12 Significant Challenges for the Conservative Church Part 2
Part II
- The aftermath of prophetic delusion.
The preponderance of the charismatic prophetic movement predicted a second term for Trump. Many others kept praying and prophesying that Trump would remain in office, even after losing the general election. As a result, thousands of believers are now going through a period of deconstruction. Unfortunately, this may result in multitudes jettisoning the Charismatic Movement.
- The challenge of expending months of prayer and fasting for a candidate instead of praying for a Great Awakening.
The primary focus of prayer should never be for a political election. It should be about seeking the face of God. 2 Chronicles 7:14 teaches that believers should have a vertical focus if God is going to move horizontally and heal their land.
I have never seen more prayer and fasting in my life before an election. If our corporate focus had been on knowing God and wanting to see a great national awakening, I believe it would have moved the heart of God and caused “rivers of water” to be released upon the nation (Ezekiel 47).
Unfortunately, prayer was likely offered up by many Christians who were more concerned about maintaining a comfortable life, replete with religious freedom, than about the glory of God advanced through the propagation of the gospel.
9.The challenge of social media censorship for those who stand for biblical truth regarding life and gender.
One of the unfortunate consequences of the Capitol breach is that it gave big tech companies the excuse to ban Donald Trump and many other Conservative voices from social media. Social media giants like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, were already in the process of downgrading the capacity of conservative messaging. In light of January 6th, they have congealed in their efforts to limit what they deem as “hate speech.” This is not just relegated to politics but now includes bible verses and gospel messages. This new development can cripple the primary way churches promote their online services and how Christians communicate their faith in this technology-driven world.
10. Conservative evangelicals who work with white nationalists cause the Church to lose cultural credibility.
The unfortunate fact is that white nationalist militia groups like the “Boogaloo Boys” and the “Proud Boys,” are attempting to incite another civil war. During the Capitol breach, they mingled together with those who sang Christian songs and prayed in the name of Jesus.
These groups are filled with white supremacists who mingle with some Christian conservatives. There is now a group of people who mix their political views with the Kingdom of God. Conservative believers need to immediately renounce this affiliation if they desire the gospel to have credibility with the rest of the nation.
11. The challenge of militia led to triumphalism.
A form of hyper-dominionism and triumphalism has crept into the Charismatic Evangelical Church. This desire for dominion, which comes from a hermeneutically false interpretation of the so-called “dominion mandate,” can easily lead to a call to arms for a top-down theocracy (Genesis 1:28, Matthew 28:19).
However, God never called for Adam and his posterity to have dominion over other human beings. When this original mandate was given, the earth was not populated with people. The dominion mandate was a call to have stewardship over the created order. The dominion to be exercised was over the animal and plant kingdom, not people.
Also, discipling nations primarily refer to ethnic people groups forsaking the sinful relics of their heathen (Gentile) culture (Mathew 28:19). They then become identified as sons of God. It is a considerable stretch to interpret this passage as a command from Jesus to labor for the top-down geo/political discipleship of a modern nation (similar to Israel in the Old Testament).
It goes without saying that once people groups, tribes, and nations adapt the Christian ethos, their values and laws will reflect biblical morality.
12.The challenge of the media lumping all conservative Christian patriots with Christian Nationalism and white supremacist groups.
Whether true or not, the media has the power to create a narrative that depicts Christians in a negative light to the rest of society.
Part of this narrative, undoubtedly, will be to connect conservative patriot Christians with so-called “Christian Nationalism” and white supremacist groups. The conservative (white) Evangelical Church may now have a more challenging time relating to the secularized Left-leaning population, especially in urban areas.
In conclusion, Jesus said that He would build His Church and that the gates of hell will not prevail against it (Matthew 16:16-19). Now more than ever, the evangelical Church needs to pour over the Scriptures and revert to the way of Christ and His apostles so that we can missionally fulfill our call to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8-9).
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