Category Archives: Optimism

RISEN AGAIN: CHINA’S UNDERGROUND CHURCHES

Church, Optimism December 31, 2014 1 Comment

China preacherPMT 2014-157 by Emily Rauhala (Time magazine)

[Note: This article is published on Time magazine’s website. I am posting only the first three paragraphs but am urging your to follow the link and read the full article. As America is in full-scale spiritual, moral, social, political, and economic decline, postmillennialists need to recognize that God does not need America, and that he is moving elsewhere in the world in remarkable ways. Unless God pours out his Spirit on churches in America, it may be that he will promote the progress of the gospel in surprising places in the world.]

The pastor places a palm on the man’s head. As he closes his eyes, gentle hands tilt the man backward, below the surface, then guide him up. He emerges cleansed of sin and spiritually committed to Jesus Christ.

It’s a scene that plays out every Sunday, somewhere. This time the rite took place below a makeshift altar, in an unmarked building, on the outskirts of Beijing. When the man rose from the makeshift baptismal tub he joined a community tens of millions strong and growing by the year: Chinese Christians. Continue reading →

PILGRIM MOTIF V. POSTMILLENNIALISM?

Church, Objections, Optimism, Pessimism December 5, 2014 Leave a comment

WandererPMT 2014-146 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

I have an occasional practice of asking Facebook friends and PostmillennialismToday readers for some questions about eschatology that they might have. Be aware: I usually upload blog articles several weeks in advance. So your question might come slowly, rather than what you might expect: “the time is near.” Send your questions to me at: KennethGentry@cs.com

Chris Comis asks: “What is your response to the ‘pilgrim/sojourner’ motif in the Scriptures, especially as it is often presented by amills and premills from 1 Peter? Just curious.” Continue reading →

PROTESTANTS ARE CONVERTING CATHOLICS

Church, Optimism November 19, 2014 Leave a comment

Catholics Latin AmericaBy Morgan Lee (Christianity Today)

Enthusiasm for the first pope picked from Latin America has prompted predictions of a “Francis effect” revival among the region’s Roman Catholics. Time will tell, but a new report shows exactly what the former Archbishop Bergoglio of Buenos Aires is up against in his own backyard: Protestants are remarkably ascendent across 18 nations and one US territory.

For most of the last century, more than 90 percent of Latin Americans identified as Catholics. But now that number has hit a new low: 69 percent, according to a thorough report on this “widespread change” released today by the Pew Research Center. Regionally, 84 percent of Latin American adults were raised as Catholics. But nearly 1 in 5 adults (19 percent) now identify as Protestants, while only 1 in 10 (9 percent) were raised as Protestants. (Similarly, the religiously unaffiliated have doubled from 4 percent as children to 8 percent as adults.) Continue reading →

CHINA BECOMING MOST CHRISTIAN NATION

News, Optimism November 5, 2014 1 Comment

China ChristianityPMT 2014-134 by Tom Phillips, Liushi, Zhejiang province
The Telegraph (4/19/14)

The number of Christians in Communist China is growing so steadily that it by 2030 it could have more churchgoers than America.

It is said to be China’s biggest church and on Easter Sunday thousands of worshippers will flock to this Asian mega-temple to pledge their allegiance – not to the Communist Party, but to the Cross.

The 5,000-capacity Liushi church, which boasts more than twice as many seats as Westminster Abbey and a 206ft crucifix that can be seen for miles around, opened last year with one theologian declaring it a “miracle that such a small town was able to build such a grand church”.

The £8 million building is also one of the most visible symbols of Communist China’s breakneck conversion as it evolves into one of the largest Christian congregations on earth. Continue reading →

6 MILLION MUSLIMS ANNUALLY CONVERT TO CHRISTIANITY IN AFRICA

News, Optimism October 29, 2014 1 Comment

African ChristianityPMT 2014-131 by Muslim Statistics

According to Al-Jazeerah’s interview with Sheikh Ahmad Al Katani, the president of The Companions Lighthouse for the Science of Islamic Law in Libya, In every hour, 667 Muslims convert to Christianity.

Everyday, 16,000 Muslims convert to Christianity. Every year, 6 million Muslims convert to Christianity. Al-Jazeerah has since removed the interview and details.

Millions of Muslim converts to Christianity celebrated Christmas throughout the world. According the reports of the various missionary organizations and news medias.

The Salem Voice Ministries evangelizing Muslims in India and many other Muslim nations. There are about 500 evangelists ministering among Muslims in different African, Middle East and Asian countries. A vast number of Muslims finding the truth and attaining Salvation of Jesus Christ day by day. Continue reading →

RISING TIDE OF MUSLIM CONVERTS TO CHRISTIANITY

News, Optimism October 27, 2014 Comments: 4

Muslim ChristianPMT 2014-130 by Warren Cole Smith (World magazine, 7/28/14)

If you spend any time keeping up with the news, you know that radical Islam is a significant and destructive force in the world. David Garrison, does not disagree with that assessment, but he says it’s only part of the story. There is also a revival in the Muslim world, Garrison says. He believes between 2 and 7 million former Muslims have converted to Christianity in the past two decades, and he has impressive research to back up his claim. He documents his findings in his book A Wind in the House of Islam.

Garrison has a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and spent more than 25 years as a missionary with the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Missions Board. I had this conversation with Garrison in Atlanta at the recent International Christian Retail Show.

Many people, when they think of the Muslim world, feel discouraged by radical Islam. Your book has kind of a more hopeful message. What is it? Continue reading →

ISLAM VERSUS POSTMILLENNIALISM?

Objections, Optimism, Pessimism October 24, 2014 1 Comment

Islam swordPMT 2014-129 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

I receive many email, blog, Facebook, and conference questions on various eschatological issues. From time-to-time I plan on running a question in PostmillennialismToday. Here is one I received very recently, wondering how about a difficulty postmillennialism faces today.

Dr Gentry. With the threat of Islam around the world particularly it’s growth and infiltration into western society, how do we rationalize the teaching of Christian postmillennialism? Will they continue to grow and threaten western society or will they come to accept Christ as Lord and Saviour?

This is an excellent question. A question that needs to be gotten out front, because I can imagine it is on many Christians’ minds when they hear of the optimism of postmillennialism. The dominant eschatology today is dispensationalism, which is pessimistic to the core regarding the future until Christ raptures the church. How can a postmillennialist have hope in the light of such a widespread problem in the world today? Continue reading →