Faith still changes lives
the Rev. Michael Stubbs
Friday, June 15, 2007
The Bible is a unique book recorded over approximately a 1,500 year span of time. It was authored by over forty authors, most of whom did not personally know one another. Some were kings, military leaders, peasants, philosophers, fisherman, tax collectors, poets, musicians, statesmen, scholars, shepherds, farmers, and clergymen. It is unique in its continuity considering these men wrote separately about the most complex philosophical, moral, and spiritual issues that exist and did so in complete agreement with one another.
Not one fundamental doctrine of the Bible is in question when it comes to the agreement of the writers indicating a oneness of source — the Holy Spirit communicating with man.
If we were to ask 40 individuals today from one culture, from one country, of one state of mind to expound upon such deep subjects, the chance of complete agreement, without the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, would be impossible. This book has endured centuries of critics and skeptics and outlived them all. It continues to be the most circulated and translated book in the world and continues to powerfully change lives across the span of the earth in increasing measure.
When speaking to a Chinese international student from Emporia State University , I asked, “Why do so many of you want to learn about the God of the Bible?” His response was, “We consider the prosperity and success of nations that at least claim a Christian heritage and must acknowledge their God.” This came from a student from a country where only 6 percent, fifteen years ago, go to college, and only 6 percent of that amount travel to the West to study. In other words, this man was among the top 1 percent of his nation intellectually and could come to no other conclusion but that the Christian faith is unique. This does not mean Christians are perfect.
As long as we have healthy, growing churches, we will have attendees who are at various levels of Christian maturity; some are new believers with little understanding and life transformation while others are of greater maturity levels and live out what they profess to believe on a consistent basis.
Little has been said in the media about the incredible growth of Christianity across the globe. Harvard University professor Harvey Cox has said the growth of Pentecostals in the Southern Hemisphere is “so astonishing as to justify claims of a new reformation,” quoted in Phillip Jenkins’ book, The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity on page 7. While at the beginning of the twentieth century only about 10 percent of Africa was Christian, the numbers now are about 46 percent which amounts to about 360 million adherents with the growth in Nigeria alone totaling to about 45 percent of the current population. Even in the United States we have seen the significant overflow of such phenomenal growth especially in such visible ministries like T.D. Jakes’ Dallas-based church, the Potter’s House which has over twenty thousand members. Rev. Joel Osteen of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, has a weekend attendance of 25,000.
For this reason both Democrats and Republicans alike will take a crash course in “Christianese” from their speech writers when they hit the campaign trail realizing this significant portion of the U.S. population must be swayed in order to produce the results they require to gain office.
But, politics, numbers, and facts aside, I have come to one irrefutable conclusion without which I would find another purpose in life: Jesus Christ is still the answer to mankind’s deepest needs and is still changing the lives of those who come to him.
• “Sunday Sermon” is a forum for Emporia area ministers to share their sermons, thoughts and observations. This week’s sermon is from the Rev. Michael Stubbs, pastor of Victory Fellowship Foursquare Church.