The Church in the 21st Century

THE CHURCH IN THE 21st CENTURY



The church comprises the entire Christian community, the church worldwide, of all times, those who believe in and follow Christ in the fellowship of His salvation. The strength and legitimacy of the church depend on how well it performs. The task for the church individually and collectively is to live by high moral standards and actively promote the teachings of Jesus Christ. The Master said, by their fruits shall ye know them. Christ expects good results from His church. This is how God Himself judges the church. This is also how the world with all its countries and people judge the church.

The various forces within the secular world have moved the opinions and perceptions of society away from traditional norms and religious heritage. Over time, society changes its ideas and shifts its loyalties. Christians abandon the faith; churches become lukewarm, false teachers creep into the church, the voice of the church seems relegated to that of a minor player. In spite of all this battering, the church stays alive. This endurance is not because it produces present day icons with huge social power in the world or society. It is because of the spiritual legacy and involvement of Christ, which reside within the faithful and shapes their resilience and zeal, and guarantees the successful survival of His church.

In modern times, the world media and entertainment establishments lead the offensive against the church. The evil ploy is to generalise and portray that the world is less religious; that Christianity has withered, that the church has nothing significant to contribute to society in this century.



In truth, the church does use its influence to try to keep the world from moral decay and corruption, through the lifestyle, teachings, and godly hope it promotes. The church does keep relevant in all ages, by declaring God’s point of view on worldly trends and consequences. It does this through its leaders and its faithful, speaking and challenging from all kinds of platforms. In all of history, the world has craftily elevated the relevance and influence of the church over the great commission - to preach the gospel throughout the world. Be that as it may, Christians are committed to bravely, and often daringly, spread the Christian message throughout the world. "Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world: Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

In this 21st century, the Holy Spirit has chosen to particularly energise and galvanise young adults from within, and from those presently outside the Christian community. The church of the 21st century thus will be a mighty voice and an audacious demonstration of God’s power both in the church and on the earth. It will dare to believe for, and will see good results, quickly. The church of the 21st century will trade passive influence for a brazen power that affects the characters and beliefs of people, in favour of Christ and His cause. The church of the 21st century will have an answer to the issues and predicaments faced by the kingdoms of this world, and it will impress its solutions on these receptive listeners. The church of the 21st century will rediscover the vibrancy and accelerated growth that comes from trusting simple disciples to hear from God, and adequately represent His church, wherever they happen to be.



The church of the 21st century will possess such in-depth and accurate information of future events in every sphere of society, that it will be not only a spiritual web for today’s world, but also a formidable power on the earth. The divisions and schisms within the church institutions will blur as the entire Christian community gets on with going into the entire world to preach the gospel.

God will let the arms of faith and love lift Hope, as one of the great contributions of the church in the 21st century. Where once the onerous qualifications imposed by the conservative church, kept seekers at bay, in the 21st century through the understanding of God’s grace, they now have Hope of easy access – to Christ and to God and into the church. This Hope opens up the bright prospects and optimism to all who believe in Jesus Christ, and the abundant life he offers. In a world that contrives to raise despondency and pessimism above hope, the 21st Century church will open its heart and arms to the desperate, the marginalised, the stranger and the so-called sinner. The Christians of the 21st century will be characterised by fresh Hopes joyfully residing within them, because of other hopes that Christ will have fulfilled in their lives.

And so, almost overnight, the sons and daughters of God emerge in the 21st century, ready to be known and judged by their fruit; and ready to re-establish the spiritual right, power, dominion and authority of the church of Jesus Christ.

Mike Abel ©

Mike Abel is the Founder and Senior Pastor of the Oasis of the Lord International Family of Christian Churches