When one branch of the Church stagnates, another springs up. Roman Catholicism was in deep, spiritual trouble by the start of the sixteenth century what with the Borgias - the evil Pope Alexander the Sixth, simony and the sale of indulgences, to name just three issues, and protestantism got what most commentators consider to be its major boost in 1519 with the serious emergence of Martin Luther at Wittenberg.
The various new denominations arose - almost always because of stagnation of the once fresh denominations which preceded them. In no particular order, came: the Lutherans, Baptists, Quakers, Congregationalists and many more.
The line is perhaps easier to follow post Wesley. Methodism revitalised the sagging Anglican Church and was itself refreshed by Primitive Methodism which in turn gave rise to the various Pentecostal Churches. Then came House Churches, then......
God always selects his sold-out-to-Him believers to do one of two things. Either they begin a new movement or they create a whirlwind like renewal in the older denominations.
What comes next for us? Our nation is 'sick unto death'. Either the Second Coming is the next stage or there is something exciting which God has planned for the 'elect'.
Are our sordid, amoral, gutless, self-serving, God-denying politicians leading us inexorably towards that point when God says no more?
It was a Las Vegas comedian, I believe, who made the joke: "If God does not judge Los Angeles soon, He owes Sodom and Gomorrah an apology."
Many a true word spoken in jest!
