While You Were Sleeping
Last Friday as I was visiting my Grandmama in Kingsport, TN, I got up and got the paper from the porch. I did not know that the Kingsport Times News would contain such an article that would leave me sleepless as tonight, and somewhat of a haunting thought that the future of our churches are diminishing. What a shame! Here are some quick facts I'd like to share with you that I read in this article which by the way this is from a Methodist standpoint, an article based on Methodist church interview:
-In the next five to ten years, 1/3 of all churches across all denominations will close.
-In the last 10 years in the United Methodist Kingsport district, membership, and numbers of professions of faith and attendance all have declined and 8 United Methodist churches have closed.
-Statistics say that 74% of people in Sullivan Co. don't attend church on Sunday morning. The population of Kingsport according to a 2010 census was 156,823.
Stunning. Heartbreaking.
The article goes on to explain that, the district superintendent of the United Methodist church is stepping up, because these statistics too bother him as they do me. He and a team of leaders are launching its first new congregation in 60 years!!!!! May I emphasize 60 years. What is going on? They hope to solve the problem of people not coming to church on Sunday morning and adding a Saturday night service. There is nothing wrong with that, my church offers that, but they are looking at it the wrong way. You see, people stay away from church because of CHURCH! Until, you the Christian become the change you want to see, there ain't gonna be change. It doesn't matter what you do to try to attract people, if you aren't real, they're not coming. We fire our pastors, a save our seats, we speak only to those we know. What's not to love about church? I can say all this stuff too, I'm a Preachers Kid. I'm tired of hearing these kinds of statistics. Do we really make our guests feel welcome? Do we make them feel comfortable? It's embarrassing. We've taken our eyes off Jesus, and we've put them on ourselves. If our eyes were on Jesus we would be carrying out His great commission to GO and TELL! Not huddle in your church building and fight, throw your preacher out, decide what the color of the carpet is going to be, etc. etc. It's sad when a church closes it's doors, but sadly a lot of churches are started in vain and defiance. It's not started to reach people, it's started to accommodate opinions. But God doesn't care about our opinions, He instead commands for His children to obey Him. Do we obey Him? Look at Matthew 7:13-21
“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually obey my Father in heaven will enter.
Don't miss what God has commanded us to do. Don't allow Satan to take over our churches. Stand up Christian! Be a light in this world! Stand for what is right, point people to the cross. Forget all denominational boundaries, God doesn't see those. All He sees is the blood of His son being poured over our sinful mistakes. Don't miss Jesus. Wake up Christians! We've slept far to long in our church buildings! Wake up and don't allow another day, hour, or minute to pass without you telling someone that there is hope in this world.
-In the next five to ten years, 1/3 of all churches across all denominations will close.
-In the last 10 years in the United Methodist Kingsport district, membership, and numbers of professions of faith and attendance all have declined and 8 United Methodist churches have closed.
-Statistics say that 74% of people in Sullivan Co. don't attend church on Sunday morning. The population of Kingsport according to a 2010 census was 156,823.
Stunning. Heartbreaking.
The article goes on to explain that, the district superintendent of the United Methodist church is stepping up, because these statistics too bother him as they do me. He and a team of leaders are launching its first new congregation in 60 years!!!!! May I emphasize 60 years. What is going on? They hope to solve the problem of people not coming to church on Sunday morning and adding a Saturday night service. There is nothing wrong with that, my church offers that, but they are looking at it the wrong way. You see, people stay away from church because of CHURCH! Until, you the Christian become the change you want to see, there ain't gonna be change. It doesn't matter what you do to try to attract people, if you aren't real, they're not coming. We fire our pastors, a save our seats, we speak only to those we know. What's not to love about church? I can say all this stuff too, I'm a Preachers Kid. I'm tired of hearing these kinds of statistics. Do we really make our guests feel welcome? Do we make them feel comfortable? It's embarrassing. We've taken our eyes off Jesus, and we've put them on ourselves. If our eyes were on Jesus we would be carrying out His great commission to GO and TELL! Not huddle in your church building and fight, throw your preacher out, decide what the color of the carpet is going to be, etc. etc. It's sad when a church closes it's doors, but sadly a lot of churches are started in vain and defiance. It's not started to reach people, it's started to accommodate opinions. But God doesn't care about our opinions, He instead commands for His children to obey Him. Do we obey Him? Look at Matthew 7:13-21
“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually obey my Father in heaven will enter.
Don't miss what God has commanded us to do. Don't allow Satan to take over our churches. Stand up Christian! Be a light in this world! Stand for what is right, point people to the cross. Forget all denominational boundaries, God doesn't see those. All He sees is the blood of His son being poured over our sinful mistakes. Don't miss Jesus. Wake up Christians! We've slept far to long in our church buildings! Wake up and don't allow another day, hour, or minute to pass without you telling someone that there is hope in this world.
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