Have you ever stopped to consider what kind of church your
congregation is — alive or dead? Does your congregation put
forth the sense of one that is alive in its service to and
worship of God? Or does your congregation put forth the sense
that it is just hanging on, waiting for the last nail to be
driven into the "coffin?" I would like to suggest some
characteristics of a church that is alive, on fire for God. And
then contrast that with the characteristics of a church that is
dying.
Live churches are constantly changing. They are not changing the
message in the Bible, for that never changes. They do not switch
from one new fad doctrine to another every time the "spiritual
wind" changes. NO, that is not what I mean. However, our society
is changing. Anyone who pays any attention at all to the world
around us knows this is true. In the early part of this century
the church was the focal point of the family and even of society
in many areas. I fully agree that it should be thus today, but
the fact remains that it is no longer true. For the Christian it
should be true. But for many of them it is no longer true.
People no longer flock to the church for that social interaction.
The church must reach out to the community and the lost. We must
learn to leave the four corners of our sanctuary and seek out
those whom Jesus commanded us to, and do what He said. "Go
therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit." (Matthew 28:19) That may mean doing things just a
little differently than we have in the past. It may mean that we
take "the church" back into the home with small group Bible
Study. I may mean that we develop "family circles" with several
families that have some things in common so they can relate to
each other. It may mean that we start "ministering" to those who
have been divorced, are one-parent families, the homeless, and
yes even the homosexuals and other undesirables. It may mean
that we not only feed the hungry but also minister to them as
well.
Changing may also mean that our worship service changes from one
which is rigid, always the same Sunday after Sunday after
Sunday; to one which is more joyous. It may change from one with
"stone faces" to one with Christians smiling and singing and
praising God. It may mean that our worship services are exciting
and full of variety. It may mean that as the congregation leaves
the worship service they have more joy in their hearts and a
spring in their step because they know they have been in the
presence of God!
Dead churches don't have to change. All they have to do to
remain a dead church, is NOTHING! Dead churches don't have to
improve for the future, they just worship their past.
Live churches have lots of noisy kids! After all, kids will be
noisy. What do lots of kids indicate? It indicates that the
church has lots of families that are in the child-bearing years
- twenty to forty year-olds. Why is this important? If the
church is to thrive, it must contain a significant proportion of
these families. Older families no longer have young children. If
the church is mostly older families, who will continue as the
families begin to go on to be with the Lord? Dead churches don't
have lots of noisy kids, dead churches are fairly quiet!
Live church's expenses will most likely exceed their income. But
that is where faith comes in. A church that is alive will seek
new ways to minister to the people, not regarding the cost in
money. We must do our part in the kingdom. God will provide the
finances to do that job!
There is a principle in strategic planning called, "Cost -
Benefit Analysis." In other words, when a plan of action is
under consideration, the cost of that plan must be considered in
relation to the benefits which will be received from that plan
of action. In the business world and the world of education, I
agree that this is a good practice. But in the church? How can
we put a "Cost-Benefit Analysis" to the winning of one soul? How
much does it cost to win a soul to Christ? Does it matter?
Christ certainly did not put that principle in His Great
Commission! How much does it cost to minister to one-parent
families? Does that matter? How much does it cost to feed the
poor? Does that matter? Now please don't misunderstand me! I am
not suggesting that the church go on a spending spree that would
put Howard Hughes (if he were still alive) in the poor house.
Let's be good stewards of the money God provides, but let's step
out on faith to do His work.
Live churches move out on faith. Dead churches operate totally
by human sight. Jesus put it this way, "Let them alone. They are
blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind,
both will fall into a ditch." (Matthew 15:14) If we in the
church try to do all that we do totally by human sight, we will
be like the blind leading the blind. We must step out on faith.
We must seek those who need ministered to, then step out on
faith and find a way to do God's will. And believe me, if we
will do that, God will provide the means to get the job done!
Live churches focus on people and their lives. Dead ones focus
on programs. What will God say to us when we enter Heaven and
are giving an accounting for our work here on earth and we tell
Him about all these "wonderful programs" we developed? Will He
say, "But who did you win for my kingdom?" What will WE SAY when
not one name comes to our lips? God's work is about people, not
programs! God's work is healing broken lives and bringing them
back to Christ. God's work is feeding the poor both physically
and spiritually. God's work is helping the widow and the orphan.
God's work is helping the single mother raise her children and
provide for them. God's work is caring for the homeless. How did
Jesus put it? "And the King will answer and say to them,
'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the
least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'" (Matthew 25:40)
What are we, the church, doing to these – the least of the
brethren of Jesus? Whatsoever we are doing to (or for) them, we
are also doing likewise to the Savior.
Live churches are filled with tithers, dead ones are filled with
tippers. Which are you? Just as we spoke of the church as a
whole must step out on faith to do God's work, the same is true
with us as individual Christians. How can we, as a body, say we
must have faith and step forward with the church's finances when
we are not willing to make sacrifices personally. It is plain in
the Scriptures, we must put God first. That means with our money
as well as our faith and talent. I have heard it said many
times, "you can't out-give God", or "if you give sacrificially,
God will bless you richly." Now really, is that why we should
give of our tithe? It is true that God will provide for us! But
our motivation for giving must be to bless others, not be
blessed ourselves. Paul tells the elders of the church at
Ephesus, "I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this,
that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the
Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to
receive.'" (Acts 20:35) Let's not be giving of our tithes and
offerings expecting to receive a blessing. Let's give freely
with the intent that our tithes and offerings will provide an
abundance of blessing to those about whom we have been speaking.
Lofty ideas? Perhaps. But what do you think Jesus would have us
do? Be like the dead church which relives nightmares? Or the
live church which dreams great dreams of God and working FOR His
kingdom? Are we to be like the dead church which has the word
CAN'T as its most used word? Or like the live one which does not
even have that word in its vocabulary? Are we to be like the
dead church and respond to every new idea with, "We've never
done it that way before."? Or will we say, "Here is a group of
people who need our love and help. Let's find a way to minister
to them."?
The choice is really ours. We can be part of a dead or dying
church, or we can be part of a living, growing church which is
on fire for God seeking out those who need our help, and then
helping them. We can be part of a church which has a worship
service which brings glory, praise and honor to the Savior and
our Heavenly Father. We can be part of a church which is a light
in the community shinning forth for Jesus Christ. Have you ever
heard the saying, "If you're not part of the solution, you're
part of the problem."? How about you? How do you characterize
YOUR congregation? Is it alive – or dying? Are you trying to be
a part of the solution, or are you part of the problem? You will
give an account some day to God for your part in the kingdom.
And when you stand there to give your account, you will stand
ALONE!
Remember — live churches evangelize, dead churches fossilize!
All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James Version unless
otherwise noted.
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