2021 Will Be a New Beginning For the Body of Christ.

By Sean Feucht

America is facing an identity crisis. And this is because the church in America is facing an identity crisis.  We are torn between two beliefs. Fearlessly follow the God who redeemed us or serve the whims of our current culture.

And so goes the church, so goes the nation.

Israel faced a similar dilemma in the Old Testament. At a time when years of drought and the pressure of culture had pressed them hard, Elijah stood on Mount Carmel and challenged the people: “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”

1 Kings 18:21

Simple. Direct. That’s the message for the church today.

We’ve been a nation locked down, divided, intimidated, pummeled, and marginalized with unrelenting narratives of fear, paranoia, and hopelessness.

We’ve endured (and are enduring) a global pandemic, historic violence, racial strife, civil unrest and economic instability. Everywhere you turn, there is more bad news. 

But this is not new to the Church.

Christ promised us that if we follow Him we will face persecution. He promised us “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10).

In my state of California, the church has been deemed non-essential by politicians who have no fear of the Lord. Godless politicians have commanded us to forsake the gathering of the saints. They have commanded us to not lift up our voices in worship. They have demanded that we give up our duties as Believers to be the hands and feet of Christ, shrink back, forgo His holy communion and hide in fear.

Too many did, and the world suffered.

Suicide rates exploded across many cities in America. Alcoholism, drug use and the abuse of prescription drugs is at levels we never thought possible in our society. Families have been separated by distance, unable to see each other from quarantine regulations and the strain of the season has sent even the strongest marriages into a tailspin. 

In a time when American’s needed hope the most, and our only connection was in a distorted virtual world, Big Tech kicked into overdrive to label bible verses “offensive content” on social media platforms. This happened to me on Twitter. In fact, many of our “Let Us Worship” live worship and prayer gatherings were censored and in some cases erased all together from Facebook and instagram. 

The enemy has been wreaking havoc across the land to carry out his primary job description of “killing, stealing and destroying” (John 10:10), and he has succeeded in many ways.

I believe the enemy has overplayed his hand.

God promises a fresh start. He is in the business of redemption and new beginnings. Isaiah 60:1-3 promises us:

“Arise, shine, for your light has come,

    and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.

See, darkness covers the earth

    and thick darkness is over the peoples,

but the Lord rises upon you.”

We know that our battle is not against “flesh and blood” But against “powers and principalities in the spiritual realm” (Ephesians 6:12). Because this is a spiritual battle we must fight with spiritual weapons. Our greatest weapon in this spiritual battle is the place of prayer and worship. 

On this National Day of Prayer, it is time for the church in America to re-discover who she is and what God is capable of doing through a church fearlessly in love with Him.

If God be God, we must follow Him, though all the world come against us.

Just like Jesus said of Peter in Matthew 16 “On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hell will not overcome it.” We are NOT non-essential. We are not just a Christian club. We are the EKKLESIA or “ruling body government.” Our prayers carry divine authority to bind and to loose and set the captives free!

We CANNOT stop praying! We MUST NOT stop worshipping!

For 2000 years the Church has gathered, prayed and worshipped through pandemics and persecution. And I believe that is the call of today. We are emerging from this pandemic stronger and wiser.

We won’t be tricked by the world into hiding our light under a bushel. We won’t be cowered by politicians to forsake our mission to gather, pray, and worship the God who saved us.

We have been silent too long. Let us commit right now, right here in Corpus Christi, a city named after the Body of Christ, that 2021 will be a new beginning for the Body of Christ.

We will be a bold church unafraid to serve God in a hostile culture.

Today, let's remember our identity as the church that the gates of Hell cannot prevail against.

Let's shake off the influence of those that would have us shrink back and stay silent.

Let's step into our God-given authority in prayer.

And no matter what comes, LET US WORSHIP.