R. Francis Smith:

I don’t know that I agree with the predicted results; as you know, I’m suspicious of any predictions that are, eh, grandiose. I should also disclaim that it suffices for me to be Christian and I don’t go for anything like “Protestant” or “evangelical” or whatnot. However, putting my mind to what I see about Christianity in particular in the US, concerning the “why” points: I agree emphatically with #1 and #2. Very much so. Power politics and serving God are not two great tastes that taste great together (not the least because the former tastes horrible anyway.) Seat filling for numbers is just another power play; those people you bring in that don’t want to live a godly life are just, well, token Christians to show how big you are. Bleah. Give me a small church where everyone counts and every dollar goes straight to doing some tangible good every time.

I sort of agree with #3, except it’s too much doomsaying. The gates of Hell shall not prevail against the church. Like some of the Asian churches in the Revelation, though, some may lose their membership just as they lose their candlesticks, if you will. So it goes. I think churches are like people — those founded on the rock will survive.

#4… well. I’ve always been dubious of Christian educational institutions; I think they are trying to mix oil and water and so typically to survive as schools they compromise everything. I may be cynical about that, though (hey, I only went to public schools and state universities.) I do see a growing trend towards home schooling and I wonder what’s going to happen there.

#5 is just a repeat of the doomsaying so I’ve already reacted to that. I disagree entirely with #6; or rather, if we fail to pass on a confidence in the Bible to our children, IT’S OUR FAULT. Blaming societal change is ridiculous. The first two centuries of the church? In the Roman empire? Under hateful rulership like Nero? Persecution like we can’t imagine? A depraved society? That church THRIVED. This is just defeatist and there’s no excuse for it. If he’d said “unwillingness” instead of “inability” I might have sadly agreed.

As for #7, God will provide. Not always what is wanted. But what is needed.

As for his last bit, I hope fervently that denominations become irrelevant. The church was never meant to be divided in practice, nor united in human hierarchy. Likewise I certainly hope that the prosperity gospel will vanish under its own ridiculousness. I regret his feeling that the churches won’t get back to saving souls (and worshiping God) instead of trying to be PACs or whatever.

Finally, I certainly agree with this: “We can rejoice that in the ruins, new forms of Christian vitality and ministry will be born. I expect to see a vital and growing house church movement. This cannot help but be good for an evangelicalism that has made buildings, numbers, and paid staff its drugs for half a century.” Remember what I said about how I’d always take a small church with clarity of purpose and action? Yeah.

Oh, and this wasn’t in the article, but I’d also like to see churches start paying taxes and stop compromising in order to avoid doing it. Taxes are okay for Jesus and his disciples to pay, but not us? Phooey. Just to throw some gas and fire there, man.

Wow, that went long. Well, you pointed me at it. Heh.

R