Where is the Church?

A Muslim call to prayer echoes over campus from a bell tower on a large, renown university. A statue of a soldier bowing in prayer in front of a cross is removed from a public park. A nativity scene is removed from a courthouse lawn during December. 

Events that have happened, or are happening, in the far-away Middle East? No. North Carolina, USA. 

In the quest to be more diverse, more politically correct, the largest faith in the world is constantly under attack. In the quest to be more accepting, the world's governments (national, state and local included) constantly demand that Christianity bow before the gods of "coexist." 

Where are the Christians? As Franklin Graham, the president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association told the leaders of King, NC (the public park example), "If you don’t have the stomach for it, send me the statue and I will put it here at Samaritan’s Purse or the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association." 

Has the Church, the Bride of Christ, lost its stomach for standing up for her Groom? 

I think so.  How else can you describe it? We sit in church and desire the blessings of God, but when it comes to defending the faith, we cower. We are told by the world to coexist with all the other religions of the world and we do. We are told by the world to not judge, using the very Word of God to rein us in, and instead of studying the Word ourselves to see what Christ meant by do not judge we accept what the world tells us. And we cower. 

Our Christian brothers and sisters in the far-away Middle East regularly see their children beheaded in front of them for not coexisting. Husbands are held back while their wives are brutally raped in front of them, then beheaded, all for not renouncing the Name of Jesus. The country which takes so much pride in freedom -- the United States -- constantly demands that churches take the back seat to other religions and the Church does not say anything. 

The world doesn't have to hold Christians back in the United States, like the jihadist holding the Christian husband, while the world rapes the Church, because we cower and stand there and watch. And we load up baby Jesus and the wise men in the pickup truck and put them back into storage. 

“Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven," Jesus said in Matthew 10:32-33. "But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven." 

Sure, the Church hasn't verbally disowned Jesus. But the Church has by her actions. 

The promised persecution of the Church in the United States has only just begun. It will get much, much worse. If the Church is silent now when Christians at a university are told they cannot hand out tracts while the Muslim call to prayer is broadcast from the bell tower, how will they handle violent persecution on the scale that is happening now in Iraq and Syria? Friends, there is a reason the United States is not mentioned in the book of Revelation in the last times. 

The United States of America was built by men of faith who desired a nation where all religious beliefs would be protected, especially Christianity, which had been persecuted throughout Europe. The Pilgrims came to this land for the opportunity to worship God as Christians. The country has turned from leading the way for Christian political freedom to this: “Whatever we once were, we are no longer a Christian nation," said Barack Obama, president of the United States. 

Persecution of the Church will get much worse. We must stand firm in the faith and trust in God. Paul wrote in 2 Tim 1:8-10, "So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel."

God WILL triumph. He has already triumphed over death and sin, and will triumph in the future. Jesus WILL come again -- and no government can legislate His second coming. The United States will not be able to send the Secretary of State for peace talks with THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. 

Church, rise up! Grab hold of our mission that Christ gave us: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age," Matthew 28:19-20. 

Church, rise up! Grab hold of the promise that this world, its ruler satan, and the coming antichrist has already been defeated! God has promised us that "no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” [Isaiah 54:17]. 

We have a heritage and a vindication from the Lord God of Hosts. If we stand for Him, He will stand for us. 

I close this post with this passage from Revelation 3:14-22. Even though this was written to the church at Laodicea , it can very much apply to the Church in the United States. 

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.  I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.  I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.


To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. May your Bride be worthy of Your coming. 

In Christ,
Terrie McKee

(c) 2015 

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