, Islam is not a peace loving (Christian God loving religion)

      it is a self-punishing to get blessings religion. This is not to say all Muslims are hateful or vengful to others but to assume that Islam and Christanity are the same is dangerous. The east will never be friends with the west as we see with the spirit of Ishmal, always fighting against each other until we leave Rick

       

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