Where is the church "center" today

[John81]

Most recognize the American church is not well and is no longer the "center" of Christianity on earth today.

At it's beginning, the Church/Christianity (I know some folks can argue over the terms, but I'm trying to keep it simple), was centered in Jersualem. From there the "center" of Christianity was in Asia minor, then it moved to Europe, and then to America.

Where has the "center" of Christianity moved to now? There are great moves of the Holy Ghost in South America, Africa, India and elsewhere. Many believe the center of Christianity has moved to Africa where many are coming to Christ and many churches are solid on the Word and some are even sending missionaries to America. Others point to India where the Gospel is spreading and the churches are vibrant and alive, sending forth missionaries and building up their congregations in the Word.

Any thoughts on this? What might this mean for America? How will this impact Christianity over the next few decades? Will America come to look like the other former centers of Christianity in our lifetimes?

[JerryNumbers]

There will be some Christ centered churches scatter throughout the world. Yet, there will probably not be very many people, even Christians, that will approve of these churches for they have not let enough of the world in to suit their taste.

[Covenanter]

Rome of course.

There can be no earthly centre for the church - it's the heavenly Jerusalem, of which all believers are citizens.

[John81]

What I mean by "center" is where Christianity is at it's strongest, most biblical.

Certainly, even after the other "centers" of Christianity ceased to be centers, there were yet Christians remaining. Yet the center, the core of Christianity had moved, either because of persecution (as in the case of Jersusalem) or because of churches going the wrong way.

The place Christianity was at it's strongest for a long while was America. This occured after biblical Christianity began declining in Europe.

It's actually interesting to trace the history of the Christian "stronghold" and how it's location effected Christianity and the world. It's also interesting to consider how the new positioning of the Christian "stronghold" will have similar effects.

[Covenanter]

20 years ago we were very impressed by the strength of Korean Christians who were active in the UK & missionary outreach.

[Brother Rick]

That's a good question John. I think America still is the stronghold when you consider the amount of missionaries that leave our country and go to others. If all the American churches folded up there's be a lot of stranded missionaries. I think the U.S. is still the great proponent of the Gospel out there.

That being said, we're fat and happy spiritually and the fervor is gone out of us, for the most part. I would say that spiritually the center would be India; people are getting saved over there like crazy.

[John81]

That's a good question John. I think America still is the stronghold when you consider the amount of missionaries that leave our country and go to others. If all the American churches folded up there's be a lot of stranded missionaries. I think the U.S. is still the great proponent of the Gospel out there.

That being said, we're fat and happy spiritually and the fervor is gone out of us, for the most part. I would say that spiritually the center would be India; people are getting saved over there like crazy.

True, a lot of missionaries still flow from America, but what about the quality? It's becoming far more common that the local (foreign to us) Christians are more solid on the Word and determined to actually live by the Word than are the missionaries coming from America.

Don't get me wrong, I know many good missionaries still go forth from America, but there is a huge number of missionaries from watered down and false denominations; not to mention the high number of Mormon missionaries.

Indeed, amazing things are taking place in India, which is such a large and diverse nation. Our family helps support a missionary in India and through our church we help support a missionary couple in India. The local churches in India are very evangelical minded. They share the Gospel locally and they are quick to send forth missionaries to other areas of India. It's awe inspiring to me how so many in India are willing to sacrifice so much (in terms of worldly matters) in order to accept Christ and truly live for Chirst according to His Word.

[Brother Rick]

I think we're in the closing days of the Laodicean period and that America will be the last nation to be really sending out missionaries at a high level. I think that's mainly because of the church's infrastructure compared to other nations - I'd say that in many other nations the Christians per captia are much more sold out than they are here.

[John81]

I think we're in the closing days of the Laodicean period and that America will be the last nation to be really sending out missionaries at a high level. I think that's mainly because of the church's infrastructure compared to other nations - I'd say that in many other nations the Christians per captia are much more sold out than they are here.

That's a possibility, plus the fact that while some people groups have yet to be reached with the Gospel, every nation has been reached. Within those nations and areas where many have yet to hear of Christ, the local Christians are typically, as you say, "sold out" to Christ so much they are themselves witnessing to all they can and sending forth missionaries from their own churches into unreached areas of their own land.

I've heard and read of many Christians from other countries who have visited America, looking very much forward to actually experiencing "Christian" America and visiting the "great" churches, only to come away very disappointed and often dismayed at the worldliness of most American Christians, their churches, and the country itself. A far cry from what Alexis de Tocqueville saw in early 19th century America.

[JerryNumbers]

The thing is, many missionaries sent out by churches in this country are false teaching churches sending out false teaching missionaries.

Ro 15:20 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:

1Co 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

I think someone misunderstood exactly what centered church really meant, I believe he was asking about, truly Christ centered Churches, there are many churches that do not have Christ at the center, that is they are not building on the proper foundation.

I feel that many of the truly Christ centered churches of today does have difficulties in finding others churches that they can fellowship with.

[John81]

Today, many of the "Christian" missionaries going from America to points around the world, come from charismatic churches, the Mormon church, and the variety of churches which hold to unbiblical means of salvation and sundry false doctrines.