Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Christian Podcast Central

Home
Evangelical - Sponsored
The Big Picture Podcast 53: He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands

The Big Picture Podcast 53: He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands

Last updated on: February 24, 2016 at 12:47 am by Christian Podcast Central

The Big Picture Podcast 53: He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands 2016-02-24T00:47:26-08:00 Christian Podcast Central

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Big Picture Podcast 53: He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Welcome to the Big Picture Podcast. I’m Joel Fieri and this podcast seeks to begin and hopefully sustain a conversation about current trends, ideas and issues in the Church and greater society.

Today, I want to expand the greater society aspect of that scope and see how it applies to the rest of the world.

As you know if you’ve been listening, I spend a good amount of time on this podcast talking about the seemingly rapid transformation of our society from it’s Judeo-Christian foundation to a secular-humanist, post modern society, one that is quickly rejecting and even becoming hostile to Christianity.

I try not to whine or complain about this reality, but instead try to take a big picture look at how and why it’s happening, and most of all how we as Christians can not only bear up under it and stand firm in our faith, but also thrive as obedient followers of Christ who are privileged to represent God in the face of opposition.

And I say ‘seemingly rapid transformation’ because it’s been going on for much longer than we think or some of us care to acknowledge.

So, that being said, what does a decline of Christian influence or acceptance in the United States, and even Canada and Europe (all of which used to be called ‘the West’, but now there’s a new term emerging for it, which is ‘the global North’), what does this decline mean for the world?

The reason I ask is because recently a group called the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary issued a report titled, “Christianity In Its Global Context, 1970-2010”, and this report predicts that the number of Christians in the world will grow to 2.6 billion by the year 2020, with most of the growth expected in the global South, which is Asia, Africa and Latin America, while Christianity will continue to decline in the global North (or West). This total is more than double the number from 1970, which seems to be the last time a firm number was taken (this also gives us a pretty fair timeline for the decline of Christian influence here).

So, again, what does all this mean in the Big Picture?

Here’s my reaction – first off, it’s totally understandable and right that we western/northern Christians are distressed at the direction of our societies, because they’re the greatest societies and countries the world has ever known, and their moral and financial foundations are crumbling.

I’ve often said that a collapse of the Judeo/Christian West, specifically America, would be a disaster for the world.

From a ‘here and now’ standpoint, human suffering and injustice would be horrific.

But as the West/North turns it’s back on God, we see the rest of the world is turning towards Him. Like all cultures do, we tend to see ourselves and our reality as the center of everything and the definition of the way things ‘should be’.

But we’re not God, and God isn’t from the West/North. He’s an omni-present, big God with a global purpose, which is why He created the world in the first place, and then sent His Son to redeem it. And that purpose is to glorify Himself to His creation and reconcile it back to Him.

Now, let’s admit, He’s been using us Western/Northern folk for a lot of the heavy lifting of that purpose for a long time. It’s so trendy and politically correct right now to bash the influence of Western civilization in the world, but that’s not reality.

The reality is that western christianity has been the biggest blessing on mankind in all human history. And I don’t think He’s done using us yet, either.

But now God, in His infinite wisdom, seems to be raising up an whole ‘nother world of believers, who maybe, just maybe, are as well equipped, or maybe better equipped to shine light in a dark post-western world.

So, as we rightly struggle with and pray for and try our best to keep our candles lit in our ever darkening culture, His light and glory are growing brighter throughout the world. If we can step out of our temporal box of the ‘here and now’ and ask God to help us see His eternal perspective, His ‘Big Picture’, we can take it to heart and have faith that He’s got it covered.

In closing, it’s time for the Great Cloud Of Witnesses, the segment of our podcast where we meet and hear the stories of those who have given, and some who are still giving, their lives by faith in the promises of God, and of whom the world was and is not worthy (if you don’t know that reference, please check out Hebrews chapter 11-12 in your Bible).

Today’s witness is Pastor Jeremiah Logara from Sudan, and his story goes like this:

Jeremiah Logara never knew resignation, only determination. The Muslim soldiers had arrested six boys from his church and falsely accused them of being spies. When Jeremiah, their pastor, tried explaining that the boys were Christians, not spies, the soldiers decided to arrest him too.

The Islamic soldiers tied Pastor Logara’s arms and legs together and hung him four feet in the air with a rope. They whipped him and dripped hot melted wax on his chest. He recalled the prayer of Jesus in the Garden. He prayed, “Oh God, if it is your will for me to die today, let it be done.” He could not bear that he might give in to the tortures of the Northern Sudanese Arabs as he stood before the young, impressionable boys.

But God’s will was that he live on as a testimony for these boys. He was released. But the boys were detained. Pastor Logara imagines the boys were probably being forced to train as soldiers.

When the pastor reflected upon that incident, he recalled, “I thought of Jesus’ death, that Jesus died to save the whole world. I thought my death could be part of the salvation of these boys as I followed in the footsteps of my Lord. I pray my example of suffering for them will encourage them to remain faithful to God.”

I chose Pastor Logara’s story, and am nominating him to the great cloud of witnesses, because he’s from Africa, a big part of the future Christian world we’ve been talking about. This is what the faith of much of the present and future body of Christ looks like, and is a LOT stronger and deeper than my cushy faith.

I’m not worthy of this man’s faith, and I’m confident and comforted to know that God will be raising up many more like him.

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this week’s Big Picture Podcast, please go to my web site at gobigpicture.net and also check out our other podcasts and points of view on the E-Squared Media Network at e2medianetwork.com. Wherever you go, leave a few comments and tell your friends, and even you pastor about us.

See you next time on the Big Picture podcast. Be blessed!

christian bible study podcast

christian culture podcast

christianity

Christianity in its Global Context

Great Cloud of Witnesses

is the bible reliable

is the bible true?

Jesus Christ

judeo christian values

missions

modern day martyrs

Pastor Jeremiah Logara

scripture

western society

Worldview

Previous Post

November 24, 2014

The Daren Streblow Comedy Show Mini-Cast 76: Standing Makes You Live Longer, Daniel Woodrow and Ross Bennett

Next Post

November 25, 2014 The Summit Lecture Series: Myths of Evolution with Sean McDowell, part 4

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Brad Stine Has Issues Christian Podcast Central Classic Podcast Experience God Life Grounded Ouxano Parent Like You Mean It The Protest Show with Thor Ramsey The Summit Lecture Series Uncategorized What You’ve Been Searching For

Select a Month July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 June 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz