New Quarter, new beginnings

My new quarter started yesterday. I think the theme of this quarter is going to be the study of Globalization, Islam, and how the Church responds to these forces. I am quite excited to study these things. My class entitled "Current Trends in Islam" is being co-taught by a Lebanese man and another man who pastored a church in Afghanistan until the Taliban kicked him out, and then pastored a church in Saudi Arabia for many years.

Yesterday, in my Church in Mission class, I learned that in the UK, only 1 percent of 18-30 year olds are going to church and that many large denominations have predicted the year of their extinction, based on their age and declining congregations. Some Christians over there believe that God is allowing this crumbling of the Church, as He has in other periods of history, but will bring forth something new in the UK sometime in the future. We know and believe that even if the church looks like it has disappeared from somewhere for awhile, God is awaiting His time to create a fresh expression of the Church. China is an excellent example of this.

This is all very interesting, but my dog is begging for some attention, so I must take her hiking!