Rev. 6:9-11; 14:6-7; Signs: Religion (4)

We have noted issues related with the apostasy of the Church.  But there are other issues of religion to note in the end times.

b.     Growing Satanism, Rev. 12:9-12

                                                 i.      Satan worship (occult activities), Rev. 13:4

                                              ii.      Dictator worship, Rev. 13:8

                                           iii.      Demonic activity, 1 Tim. 4:1

c.     Persecution of believers, Matt. 24:9; Rev. 6:9-11.

                     i.      Sources (Jeff. Taylor, Moody, May/June 2000, p13-18)

                    ii.      Religious extremism.

1.     Islam: Sudan (National Islamic Front troops from the north raid villages in the south; children are often sold as slaves), Saudi Arabia (forbids all nonmuslim worship meetings), most Muslim nations have lawa against blaspheming the prophet Mohammed or insulting the Koran.

2.     Nationalist Hindu’s in India committed violence against Christians.

                   iii.      Restrictive governments. (Communism in China, N. Korea (harassment, fines, imprisonment for the faith).

                   iv.      Ethnic factors. (Indonesia, where Muslims persecute Chinese who are 5% of the population with 70% of the wealth.)

                   v.      Social factors. (Columbia, Guatemala: Christians are persecuted as part of the drug ward. In 1999 36 evangelical pastors were killed, 55 were forded to flee, in Columbia.)

d.     Global evangelism, Matt. 24:14; Rev. 14:6-7.

                   i.      There was a generally positive report.

1.     Less than 20% have NOT heard.

2.     Kazakhstan: in 1983 50 believers; today more than 5000.

3.     Albania: almost no believers to today, over 5000.

4.     China: in 1949 1-2 million; today 60-80 million Christians.

5.     Fastest growing areas: Latin America, Sub Sahara, Pacific Rim (including the Philippines, China, Korea).

6.     Now 7000 Korean missionaries in 145 countries.

                   ii.      Issues to consider:

1.     There are over 1700 unreached people groups.

2.     84% of the world’s population is closed to missionaries.

3.     We still see 75% of the missionaries outside the 10/40 window where most of the world’s unbelievers reside (in a survey only 10% of Bible college grads were willing to go there).

4.     There is a need to “re-evangelize” the west:

a.     Europe is now the “dark continent.”

b.     Many in the USA have not heard the gospel.

c.     In the USA Islam has grown 25% in the 90s.  70 years ago there were no mosques in the US; today there are 1500 with over 400 Muslim schools.

5.     There must be an emphasis on making disciples, not merely preaching.

e.     Manifestations of the Spirit, Joel 2:28f.

(This concludes our observations on religion at the turn of this century.  Again, we believe these insights give us much to consider today and a reason to pray.  As Paul said in Rom. 13:12: The night is far spend, the day is at hand.  Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.