IT’S no exaggeration to say that we are living in increasing unstable and chaotic times.

There are conflicts wherever you look in the world, myriad numbers of displaced people, natural disasters reported on a regular basis. There is another, less publicised violence happening across the globe, a silent holocaust; people being persecuted and killed for their faith by the thousand every week.

This is especially true of Christians, who are being kidnapped, raped, pillaged and murdered simply for declaring they are followers of Jesus Christ, yet they refuse, in almost all cases to renounce their allegiance to Christ their Saviour and Lord. Why is that? It’s because once a person has had an encounter with Jesus Christ by His Spirit, they are changed forever; they go from darkness to light, captivity to freedom, fear to hope, spiritual death to life in God’s Spirit.

Because of the life changing power of the gospel (good news) of Christ, despite the dire situation described above the Christian Church continues to grow in large numbers, with disciples of Jesus across the globe now numbering around 2.6-billion and counting! That’s over a quarter of the earth’s current population. Staggering! The fastest growing church in the world right now is in Iran! Do not believe the secular, humanist, anti-christian narrative, peddled by much of the media, that the church is declining and the christian faith is not relevant in today’s post modern society. Even in the UK in the last 10 years churches have reported a significant increase in people enquiring about the Christian faith, particularly among the younger generation. In the past seven years bible sales have increased by a staggering 106 per cent (Nielsen Bookscan analysed by SPCK Group), in the UK alone.

Why did I start this piece by painting a realistic and negative picture of the state of the world today? It’s because Jesus describes what will happen in the world before His return to earth as Judge and King, in Matthew’s gospel chapter 24, with alarming accuracy. However, in the corresponding passage in Mark’s gospel Jesus says “when you see all these things happening, look up for your salvation is near”. Jesus is nearer than you may think; reach out to Him and receive forgiveness of sin, a new life and freedom from fear, guilt and shame; He’s waiting.

Bob House, The Well Church, Rockwell Green