SICK CHURCH

       Recently, I was given a copy of Thom Rainer’s book Autopsy of a Deceased Church. It is a very short read, but something that I believe is needed for most churches in America, especially those in the Bible belt. The book is filled with real life illustrations and scenarios of churches that, through bitter disunity or lackadaisical Christian living, ended up dying. What I found interesting was the meter Rainer used for checking the condition of a church. It ranged from healthy, symptoms of sickness, very sick, to dying. For example, a very sick church would be one that had continual numerical decline, stints of apathy, little impact in the community, lack of new members, short tenure of pastors, and an attitude of only reflecting on the past glory days of the church.

       It is a sobering read, but oh how needful it is for those of us who are Christians to examine ourselves and our churches with an open and honest heart! Go to several young strangers in your community and ask them, if they have ever heard of the church you attend. If most of them say no, then it should cause you to really think about the direction of your church and the true impact it is making for the kingdom of God! Now, I realize that it is not that easy to simply diagnose a congregation and say it is dying based on a loss in numbers and whether it is popular in town. However, more often than not, I have seen churches gradually disappear because they focused on petty issues, while lacking spiritual vision and neglecting to obey the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). Of course, the increased skepticism towards religious organizations and lack of discipleship among professed believers only adds to the malady of certain churches.

   

   In his book, Rainer gives great insight into how a church can begin to heal, though he points out that there is no easy formula to quickly revive a church. It is certain that we must be careful not to live by some checklist of “do’s and dont’s” without seeking to know God and follow His will. However, to me, there are definitely three vital facets that must be exercised within a congregation if there is to be a holy awakening.

       Lord willing, for the next two articles I will focus on these steps, but for now, let me give you the first one, which is confession. James 5:16 says, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Many churches are stuck in a plastic Christianity that glosses over heartache and real life struggles. A lot of Christians are not even willing to simply walk down an aisle, kneel next to a stage, and pray to God, so why would they ever sit among other believers and tell them about their secret struggles!? It has often been said, “Confession is good for the soul.” I have found this to be so true, because when believers are willing to confess their faults, without fear of self righteous criticism, their perspective of one another begins to change. They no longer harbor prideful thoughts, or look on others with conniving criticism, but their hearts towards fellow believers are filled with empathy and a desire to edify and encourage each other. The fact is that if we are not willing to weep over our own stubbornness, we will never be willing to witness about our Savior.

      Sadly, in today’s society there are some who view confession to simply mean relaying your problems while hoping people will praise you for your honesty and accept it. That way you won’t feel guilt and you can do what you want. By no means is this what I am talking about! True confession will engender a repentant heart! As a body of believers, we must come together in brokenness and honesty, not only humbly confessing our faults, but also lovingly praying for and encouraging one another. Undoubtedly, there can be healing in the church, but it begins with willing examination & confession.