Europe’s neglected churches are being filled again–by new Christians who have converted out of Islam, according to a recent report by Fox News ( http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/03/21/muslim-converts-breathe-new-life-into-europe-s-struggling-christian-churches.html ).
This is exceedingly good news–but is it true? You know Muslim authorities aren’t going to talk about it: ditto secular humanist noozies who are embarrassed by religion in general and Christianity in particular.
In recent years organizations like Voice of the Martyrs have reported more and more conversions to Christianity inside Muslim countries, where to do so usually means persecution or even death. Anyone who leaves Islam is considered fair game to be killed.
Nevertheless, they leave. And in what numbers, and for how long, and with what effect–well, who knows?
So is it true? Behind all the grim stories of rape and violence, does the Muslim invasion of the West have a key element that hardly anyone has noticed? Is God using this to advance the Kingdom of Our Lord Jesus Christ?
It just might be, you know. It just might be. He does love to work in unexpected ways.
And if the stories are true, our family in Christ is getting bigger–and we have some fatted calves to kill.
Dear Lee,
I have had recent confirmation of what you are hearing. The brutality of ISIS, which has driven millions of refugees from their homes, is causing massive numbers to give up on their long-held beliefs. There are some amazing stories of the Lord appearing to them, like He did to the Apostles when their boat was foundering. They want to know who He is. All in the boat later came to faith in Christ.
Evelyn
I’ve read similar things with great interest. While the atrocities committed in the name of Islam are sickening, that is not to say that every person from that part of the world supports such things. Some in those places are as repulsed by the violent radical element within Islam as any of us are.
I have heard of travelers from Muslim majority countries entering. Churches in Europe and to let people know that they believe Christianity, but can only practice such in a very limited manner in their home countries.
I’ve also heard accounts of Muslims claiming to have had dreams which contained visions of Jesus. I can’t attest to the veracity of these claims, but they are not inconsistent with biblical examples.
Our Creator is the prime and perfect example of love, so we can be assured that he will not forget honest hearted people anywhere. Mankind creates some very unpleasant conditions, yet God mananges to use these to His advantage in the task of redeeming mankind.
Speaking only for and of myself, I become impatient at times and want all of this to be over and done with. But there are a lot of people besides me in this world and God wants to help as many as possible to accept Him and The redemption of the Christ. We may we’ll find ourselves pleasantly surprised by how many are saved.
I’m sure you are right, folks. We are no judge of what kind of people God will choose to redeem, and when I see churches empty and closing, and being taken over by people we would never have believed would find them, perhaps it is a case of “if these do not worship me, even the stones can cry out.” Maybe the stone (churches) are calling out to these lost ones.
Many of the mainstream churches have left behind many of the teachings of Christ Jesus and have lost the hearts of their adherents. It’s no surprise that there are a new crop of Christians being cultivated. I wish them well.
We do need the reinforcements!
Indeed!
Having a common standard of conduct and morality brings people together like nothing else. When we know what we can expect from others it becomes a lot easier to build trust and, ultimately, a sense of community.