The Marvelous Message

Just a few years ago, studies revealed that less than 40% of people who claim a religious background go to church services. Around 28% claim to attend at least once a week, 8% once a month, and 4% once a year. Whether these statistics are accurate or not, for many churches, there is a steady decline in membership each year. I have often been asked why so many people, especially young adults, leave the church and what can be done to ensure stability. Of course, the solution is not so easily attained. There are many reasons people hardly darken church doors. It is all rooted in one’s perception of the church, ranging from misguided notions that faith equals ignorance to hurt emotions one faced during a time of church conflict. Try to describe your view of the American church in one word. I will list some that I have heard others use: hypocrites, cultish, uninformed, divided etcetera. Now, you will find that many of the people that say such things are only mouthing what they have seen,...

     In my last two articles, I explained two imperative steps that are needed for a diminishing church to thrive once more. First, genuine confession as revealed in James 5:16. Second , renewed dedication as revealed in Romans 12:1-2. As I stated before, I am in no way claiming to be some grand expert in the field of church growth. I am simply magnifying what has already been established in the scriptures. Also, I would encourage you to read the book Autopsy of a Deceased Church by Thom Rainer. It is an easy read, but very informative to what a dying church really looks like and what can be done about it.      You must understand that all of us has to be careful when it comes to relying on steps, formulas, and principles. Because, Christians tend to employ more devotion and care in following a “do good” checklist rather than in simply walking with God. Throughout my life, I have heard preachers say, “If you love God, then you’ll do more for Him!” Ins...

      My last article partially summarized the book by Thom Rainer called Autopsy of a Deceased Church. It gives interesting insights as to whether a church is healthy, sick, or near death. In 2014, over 3500 churches closed their doors. There are stats that show this to be the yearly average, while others record twice this amount! Of course, some are willing to point out the claim that yearly there are slightly more new church plants in America than there are church closings. However, the questions still remain as to why so many churches close and how a congregation can remedy this.      Sadly, some church members write off their declining attendance by affirming that people are more wicked and the younger generation just wants to be entertained. Though on the surface it may appear this way to an average church goer, this kind of cynical attitude is just a cop-out. People say this when they don’t want to take responsibility for their...

       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...

We have our spiritual programs, concerts, and conferences We have mounted our doctrines, promoted our denominations, and pushed our preferences We have booked calendars, busy lives, and countless bibles We have bumper stickers about faith, T-Shirts with scripture, and a mass marketed message of the gospel Yet, there is a steep decline in church attendance, a constant scorn for holy living, and a growing disdain for one's fellow man There is confusion over identity, carelessness over eternity, and an increase of biblical incompetence Perhaps it is because Christians have sought the favor of man above the fullness of the Spirit We have heralded our denominational differences, rather than proclaim the gospel to all who will hear it We mask our fear of complete surrender by hiding in a pew and handing over a tithe We timidly wade the surface of Christ-likeness rather than willingly take the glorious dive We must come ...

It has been months since my last article. I will not digress into all the factors as to why this is the case, only to mention that I am now ministering at Corinth Free Will Baptist Church in Alma, GA and my wife and I now have a beautiful 4 month old daughter added to our already rambunctious, and blessed family. Excusing Church In some form or another, I have heard the same statement for almost fifteen years - “I don’t have to go to church!” It may not be directly stated by certain people, but they will definitely get their point across that they do not “need” church. Now, understand that I am not referring to those who hold onto an atheistic or agnostic belief. I am writing about people I have met, through the years, who have claimed to believe in God and even in, for the most part, the preservation of His Word. I found that many of them were at one time faithful members of a church, yet stopped going to services either due to a church conflict, or just sheer busyness on t...