Some of those being attracted come from Churches of Christ. By and large, the church faces difficult times. Churches of all brands in Western Europe have struggled for decades. Whether due to persecution in Laos and Sudan, the aftermath of civil war in places like Sierra Leone, government restrictions in China and the Middle East, fascination with total human freedom in the United States, or Satan's global assaults on righteousness, the road is difficult. Despite signs of spiritual interests among students in U.S. public schools and underground movements in countries traditionally hostile to Christianity, the cause of faith faces serious challenges.
Christians often talk as through the world is engulfed in a huge forest fire of wickedness.
The fire is out of control and the world is hopelessly lost. They speak of the body being attacked by its own leaders. Would-be firefighters jeopardized the lives of the faithful firefighters by setting new blazes. The atmosphere being created spawns depression, ill feelings, an Elijah syndrome, apath, and despair. One is that times change very little from century to century.