Upstairs over a vacant lot: Christianity yesterday, today and tomorrow

BY PAUL CURTISS COLLINS

Ah ... the "good old days" when every local church was viable and reliable. We sang classic hymns on Sunday morning and frontier revival songs Sunday evening. There was a choir made up of amateurs who loved to sing and never considered being performers. The object was to worship God. No one intended to entertain a congregation (?).

I remember when every denomination was growing, there were no "megachurches." In the days before televangelism, people attended church in person. Some folks walked. Some drove barely drive-able automobiles. Sunday School was taken for granted. Before Sunday School classes convened, the "Superintendent" would acknowledge birthdays, anniversaries and prayer requests. Classes for children were taught (primarily) by gentle, little old ladies.

There were classes for men, classes for women and classes for young couples. Teenagers were mentored by experienced men and women of unquestioned reliability regarding personal morality.

Enough of that. I'm confident you get the idea. I'm also confident that you know I have an observation to make about the present state of "the church."

Most denominations are shrinking; local churches (most if not all) are struggling unless they offer a Sunday morning entertainment-type venue. Televangelism is holding steadfast as a fundraising machine.

According to the news, the "Christian" landscape is littered with the fallen—the many "clergy" who have been removed from pulpit-duty because of moral failure or financial misdeeds.

This somewhat brief report and analysis of "Christianity yesterday" and "Christianity today" must be followed by presumptions about "Christianity tomorrow." In that regard, I hold out hope that is based on my experience. My experience is that God is love, He gives us hope, and He always wins. The victory of the real church is guaranteed. I pray we will always be reminded that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." Because of that truth, I know that the church of my childhood had genuine Christians on the membership roll. The church of today has some genuine Christians in association. The church of tomorrow will be THE MOST POWERFUL MINORITY ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH! 

I am blessed to have been a part of a prior generation of the church, a part of the current church, and a "Member In Good Standing" (by God's grace) of the church of tomorrow on Earth and in heaven.

Stay blessed,

Paul