(Note: In the first Century AD, Christians were cruelly martyred by being thrown to hungry lions in Roman coliseums while spectators watched as sport. It was often reported that the believers joined hands and sang hymns as they died. Many were seen with smiles on their faces as they were ripped apart.)

A friend of mine was recently in Florida for a sports event and saw a bumper sticker that shocked and scared him. It said; “Too Many Christians – Not Enough Lions”. Think about that. It might sound like a joke at first but my friend is right; it is quite scary.

America was founded purposefully to be a Christian nation. In June of 1630 John Winthrop arrived in Salem, Massachusetts. Here is a small portion of what he said; “We shall find that the God of Israel is among us, when ten of us shall be able to resist a thousand of our enemies, when He shall make us a praise and glory, that men of succeeding plantations shall say, ‘The Lord make it like that of New England.’ For we must consider that we shall be as a City upon a Hill…”

Now we are in the 21st century and much of our Christian heritage has been siphoned away. Through greed, idolatry and neglect America has become a secular nation where the use of the greeting “Merry Christmas” is not quite politically correct anymore. The bumper sticker reminds us that beyond the absence of a Christian culture there are actually seeds of hostility to it beginning to arise.

What should we do? Should we have protest marches? Should we strike? Should we picket? I have a better idea. The first century church lived among almost entirely pagan cultures. Yet scripture says that the Christians were referred to as those who were turning the whole world upside down. (See Acts 17:6) They did two things that we need to follow: they prayed and they lived radical lives for Christ. Many gave up their lives as martyrs.

If we do not become serious about our faith once more, can such a thing happen again? Too many Christians? NO. The problem is: Not Enough!