Saving America
Is the US becoming a minority Protestant nation? Maybe, maybe not.
Kristin Walters tells the story of how the rest of the world is coming to the rescue.
When most Americans think of megachurches and missions, they think of us reaching overseas populations. But when large churches in other countries look at the United States, some are seeing us as a mission field with significant spiritual needs.
Churches from Asia, South America, Europe and Africa all have planted mission churches in the United States and other countries around the world:
The Nigeria-based Redeemed Christian Church of God has congregations in 90 countries around the world and some 300 parishes in the U.S. The first of those churches began in 1992, when founding pastor Enoch Adeboye prayed in a Detroit living room with a Nigerian engineer who was working for Ford. Also based in Nigeria is Living Faith Church Worldwide a.k.a. Winners' Chapel, with churches in 400 cities in Nigeria as well as 36 nations around the world. Their headquarters, called Canaanland, is home of the 50,000-seat Faith Tabernacle, which is reputed to be the largest church auditorium in the world. They have one U.S. diocese so far, in New York.
Korean-based SaRang Community Church is connected to SaRang Community Church in Anaheim, CA. While the church operates primarily in Korean, they do have an active English Ministry. The Anaheim SaRang Community Church has planted several additional locations in the U.S., and has developed a $50,000 church-planting fund to support second-generation Koreans and other minority church planters.
A crisis in the U.S. Episcopal Church has generated a trend of Anglican churches from Africa sponsoring new Anglican churches here in the States.
Why is this happening? Two reasons.
One, breakthroughs in the renewal and extension of the church always occur on the fringe. Never at the center of ecclesiastical power (Paul Pierson).
Two, God has a sense of humour.
Finally, a word to any Koreans, Nigerians, Brazilians or readers from the Chinese mainland - don't forget Australia! We need you too.
