If the Lord tarries, and we do not revitalize our church, our churches; we ourselves, our children, and many generations after that will enter a new dark age, not unlike the medieval times we escaped a millennia ago.
Our world has many “Needs” to draw us away from the most important one.
Needs where “Good is the enemy of the best”. Feeding the poor, healing the sick, education, politics all of these are good concerns, but even these will not be viable without churches bringing Spiritual truth and vitality to our communities, our nation and our world.
What do people in your community think when they see your church?
You and I know it isn’t obsolete, but the unchurched don’t have any idea what goes on inside the Church house. Or what kind of people they will find there. Not then. Not now.
Or they have known “Christians” before who are warning enough to stay away from the Church! How do you fix that problem?
Strangers to Church life have no clue what role the local church plays in the lives of its members. The encouragement, love, and acceptance they find among brothers and sisters in Christ.
To them “religion” in general, and in the modern-day Church is -> Pointless.
Unless they can meet us in our Church habitat and learn otherwise, these people are eternally lost.
People who have never been part of a vital living body of believers in Christ have no reference for the power of God in community. They cannot even imagine the impact it could have on their life.
All aspects of Church life are irrelevant to them!
The whole point of the term “Lost” in our faith, is that people don’t even know where they are. They don’t know they are lost. Without that knowledge they cannot seek to find a place that can build them up in faith in Christ Jesus.
What do you see when you look at your church?
Maybe not “No” worshipers. But certainly, they are becoming few and far between. And they are not bringing new worshipers in. They are not sharing the gospel to grow the Church.
And it isn’t necessarily their fault. Talking to strangers and neighbors has become almost non-existent. Have you noticed people rarely even have long conversations on their phones anymore? A quick text, and back to the TV or the video game, or social media.
Not only that, but the worshippers that are there are retired. Aging. They need more care, and a LOT of your time. They cannot help you build up the Church.
Which makes us all “Lonely People”.
Even the few inside the Church. Are we fostering connection between our own people. Or fulfilling our paid duties, our job, and then saying, “I wish things were different”.
I recently had a staff member at a church referencing one of their members who was sick and lonely during the holidays, say: “We didn’t know, we were with our families”. Families? I thought that is what the Church community is supposed to be.
You know this problem, all too well. We love what the Church means to us – nostalgically. We love the quiet beauty of our sanctuary from the world, and the Spiritual life it has held for us. And we want it to hold the same for all our community! But how do we bring them in?
And… The world is getting where nothing is what it was. Not just our Churches, but also our schools, families, and workplaces.
How?
As if you and your church leadership haven’t been asking yourselves that every day for how long?
In every board meeting, session, planning committee meetings, and even prayer meeting!
Well, we didn’t say all this work to bury you deeper in the dismal thoughts that crowd your head daily. Instead, we thought perhaps some ideas.
And before you shake your head and roll your eyes – We will emphasize —>
Ones that DON’T require “funds”.
Work?
Yes.
But if you AND YOUR CONGREGATION are not willing to pay or work,
Just go ahead and accept defeat and close your doors forever.
But if you have a handful of church members who would love to foster growth in their church and bring people closer to Christ, perhaps we some ideas!
Ideas
Find some suggestions for becoming a part of your community