The Changing Face of Christianity Acts 15 Soong-Chan Rah Milton B. Engebretson Professor of Church Growth and Evangelism North Park Theological Seminary

Acts 15 Jerusalem Council Animosity towards Gentiles Changing demographics

The Changing Face of Christianity “Typical” Christian from 1950?

The Changing Face of Christianity “Typical” Christian in 2017?”

Western Christianity “Over the past five centuries or so, the story of Christianity has been inextricably bound up with that of Europe and . . . North America. Until recently, the overwhelming majority of Christians have lived in White nations, allowing theorists to speak of a . . . ‘European Christian’ civilization.” The Next Christendom Philip Jenkins

Global Christianity “Over the past century, however, the center of gravity in the Christian world has shifted inexorably southward to Africa, Asia, and Latin America. . . . Christianity should enjoy a worldwide boom in the new century, but the vast majority of believers will be neither white nor European, nor Euro-American.” The Next Christendom Philip Jenkins

Global Christianity 1900 statistics: Africa 2% Asia 4% Europe 68% Lat. Am. 11% N. Am. 14% Oceana 1% 2005 statistics: Africa 19% Asia 17% Europe 26% Lat. Am. 24% N. Am. 13% Oceana 1% 2050 statistics: Africa 29% Asia 20% Europe 16% Lat. Am. 22% N. Am. 12% Oceana 1% “White”: 83% “Non-white”: 16% “White”: 40% “Non-white”: 60% “White”: 29% “Non-white”: 71%

The Next Christianity Emerging out of colonialism Growth of Christianity in the non-Western world after the departure of the colonialists A liberated theology The rise of Pentecostalism Overcoming Western guilt/shame of imperial/colonial missions cf. Lamin Sanneh translation of Christianity to the local culture Increasing gap between Western and non-Western Christianity Theological conservatism Primary cultural system

Western vs. Global Christianity “Perhaps the most remarkable point about these potential conflicts is that the trends pointing towards them have registered so little on the consciousness of even well- informed Northern observers. What, after all, do most Americans know about the distribution of Christians worldwide? I suspect that most see Christianity very much as it was a century ago – a predominantly European and North American faith.” Jenkins

Ephesians Moment (Andrew Walls) Social coming together of two very distinct and separate cultures in Ephesians TWO Dangers: Protect one’s own version of Christianity Every view is valid – retreat into isolation Intersection of Primary and Secondary culture

U.S. Evangelicalism “The passage of the Immigration Reform Act in 1965 increasingly looks like the most significant single event of that much-balleyhooed decade.” “[The U.S.’s] ethnic character will become less European and less White, with all that implies for religious and cultural patterns.” Jenkins

U.S. Immigration 1965: Change in immigration laws 1965-present: Influx of non-white immigrants 2008: U.S. minority population about 33% 2011: U.S. birth rate – 50% minorities 2023: U.S. children – 50% minorities 2042: U.S. minority population more than 50%

New Immigrants and Christianity “The new immigrants represent not the de- Christianization of American society but the de- Europeanization of American Christianity.” “Above all, the new immigrants make it decreasingly plausible for Americans to think of Christianity as a white person’s religion. . . . And although it may not be apparent in many congregations, American Christians are increasingly people of color.” - Stephen Warner

Spiritual but not Religious 20% of Americans identify in this category. According to George Barna – 47% of Americans attend church on a typical weekend “Head Counts” from church attendance show that 17.5% of Americans attend church on a typical weekend

Denominational Trends Large or Growing Denominations Baptist 64% white Pentecostal 58% white Smaller or Declining Denominations Lutheran 96% white Congregational/UCC 89% white Episcopalian/Anglican 89% white

Boston’s Quiet Revival 1970: 300 churches Many of these churches no longer exist Current estimate: over 600 Mostly in the ethnic, immigrant communities Over half of those churches hold services in a language other than English

Boston's Quiet Revival 88 new churches planted in a 10 year time period in the 80’s/90’s 50% are Spanish-speaking churches 25% are African or African-American churches 15% are Asian or Asian-American churches Less than 10% are White churches

Boston’s Quiet Revival 2001-2006: 98 new churches were planted 76 churches reported the language of worship 50% of those churches worship in a language other than English Many churches with significant non-white population but with services in English

Acts 15:1 and 5 Certain individuals came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved” Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”

What is “Captivity”? Captivity of the Church When the church looks more like surrounding culture rather than the values of Scripture

Western Captivity of the Church Individualism Materialism / Consumerism Racism / Cultural Chauvinism

Cultural Captivity 2 He called out with a mighty voice, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! It has become a dwelling place of demons, a haunt of every foul spirit . . . 3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxury." 4 Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, so that you do not take part in her sins, and so that you do not share in her plagues . . . 9 And the kings of the earth, who committed fornication and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning . . . And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore. Revelation 18 (NRSV)

Acts 15:2-4 2 Peter and Barnabas were appointed . . . to go up to Jerusalem. . . 3 The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad. 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders to whom they reported everything God had done through them.”

Acts 15:7-11 7 Peter got up and addressed them. . .8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them [Gentiles] by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."

Unleashing the Gospel (Acts 15) The importance of LEADERSHIP preparing the NEXT Generation (Acts 6) Diversity in leadership Rejoicing in God’s WORK What unites us as a Christian community?