Day 39

^“Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the ^[d]deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and I will remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.” Rev 2:5 NASB.

Many cities in modern Turkey were once thriving Christian communities. Konya was the Turkish name for the ancient city of Iconium, a flourishing Christian community founded by Paul (Acts 13:51 – 14:6). Ephesus is now Kusadasi, Philadelphia is Aleshehir, and Christians are nowhere to be found.

When Revelation was written Christianity was strongly established in central and western Asia Minor. In fact, many historians believe Christians were more numerous in first-century Asia Minor than anywhere else in the world. But in the course of many centuries, these churches gradually declined until they were virtually eradicated by Islam. The regions where the early church was strongest (including Syria and North Africa) are now Islamic strongholds. As Jesus warns in our text, lampstands can be removed from their place.

Yet it was not Islam that destroyed the church. In North Africa, Christianity was weakened by doctrinal and ethnic controversies. Christians in the Middle East failed to engage the local culture, leaving the way open for Mohammed’s more-contextualized faith. In the Middle Ages, the European church leadership sought to revitalize Christianity in the Middle East. But they misunderstood the gospel and chose a method (the Crusades) that made things even worse. It was the Catholic Church that destroyed the church in the eastern Mediterranean.

This history should be a warning to us. Where the gospel once flourished (including Europe, North America and Australia), it is now in decline. Yet regions that hardly knew the gospel two centuries ago (Africa, South America, and Asia) are rapidly becoming the centre of the faith. You and I dare not take our role in God’s plan for granted. If we abandon our mission, God will raise up others to fulfil it. Lampstands can be removed from their place.