PMW 2018-021 by Lita Cosner (Creation Ministries, Intl.)
Gentry note: In 1897 Mark Twain was reported to have died, to which he supposedly responded: “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” This response can be applied to the claim that Christianity in America is dead. Lita Cosner’s article makes some encouraging observations for us in this regard.
Lita Cosner article:
We’re used to hearing that religion is dying in America, secularization is inevitable, and that young people are leaving the faith in droves. But a new Harvard research study has great news for Christians. Previous research typically focuses on the massive increase in the proportion of people who claim atheism or ‘no religion’. But these reports generally don’t address where the decline is happening. This new research demonstrates that the decline is in ‘moderate’ religion. So it turns out that ‘religion’ isn’t dying, but the differentiation between believer and unbeliever is becoming clearer.
Postmillennialism Explained, Defended and Applied (6 mp3 lectures)
by Ken Gentry
These five lectures explain the biblical foundations to postmillennialism, while providing practical applications for the modern Christian.
See more study materials at: www.KennethGentry.com
Researchers make the distinction between Christians who attend church regularly, read the Bible multiple times a week, and pray frequently, in comparison to those that would claim the Christian label, but not practice church attendance, Bible reading, and prayer. The latter group has declined, like the ‘mainline’ churches that are hemorrhaging members. But the former group has held steady over time, and is even growing. As the abstract of the paper states, “rather than religion fading into irrelevance as the secularization thesis would suggest, intense religion—strong affiliation, very frequent practice, literalism, and evangelicalism—is persistent and, in fact, only moderate religion is on the decline in the United States.”
It is understandable why professing but not believing ‘Christians’ would leave the church in today’s climate. It’s no longer socially advantageous in many circles to have the label Christian. In today’s culture, Christians are not thought of as intellectually sophisticated or tolerant of other lifestyles. The exclusive claim that Jesus is the only way of salvation is seen as bigoted. So if one doesn’t really believe and practice Christianity, it can be easier to just come out as an atheist or a ‘None’.
Special Studies in Eschatology (6 mp3 downloads)
by Ken Gentry
In this collection of individual lectures you will find presentations of important eschatological themes, including a lecture given at Criswell College in Dallas, Tex. Click on tile (above) to read more.
See more study materials at: www.KennethGentry.com
This study reinforces why some churches and denominations are dying. But a wide variety of denominations are healthy and even growing—and they have one crucial thing in common. They believe and unashamedly teach that Jesus is the only way for salvation, that God has revealed Himself through Scripture, and that the Bible is an inspired, sufficient guide for every area of life.
. . . So as Christians, we should be encouraged by this report, but we should not become complacent! This report should spur us on to be purposefully diligent that the children in our families and churches grow up knowing that the Bible is God’s Word and it is trustworthy and accurate, from the very first verse!
To read the full article complete with footnotes: click
Lita Cosner is the Information Officer at Creation Ministries, International. She is a prolific writer who contributes articles to the CMI website, Creation magazine, and Journal of Creation. Lita is a specialist in New Testament studies and obtained a B.A. (summa cum laude) in Biblical Studies from Oklahoma Wesleyan University in 2008. She received an M.A. (cum laude) in New Testament from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in 2012. Her thesis is titled Jesus the Honorable Broker: A Social-Scientific Exegesis of Matthew 15:21–28.
Postmillennial Worldview 
Leave a Reply