We were in St. Peter’s Square in Rome by Vatican City on the morning of 6th January (Epiphany), in the afternoon, we were in Rieti (one hour’s motorway drive north of Rome) in the geographical centre of Italy where we blew the trumpets.

Some time later, when I saw the pictures of Concordia, the Holy Spirit spoke to me: “That is, or rather, will be the condition of the nations of Europe. The proud giant (colossus) is faltering and wavering, and will collapse and cease to exist, if it doesn’t repent and turn around from its present course. And that is also a picture of the Church and churches in your countries. She is in the greatest danger of sinking. She is in an emergency situation! She needs saving and help in order to be raised up and restored.” That’s why I blow the trumpets! Listen to the alarm bells. Wake up and return to Jesus!

Since that time there has been several severe earthquakes, in Italy as well. One could read in a newspaper report that one in three churches in the affected region has been either damaged or destroyed. This is another impressive picture concerning the condition of the churches in our countries.

Let us take another look at the statement about the picture above; "that the proud giant (Europe) is faltering and wavering, and will collapse and cease to exist, if it doesn’t repent and turn around from its present course." What does “cease to exist“ in this context mean?

When we consider the headlines and pictures, which we are continuously being subjected to in the media, from many different countries in Europe, we must realistically acknowledge that our continent is wavering and faltering and is quite tarnished and financially stricken. I don’t think it is necessary to list here individual problems. They are sufficiently well-known. The whole structure of society is changing in every area of life (politically, economically, socially and religiously). It really isn’t painting too black a picture, when we could imagine the possibility that Europe, in the form in which know it today, could no longer continue; in other words, it could “cease to exist."

It would not be the first “kingdom“ to degenerate into chaos and insignificance (other so called world empires have suffered the same fate). And we are once more on course for the same target, because GOD resists the proud. However, He doesn’t allow humanity to run pell-mell into disaster. He warns us, offers a way out (repentance) and will help us and save us. And to this end He needs His church! It would be absolutely fatal in this situation when His church (or at least a large part of it) would likewise be threatened with foundering. I can hear some people say: “But she cannot possibly perish, God has Himself so promised!“: others say, “And there are some really good churches!“ Both these statements are true. Praise be to GOD! When we look from a worldwide perspective, then the Church can never cease to exist. And that which we have just seen and heard at the WPA meeting in Indonesia confirmed this in a most impressive way. On the other hand, we also heard examples from some regions or countries where previously flourishing Christian communities and churches existed, which today no longer exist.

Israel, where the Church was birthed and spread out into what today is Turkey. There people worshipped and signs and wonders occurred and they came to believe in Jesus Christ by their thousands. Several centuries later absolutely nothing remained; neither in Sardis, nor in Ephesus, nor in Laodicea.

Therefore, even when today we have a number of churches, we must realise that many of them have become insignificant and of no relevance to influence the present modern generation and society. We Christians have adjusted and adapted and are no longer distinguishable from our unbelieving neighbours, and so we are showing a completely false picture of our God through our poor, beggarly and weak witness. When we are His body and He looks over this body, then He not only sees the good, individual members! He painfully acknowledges EVERYTHING as it is – including that which is asleep, injured, fights against itself or even is already dead. (For your encouragement: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick“ -Mk.2:17 NIV – Jesus still means that today!)

The world is saddened and stunned, that, after the earthquakes, so many Italian churches have cracks or have been totally destroyed. We, as messengers and representatives of the Almighty God, know, that in the final instance it has nothing to do with buildings – we should concentrate our efforts that we personally and those people in our own circle of influence come to know and love Jesus Christ as Saviour and Redeemer!

He is knocking on the door of our hearts and churches asking for permission to have fellowship with us (Rev. 3:20). Are we prepared to let Him in, not just as a guest, to whom we allocate one room, but as the owner who wants to take up residence within us? Therefore, this trumpet blowing can serve as a call for a turnaround – for those who hear and are prepared to accept the necessary consequences. There is no alternative, no other emergency bailout, no plan B, either for the world or the Church…

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is to come. He will bring glory to Me! (John16:13-14a NIV)