Sometimes he just yanks the candlestick in those situations.

 I'm not sure this is really true. Number of buildings may mean something but not necessarily.

I would recommend checking statistics for the megachurches in America. Find out how many preach the prosperity gospel. Then check how many use new age religion of the power of positive thinking dressed in Christ and then do the math.

Personally for me health and wealth is not the focus of scripture but some may disagree.

Spurly,

I understand what you are saying and why you are saying it. It's a trendy thing to say nowdays. I'm not saying that you said it for that reason. But the church in Europe has basically been whiped out because of socialism and "politically correct" persecution. We should learn from that. Persecution most certainly doesn't guarantee the furthering of the gospel. In my opinion, it usually brings about the opposite. You are assuming that the persecution would still allow Christians to meet together or would allow us to spread the gospel at all.

Where I live, the local school boards, led mostly by a person who privately said the following to another board member--"I don't like all those 'non-denominational churches meeting in schools"--tried to pass a law that churches could no longer meet in schools. That law was watered down to only say that churches could not use school class rooms and that law has passed. It will hurt many churches and it's not fair because the law states that any tax payer group has access to school buildings assuming it complies with certain guidelines. As it stands, any tax-paying group that isn't breaking a law and makes the appropriate requests can use the rooms in school buildings after hours--except for churches. That's just simply prejudiced.

Freedom doesn't hurt the church. People hurt the church. We should never be suckered into inviting persecution. Paul stood up for himself many times because he was a citizen of Rome and therefore entitled to a trial and could not be whipped etc. He didn't invite persecution or government descrimination and even fought it.

But what I said earlier I think is accurate. We need more freedom to reach people with the gospel. Not less.

Could I get more information on this, some articles that point out this is what happened with the European church? I have read where amoral and corrupt clergy impacted the church in Europe. I have read where their involvement in business and government led to their downfall but I had not read that it was socialism and political correctness that hurt them.

If I have misunderstood I would appreciate the reading.

Thanks.

I think the problem with the church in Europe is that they're in Europe, and every society has it's own problems and tempations.  I don't thnk ours and theirs are the same.  Their old society, old structures, old churches aren't duplicated here.

istm that the greatest enemy of the church in America is materialism.  Too many churches are willing to compromise and appease the affluent.

There are a number, however, who do go among the poor and show the face of Christ to those in their community.  I thank God for these churches and pray for more of us to become like them.  When I look at the church I'm a part of I see some of this, but I see more self-centeredness.

The problem in Europe, quite frankly, appears to be that Christianity has run its course there.  Religions eventually go away, leaving only a remnant following.  Read about the great religions of eons past in your history books; where have those religions gone? 

In the next few centuries, Christianity will probably be in the same situation here in North America. 

Communism is the vehicle for the Globalists and the New World Order.

Actually, capitalism has been the driving force behind globalization.