Churches and pastors are always trying to sense the climate in which we live. Is it open to the gospel? Are people ready to hear the hope that is in Christ?

I want to give you my perspective. By the way, I realize that I am limited by my own community and the people around me. For example, I don’t know the openness to the gospel in the City of Minneapolis or the State of California. In fact, I can’t really say what Baton Rouge, Louisiana is like.

What I can say is that there are more Christians living today than anytime in history. In China, South Korea, Africa, and South America, faith in Christ is at all time highs and growing. The gospel is going to the nations. The Internet is opening fields that have never been open before.

All of these are good signs.

My church is in a community that is open to the gospel. While we have never had a full blown revival, we see people coming to Christ. It’s not just our church but many churches who see and sense the powerful moving of God’s Spirit as He draws people to Himself.

I am encouraged about the number of people learning to share their faith and having gospel conversations and the number of Bible studies occurring at work and in people’s homes. It may be that the darkness of our world makes the light shine even brighter.

Two wonderful stories were printed last week which gave us a sense of hope. The first had to do with Saddleback Church in California, one of the largest Southern Baptist Churches. This week they celebrated the 50,000th baptism in the church.

The second report came from Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, where over 1400 conversions have occurred since March! I saw a picture of the chapel service that looked to be a huge auditorium filled with soldiers. This is really good news because the gospel grew in the Roman Empire because so many Roman soldiers were saved and took the gospel wherever they went.

I know there is darkness in the world. I also know the powerful light of Christ which no one can extinguish.

Let us be people who tell others what Christ has done for us.