Well, we're heading home from Miami this morning, and as always, it's difficult to put into concise words all that God has shown and done in our lives while we've been here. Fifteen of us sat in a room talking and praying last night and are beginning to work out the communication that will help us to share the content and the heart of this time together.
Last night, we listened to a man named Soong Chan Rah. He talked about the shift that has been and will continue happening in the Evangelical world. In 1950, the typical Christian would have been described as a white American male, age 50. Not anymore. The Christian center of the world has shifted to Africa, Asia, and South America. In 1900, 83% of Christians were from North America or Europe and were predominately white. In 2005, 61% of Christians were non-white from these three growing centers. It's predicted that by 2050, 80% of Christians will be non-white. Rah went on to describe the 21st century Church as a new global, multi-ethnic Christianity.
Speaking of multi-ethnic Christianity, that is one of my favorite things about being together at CCDA conferences. The conference attendance was near 2,300 people...white, black, Latino, Asian. We sang in English, Spanish, and Swahili this week. You looked around the room in worship, and it was such a glimpse of Heaven. This coming together is SO necessary for our souls and our world. Jesus said, "I have come to preach the good news to the poor...to set captives free." He didn't just mean economic poor and prisoners in literal jails. His good news is reconciliation to God and one another, and we all will remain poor, incomplete, and enslaved until we begin to move toward one another, break down the walls that divide us, and experience the blessings of being reconciled to one another in Christ's love across cultural, racial, and economic lines.
Peace,
Laura
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