Crisis In North America

Answer – Guder claims that there is a crisis within the North America church; however, I would have to disagree with his term ‘crisis.’ In as much as the evidence is true and there are clear symptoms, such as dwindling numbers, lack of biblical understanding, confusion and division within the church of North America, I believe this is a gift (Barrett 2). Jesus is clearing out the remnants of ‘Christendom,’ which has highjacked the true mission of the church. For too long, the church of North America has been filled with well-meaning people and leaders, but having lost their way, focused on comfort and preservation, rather than the transformation of lives, communities and the world. All the risk, challenge and sending was replaced with the …show more content…
They wondered, Was now the time that Israel would be in charge again? Jesus, are you going to kick Rome out? Yet, this was not the vision Jesus had for his Kingdom. Would there be politics involved? Certainly, because his kingdom was going to permeate every aspect of life; but at the same time it was not an earthly kingdom to be established—it was a kingdom rooted in heaven. Therefore, the main purpose of the church is to proclaim and advance the Kingdom of God on earth today. For example, our handout quotes Scot McKnight who says, “The modern Western Gospel tends to stop here, with what McKnight calls the “plan of salvation.” The plan of salvation is part of the gospel, but not the entire gospel. The Kingdom is an essential part of the Gospel as Jesus, Paul, and the early church proclaimed it” (Peterson 7). This truth is evident all the way through the book of Acts and especially with Paul who went to the far reaches to announce the Kingdom, in contract to the church in Jerusalem who I believe was still holding out for ‘their kingdom’ to be established. Furthermore, our handout says, “Establishing the Kingdom was not something that died with Jesus on the cross or left with him in his ascension. Establishing the Kingdom is still the primary focus of Jesus and his followers in the 40 days immediately after his resurrection, up until the time of his ascension” (Peterson 7). However, in some churches today, there is little or no talk about God’s kingdom coming to earth; but rather the teaching is preservation or escapism. However, the Spirit is stirring the church in Western America again towards the Kingdom of God coming on earth as in heaven. Every time the church gives a cup of cold water, fights human trafficking or comforts those who mourn, the kingdom is