Facing the threats facing Christianity

For the last 2,000 years, Christianity has faced pressure and danger in different forms. There have been countless treats that challenged the people of God to abandon the faith, dampen their conviction, or silence their message. However, this should not surprise the confessing Christian. 

The Bible warns of this over and again. Specifically, in Acts 20, the Apostle Paul cautions the elders of the church in Ephesus to remain vigilant, stating that dangers will arise not only from outside the church, but also from within. 

Let me quote his warning; Acts 20:28-30 “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also, from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.”

Note that Paul says to expect dangers to arise from without and from within the flock. This inspired information remains just as relevant today. 

Though we live in a nation and era of unprecedented religious liberty, the church of the Lord Christ is still locked in spiritual warfare. The moment in which we live is fraught with serious, though subtle dangers. If these issues are left unchecked, it will weaken the body of Christ and distort the message of the Gospel. For this reason, it is vital that God’s people identify and intentionally confront these issues and not ignore them. 

Memorial Heights Baptist Church intends to do that very thing this weekend as we host our annual, “Theology Matters Conference.” Beginning on Friday evening at 7:00 PM, and continuing Saturday and Sunday morning at 9:30 AM, we aim to address some of the contemporary threats to American Christianity. We have guest speakers coming from several different states who have been tasked with speaking to these dangers. 

To be sure, as the Apostle warned, many of the threats facing the church are not only external, but they are also internal. Let me give you a brief summary of some of the subjects we intend to deal with this weekend. 

First, one the most pressing issues facing Christianity is a lack of confidence in the sufficiency of Scripture. As stated above, the threats the church faces are not always from without, sometimes they are from within. As such, one of the most serious self-inflicted perils before the people of God, is a lack of confidence in the sufficiency of the Word of God. 

Though the Bible contains all that is necessary to save sinners and sanctify saints, still many confessing believers want more. For them, the Bible isn’t enough. They want more revelation, more inspiration, and more fickle direction from fallen men. I simply cannot emphasize enough, the threat that exists to look outside of Scripture for spiritual and eternal truths. 

Closely related to this confusion is a troubling rise in Biblical illiteracy. Again, this is true not only outside the church, but within. While it is true, there is an increasing number of Americans who know next to nothing about the Bible … sadly, many professing Christians struggle to articulate the core message of the gospel or to discern sound doctrine from error. This lack of knowledge leaves individuals and churches vulnerable. Scripture itself warns that God’s people can be “destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). Strengthening the church requires a renewed commitment to understanding and applying God’s Word, beginning in our homes and extending into every area of life.

At the same time, God’s design for the church is increasingly being undermined. Church membership and meaningful commitment are often treated as optional, rather than essential. Yet the New Testament presents the church as a body—one in which believers are connected, accountable, and actively engaged. 

In addition, maintaining Christian ethical values in a fallen world is a threat God’s people face on a daily basis. There is enormous pressure on churches and church leaders to kowtow to the culture and cave on Biblical morality. Yet, when the church begins to mirror the values of the world rather than the truth of Scripture, it loses its distinctiveness and its influence. It is the role of the people of God to serve as salt and light, not bend the knee to the sinful society in which we live. 

Not all threats, however, are loud or obvious. One of the most dangerous is apathy. A lukewarm faith—marked by indifference toward truth, worship, and obedience—can quietly erode spiritual vitality. Unlike open opposition, apathy often goes unnoticed until its effects are deeply entrenched. I plan on addressing this issue Sunday morning. 

These and other subjects will be addressed this weekend at our conference. We invite everyone to come and join us as we consider the threats against the Christian faith. The challenges facing the church today are real, but they are not insurmountable. By returning to Scripture and yielding to the Holy Spirit; Christian commitment will be renewed and the people of God can stand strong. In so doing, the church of God will continue to serve as a faithful witness in a world that desperately needs courage and clarity. Hence, Theology Matters! 

For more information, contact the author of this article – or go to mhbcperry.org