James T. Draper Jr., president of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention for Baptist Press, revealed a touching prayer made by a Chinese house church leader for the revival of American churches when interviewed by the Southern Baptist International Mission Board.

Draper quoted the prominent leader in the rapidly expanding Chinese house church movement, "Stop praying for persecution in China to end, for it is through persecution that the church has grown."

The Chinese house church leader further stated, "We, in fact, are praying that the American church might taste the same persecution, so revival would come to the American church like we have seen in China."

In the Western world where Christianity has established its ground and gone through its prime days, many Christian leaders commented that the religion is now losing the momentum. On the other hand, the world Chinese Christian movement is growing in a rapid rate, even in China where religious freedom is very restricted.

Draper referred to the article entitled "Religion Takes a Back Seat in Western Europe" on the 11th August edition of USA Today, which reported a 25 percent drop of church attendance in Western Europe over the last two decades. The failure is very often attributed to the separation between the church and government as well as the widespread secularisation in the society.

According to Draper, a prophetic voice John Burke also made a statement about the state of the church in America and that is rapidly becoming reality.

Burke wrote, "Unless Christians leading the church in America change, and unless the church begins living out the magnetic attractive force Jesus had on the world, the Christian Church in America will be completely marginalized within decades."

Draper pointed out his worry in America, "…We in America are being bowled over by the ball of secularism. The church doesn’t have enough muscle to support the pillars of our culture built on the foundation of the Bible."

The prayer of the Chinese house church movement should compel the American churches to make a change, according to Draper.

In the recent election held in America, Christians contributed a large role hoping to choose a leader who will lead the country with Christian virtues. Draper emphasised the Gospel of Jesus Christ is eternal and incorruptible.

"A changed America will come not from ballots in a box or amendments to the Constitution, but from changed hearts that guide godly lives," Draper declared.

Draper emphsized that the American churches should be challenged, "Research shows that the majority of ‘unchurched’ people are not antagonistic toward the church, but have simply never been invited by a Christian to attend church. We’ve mobilized the church to flex our political muscle in our culture, but when is the church going to flex its missional muscle and become Jesus to a self-destructing culture? Put another way, when are you going to become Jesus to your next-door neighbor?"

In his concluding remarks, Draper pleaded American Christians to humble themselves, ask for revival and "strengthen what remains" so that they can be the blessing they were made to be.