10 Ways to Kill a Church
Wishing I had more time to read and stay up with the modern day 'politics & problems' of our nation, but realizing that I have to choose and pick what I study, the Church of the Lord consumes more & more of my time and reading. From the Bible to other books and then to 'blogs.' I try to be 'choosey' and glean the best. Sometimes I accomplish this and sometimes not. I just read this blog by a brother who just happens to be an African-American Pastor. His grasp of the church is good so I offer you HIS WORDS (which I believe to be RIGHT ON POINT).. Maybe someday I'll have the opportunity to sit and talk with him.
Posted on 05/23/2013 by Tejado
Hanchell
I have the awesome privilege of
serving a church that has been around for over 80 years. In those 80 years the
church has only had four senior pastors. While our congregation has had its
share of struggles over the years, we are pleased that we have survived!
Considering the staggering statistics on church mortality in America, we are
grateful to God for still standing strong. Some researchers suggest that
between 3,500-4,500 churches close their doors (or die) each year. That means
that in the time since our congregation was founded 80-plus years ago, over
300,000 churches have died!
I suspect that most church “deaths”
occur for a few simple (and oftentimes avoidable) reasons. Recently, one of the
senior members of our congregation – who has been there for all 80-plus years –
handed me a church newsletter that was written in 1959. As I delicately flipped
through the tattered pages of this precious document, one article in the
newsletter pricked my attention. The title, which I have borrowed for this blog
post, was simply “10 Ways to Kill a Church”.
The thing that interested me the
most is how this list of “church-killers” written in 1959 looks so much like
the usual suspects in many church deaths today. Here is my slightly paraphrased
version of the 1959 list of “10 Ways to Kill a Church”:
1. Don’t come.
One of the biggest church-killers is
waning attendance. Many people, simply can’t find the time to spend an hour or
two in the Lord’s house. We find excuse after excuse as to why we can’t come to
church. I wonder what our lives would look like if God only showed up at our
house as often as we showed up at His. The Bible is clear about the importance
of assembling or coming together (Hebrews 10:25). I believe in the importance
of going to church, which is why I do a weekly Twitter hashtag called
#Go2Church. If we don’t go to church, we just might be playing a part in
killing the church.
2. If you do come, make sure it’s
late.
So many of today’s worshipers (and
apparently those of 1959) have a lackadaisical attitude towards worship. We
have an “I’ll get there when I get there” attitude when it comes to church
attendance. I wonder, however, if we showed up to our job the way we show up to
our church…how many of us would still be employed? We say that God is an “on
time” God, but can He say the same about us? A lack of punctuality when it
comes to worship is a microcosm of our overall view of God. It says that
whatever else we are doing is more important, and God can just wait until we
get there. This type of attitude is a major church-killer.
3. Only show up when the weather is
good.
Ever been to church in a driving
rainstorm? Neither have most of the other people in your church! Some people
only go to church when the sun is out and there are no clouds in the sky. We
have produced a culture of “fair-weather” Christians, who only attend church
when everything is going right in their lives. The moment a storm hits their
life, they get mad at God, the pastor, and the church. There are some people
who you can tell exactly what’s going on in their lives based upon their church
attendance. When things are great and they have a little money in their pocket,
they’re on the front row singing “Amazing Grace”, but as soon as they get laid
off or deal with some sort of difficulty, they’re ready to “curse God and die”
(Job 2:9). The only thing that dies with that kind of attitude, is the church.
4. Find fault with everything
(and/or everyone).
Most homicide investigations begin
by researching those who had something negative to say about the victim.
Similarly, when a church dies, you can be sure that the fault-finders are prime
suspects. These are the folks who sit “in the seat of the scornful” (Psalm
1:1). Fault-finders can always SPOT a problem, but they never SOLVE a problem.
They are definitely church-killers.
5. Never accept a leadership role or
responsibility.
Many people have a “renters”
mentality when it comes to church; they take no ownership. When you rent an
apartment, if something breaks, you call the landlord to fix it. Since you
don’t own it, you have no obligation to fix it. There are too many people
renting pews (and some pulpits). It’s far easier to criticize than to mobilize.
As Seth Godin says, “No one has ever built a statue to a critic.” If we want to
make a difference, we have to accept the responsibility to lead – whether
formally or informally. Leadership is not about position; it’s about
productivity. A congregation full of followers is on life support and is
getting ready to die.
6. Get mad if you’re not appointed
to a leadership position.
So many people in church are focused
on titles. They want to be directors, deacons and dignitaries, and when they
are not appointed to a position, they begin to stir up trouble. This is a
manifestation of deep-seated pride, and pride is one of the most dangerous
killers of all.
7. Never give your opinion in a
meeting…wait until AFTER the meeting.
A surefire sign of a church that is
on its deathbed is one that has major “meetings-after-the-meeting”. You know,
where no one voices their honest opinion or offers useful insight during the
official meeting, but are quick to huddle in a corner or the church parking lot
after the meeting to harp on how “it ought to be done.” There are chalk lines
all over church parking lots outlining exactly where the murder took place.
8. Do nothing more than absolutely
necessary.
Show up, go home, but don’t be an
active, engaged member of the church. It’s hard to reach “the least of these”
when we’re only doing the least we can do. The sad reality, however, is that
most people who only want to do the least, love to criticize those who are
doing the most! They howl about how the church is being run by a clique, when
they never offered or took initiative to get any work done. They just stand on
the sideline and watch the church die. At the very least, they are an accessory
to the murder.
9. Hold back on your giving to the
Lord.
It takes money to do ministry –
especially to do mercy ministry for the under-served in our communities. Tim
Keller says that “Mercy ministry is expensive.” When we hold back on our giving
to the Lord and His work, we are limiting the work that can be done through the
local church. Additionally, since there are operational costs associated with a
church or ministry, a lack of giving can lead to the church being foreclosed,
laying off staff, and other adverse results. Some people say, “Well, all the
church wants is money.” The same can be said of Wal-Mart, yet they keep taking
their money there! While I do not discount that there have been those who have
abused and misused the church for financial gain, there are thousands of
churches serving in their communities who are dying because of a lack of
finances. When we stop giving, we are killing those churches…and the countless
lives they touch each day.
10. Don’t reach out to the
un-churched.
The primary purpose of the Church is
to introduce people to Jesus. The people in the pews must take ownership of
that responsibility and become “mini-churches” that reach out to the
un-churched every day of the week and bring them to the house of the Lord to be
discipled. Churches need regular and consistent “transfusions”. When new people
are brought into the church, they bring new life and vibrancy. They ensure that
the church doesn’t get stuck in the old way of doing things. They bring fresh
perspective, and they help to keep the church alive. Don’t kill your church! Go
and bring in some new people today.
"Dear Lord, please help us to see your church as yours. Help us to love her like you do. Help us to be an asset in your ministry and not a liability. In Jesus name. Amen"
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