Josh Howerton - "In 50 Years, China Will Have More Christians Than America" | SRS #327

Shawn Ryan Show

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Video Summary

Josh Howerton, senior pastor of Lake Point Church in Dallas, argues that the global rise of hostility toward Christianity is a direct fulfillment of biblical prophecy. He contends that the Bible's internal consistency—spanning 40 authors, 1,500 years, and three continents—is evidence of divine authorship, while the world's systemic alignment against Christ reflects a spiritual conflict described in the book of Revelation. Howerton posits that the current resurgence of interest in faith, particularly among young men, stems from a growing awareness of an 'unignorable dark force' in the world, leading people to seek the concrete truth of the gospel.

Addressing the challenge of forgiveness, Howerton frames it as a necessary, albeit difficult, act of self-cleansing that prevents bitterness from becoming a 'portal' for demonic influence. He distinguishes between forgiveness, which is a one-sided act of releasing a debt, and reconciliation, which requires mutual repentance. Howerton emphasizes that true forgiveness is rooted in the understanding that one has been forgiven by God for a debt they could never repay, and he advises that individuals should 'weigh, not count' criticism, prioritizing the counsel of a trusted, godly inner circle over the noise of public opinion.

Short Highlights

The Bible's 60,000+ cross-references, written by 40 authors over 1,500 years, suggest divine rather than human authorship.
Christianity is uniquely disparaged because the Bible identifies the world as being under the power of the 'evil one' who opposes Christ.
The Islamic concept of the Mahdi shares striking parallels with the New Testament's description of the Antichrist.
Forgiveness is a self-cleansing process; failing to forgive creates a 'prison' that allows bitterness to infest one's soul.
Forgiveness is not reconciliation; the former takes one person, while the latter requires the perpetrator to own their actions.
Criticism should be 'weighed, not counted'; one should prioritize feedback from a small, trusted 'band of brothers' over public opinion.
A 'debt ledger' exercise can help individuals identify specific wounds and intentionally release them to God.
God is both 'just and the justifier' because Jesus' substitutionary death on the cross satisfied the legal penalty for sin.
Parenting requires pulling children into a 'redeemed village' of wise, godly people rather than trying to join the child's world of rebellion.
The 'clean touching the unclean' miracle of Jesus healing a leper demonstrates how faith in Christ reverses the nature of spiritual defilement.
God shakes what can be shaken so that only what is unshakable remains.
The most important decision for a ministry leader is the spouse they choose.

Key Details

The Heart Shield Bible [0:02:40]

Howerton presents a 1943 Heart Shield Bible, designed to fit over a soldier's heart.
The brass-plated book was intended to physically stop bullets and provide spiritual comfort.

above all else guard your heart from it froze the flows the well spring of life and how do you guard your heart i've hidden your word in my heart that i might not sin against you

The Case for Divine Authorship [0:16:30]

The Bible contains over 60,000 cross-references, suggesting a singular, unified story despite being written by 40 men over 1,500 years.
Howerton views this as evidence of divine authorship rather than human creation.

there is only one way to explain that and it's that that book over there it was written down by men but it was authored by the word of god by god himself

Spiritual Warfare and World Systems [0:18:40]

The Bible describes a consistent war between the 'world' and the 'offspring' of God throughout history.
Howerton suggests that worldly systems align against Christianity because they are influenced by spiritual forces.

the bible actually calls satan the little g god of this world

The Unifying Principle of Opposition [0:21:40]

Howerton discusses the work of scholar Raymond Ibrahim regarding the alignment of disparate ideologies against Christianity.
The unifying principle for these groups is often identified as the common enemy: Christ.

everything's aligned against one thing there must be something to that one thing

Biblical Lineage and Islam [0:24:20]

Howerton traces the spiritual tension back to the conflict between Ishmael and Isaac.
He suggests that the origins of Islam may align with biblical warnings about 'another gospel' preached by an 'angel of light.'

what satan does is he masquerades as an angel of light

Islamic Eschatology and the Antichrist [0:30:10]

Howerton notes parallels between the Islamic Mahdi and the biblical Antichrist.
These include the rise to power during global turmoil and the goal of a one-world government headquartered in Jerusalem.

i do have my bible open and i want to be a guy that's like hey man i'm ready i got my eyes open i'm waiting

The Global Growth of Christianity [0:32:00]

Despite reports of decline in the West, Howerton notes massive growth in the global south and Asia.
He observes a resurgence in baptism and church attendance in the United States.

i think we got a chance to see something special man

The Purpose of Shaking [0:37:00]

Howerton interprets current societal instability as a divine 'shaking' of institutions.
He believes this process removes temporary things so that only the gospel remains.

what god does is he shakes the things that can be shaken so that only the things that cannot be shaken remain

Forgiveness as a Spiritual Necessity [0:42:00]

Howerton warns that unforgiveness serves as an entry point for demonic activity.
He describes the process of forgiving as pulling 'heaven down' into one's life.

if heaven is the place where everybody's forgiven and hell is the place where nobody's forgiven

Forgiveness vs. Reconciliation [0:47:00]

Forgiveness is a unilateral act, while reconciliation is a bilateral process requiring repentance.
Howerton cautions against the 'inner vow' of never trusting again, which can be a trap.

forgiveness takes one person and it's always possible reconciliation takes two people and it's not always possible

The Debt Ledger Exercise [0:52:00]

He recommends creating a 'debt ledger' to specifically identify what was taken by an offender.
This allows the victim to choose between holding the debt or nailing it to the cross.

you got to take inventory of what what was taken from you

Forgiving Oneself [0:56:00]

Howerton argues that the longer one walks with God, the more one realizes their own imperfection.
Self-forgiveness is achieved by looking at the cross rather than one's own performance.

i am a great sinner and christ is a great savior

The Three Institutions of Authority [1:00:00]

God established the family, the church, and the state as distinct spheres of authority.
The state is tasked with 'bearing the sword' for justice, while the individual is tasked with forgiveness.

vengeance is mine i will repay declares the lord

Why Jesus Had to Die [1:03:00]

Howerton uses a parable of a king to explain the necessity of the substitutionary sacrifice.
God had to be both 'just' (punishing sin) and the 'justifier' (providing the payment).

the sentence must stand it's just hit her

Parenting and the Redeemed Village [1:16:00]

Howerton advises parents to pull their children into a 'redeemed village' (the church) rather than joining the child's world.
He emphasizes the importance of telling stories of God's 'stones of help' to the next generation.

the most significant thing you do with your life if you're a father it's probably not going to be something you accomplish it's probably going to be somebody you raise

The Miracle of the Leper [1:21:00]

Howerton identifies the healing of the leper as a favorite miracle because it reverses the flow of uncleanness.
Jesus' touch makes the unclean clean, rather than becoming unclean himself.

the clean thing touches the unclean thing and the clean thing makes the unclean thing clean