I Feel a Great Deal of Hope

Published: Feb. 22, 2021, 8 a.m.

Some people like to cite bad news headlines about the state of the Church and then ask if I’m wringing my hands these days. My honest answer is: I feel a great deal of hope. Every part of the world has its challenges, but God is faithful. In some ways we have more opportunities today than nearly any other time in history. As Jesus said in Matthew 9:37-38, the fields are ripe for harvest. True, if the research is accurate, younger generations are not responding to what their parents or grandparents did. That upsets some people. But you won’t hear any alarmist rhetoric from me. In fact, some of the recent research is encouraging. America does not seem to be trending to become like Europe, which someone once called a continent of “baptized pagans.” While there’s still significant decline among mainstream denominations—and the need for us to get our house in order—people, including younger generations, are still flocking to churches that live with simplicity, conviction, and a commitment to God’s Word, the holy Bible. Instead of wringing our hands, let’s never lose hope in God, the Bible, the Church, and the Good News of Jesus Christ. There’s no better time for us to reach our world with that News. This is Luis Palau.