THE APOSTASY GALLOPING

Indications are showing that the apostasy is rapidly growing, as reported in The Journal published in the January 2009 issue from Summit Ministries. America is fast moving toward secularization. The population that accepts evolution is edging up. More than ever now believe that the Bible is built on legends and fables. This has soared from 1 in 10 to nearly 1 in 4 in just thirty years. Atheists and agnostics have increased in number from two million in the 1950s to as many as sixty million (a fifth of the population) according to the Harris polls.    The nonreligious population has doubled in the last fifteen years. Only half of Americans now believe absolutely in a personal God, which is below from a historic level in comparison to what is found in many second and third world countries. Church membership has declined to about half of what it was fifty years ago. It has accelerated rapidly after September 11, 2001. Only a fifth of the population turns up in church on any given Sunday. Mainstream denominational churches have dwindled almost to a minority status. Conservative churches too are losing ground. Those who hold to the Bible as the literal Word of God has fallen markedly from 4 in 10 to less than a third over the last thirty years.    Evangelical churches are shifting to the left and moving quickly from proclaiming and teaching the Truth from the pulpit. Light sermons, sermon-ettes, and devotionals, are the mainstay in most churches now. All out apostasy and liberalism will be the next phase which will cause churches to finally shrink to the size of a prune and then disappear altogether! Christ will continue to build His church right up to the end—to the day of the rapture of the church, the removal of true believers from the earth just prior to the prophesied Tribulation and Wrath of God that will last seven years. During the last days of the church dispensation, the numbers will be less and less. Persecution will probably be experienced by most who are trusting Christ. Churches will be under the gun but will probably be more healthy than at any time in the recent past.    Pastors, you need to prepare your congregation and flock for these changing times! –Dr. Mal Couch