Recently, I had the wonderful experience of traveling to Israel on a tourism trip. This was my third visit to the Holy Land, and it was without a doubt the best. Of course, to say that it is difficult to describe the experience of walking where Jesus walked is an understatement. My heart overflows with joy unspeakable as I read the Scripture and the print comes off of the page as events and places visually flood my mind. My Bible has been turned into a "pop-up book" as I read about Scriptural places that I have physically seen. However, I must admit that I experienced mixed emotions over this trip. The most significant part for me came when our group visited the Western Wall. It was there that I prayed for the peace of Jerusalem, and as I did so the gravity of lostness that surrounded me began to weigh heavily upon my soul and my heart broke. Around me there were hundreds of people who rejected Jesus as Messiah but were nevertheless devoted to religion. They stood all about the area, some were crying out to God, others prayed quietly, and some sang songs. My heart melted as I considered their deep devotion which, instead of liberty, kept them in bondage... and I prayed that their eyes might be opened to the reality of the risen Christ. Then I stepped back away from the Wall and contemplated all that was going on around me and meditated upon the things which God was stirring in my heart... and again my heart broke. My mind shifted from that marvelous sight in Jerusalem and I began to consider the state of Christianity in America from my viewpoint. Grief began to consume me as I considered the stark contrast between the American church and what was transpiring right in front me that day. On one hand I observed faithful devotion to dead religion, and on the other I considered such lack of devotion to the One true God, His only begotten Son and His divinely inspired Word.
In days gone by when a person had left this life having passed through the portals of death the church within the community would sound the "death knell." The death knell served as the public notification that a death had occurred in the community. It was the sounding of the church bells, three for a man, two for a woman and varying patterns for children (See The Church Bells of Kent: Their Inscriptions, Founders, Uses and Traditions by John Charles Lett Stahlschmidt, p. 126-127) that informed the community of the death. Unfortunately, when it comes to the American church I believe there is sufficient reason to believe that the death knell is close to sounding, if it hasn't already. Obviously, I will not be exhaustive in my thoughts, but as a local church pastor I would simply like to share my concern that the church in America is, in fact, dying...
In the years of my ministry I have observed what seems to me to be a growing desire for individualism to the neglect of corporate fellowship centered on the gospel. In conducting a survey among young adults (ages 20-29) Lifeway Research found that over 70% consider themselves "spiritual"-that is desiring to know God or more about God (or Higher-being) though not committed to any church (http://www.lifewayresearch.com/2009/04/19/young-adults-consider-themselves-spiritual/). The same survey conducted among those over the age of 30 still exceeded 60%. Examining the last decade the Pew Research center reveals a steady drop in attendance of local churches (http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/09/13/what-surveys-say-about-worship-attendance-and-why-some-stay-home/). Barna Research Group reveals the same startling trend (https://www.barna.org/barna-update/leadership/323-report-examines-the-state-of-mainline-protestant-churches#.U4eAqvldWoM). The trend of rapid decline in local church involvement crosses denominational lines, including the Southern Baptist Convention, the denomination with which I am affiliated (http://www.abpnews.com/ministry/organizations/item/8562-sbc-baptism-membership-numbers-fall).
These figures are startling, troubling and heartbreaking, especially considering that, according to the research, the majority of people consider themselves "spiritual." I think many, if not most, pastors would agree with me when I say that I didn't really need to see these surveys to know the results they portray. I see it regularly and have seen it in every church that I have been privileged to pastor. Of course the remnant always exists, but they are undoubtedly the minority. Concerning the majority of "the church," however, there is a professed love for Jesus, a professed desire to be saved, a professed hunger for spiritual "things" or "knowledge," yet there is very little commitment to the Lord's church. It is an "everybody do their own thing" mentality that seems to have gripped professing believers. I've seen the reality of these numbers in virtually every church that I've pastored. In days gone by the church was the center-piece of a community and every service well-attended. Now, Sunday morning services are considered the "big service" of the week; Sunday nights typically represent 50% or less in attendance and mid-week service barely garners a handful of attendees. Moreover, many Sunday morning only attenders are becoming more and more "hit and miss." The old cliche' 20% of people do 80% of the work is very much outdated. Perhaps the more accurate ratio would be 5% of the people do 95% of the work.
Of course, people have their reasons, or to be more accurate, their excuses for lack of commitment and involvement in the local church. Some will cite their employment, others will point to local school involvement; some will say they can't get out in the evening time and certainly there are all of those children and grandchildren activities. Local church involvement, it seems, has lost its significance in our culture. However, the issue, I think, isn't that church is unimportant to "believers", but that it is just not as important as everything else going on in people's lives. After all, consumed with this individualistic mind-set, many people feel that they can worship God just as effectively in the car, on the lake, at the campground, in the deer stand, on the job, at the ball field, or at home with their own family members. Furthermore, we (churches and church leaders) have so personalized the Gospel that we've lost sight of God's bigger picture and, thus, aided in the exodus from commitment. What I mean to say, here, is that we have made the Gospel all about us as individuals and have forgotten that it is about Jesus. Jesus died for me. Jesus saved me. I'm growing in my walk with the Lord. Certainly, the Christian can make these statements and know them to be true, but in American Christianity we do what we often do with many things, we take it to excess. I absolutely believe in entering into and cultivating a personal walk with God. However, we have no right to personalize/individualize the gospel to the neglect of God's kingdom (corporate) work. Jesus didn't say he came to build the plans for your life. He said He came to build His church (Matt. 16:18); and build His church He has. The book of Acts tells of God's leading His apostles to plant and grow local churches all over the world as the manifestation of the kingdom of God on the earth. This was and is God's plan for reaching the world with the Gospel. Through the years of my service in the Lord's ministry people have asked questions to this effect: why don't we see the power of God displayed today like we read about in the book Acts? Well, without launching into a lengthy doctrinal discussion over that question let me simply offer this reply: Could it be that in the book Acts we read of a people, though imperfect, yet were consumed with an overwhelming love, zeal and passion for Christ, to the degree that their entire focus was on living for and serving Christ, but not merely as individual Christians, but, rather as individual parts of the local church in the community in which they lived. In contrast, the mentality of most today seems to be, how little can I do for God and still please Him? Sadly, I contend that many "Christians" are in the same condition, spiritually, as the people of Israel were described in the days when there was no king: "... every man did what was right in his own eyes (Judges 21:25)..." Everybody want to have it their own way and just do their own thing.
Today, believers have their own walk with God. The desire and perceived need for local church involvement is no longer existent for a majority of people who lay claim to the name of Jesus Christ. As a result we are witnessing our nation moving further and further away from God. Certainly, I don't pretend to have all the answers, but I will says this: we cannot practice "Burger King" Christianity and expect the blessing of God. We don't get to "have it our way." We can't do God's work the way we want to do it. The kingdom is God's work. The local church is God's plan to build the kingdom. The Great Commission to make disciples was given to the church, to be carried out by the church. The hope for this world is God moving in and through His church. While I know that God has and does work through individuals, I'm praying that the people who claim to know, love and serve God will once again see the church, and their commitment to and part in the church, as important as it is to the Lord Himself. I fear, however, that it may be too late. In fact, I think that if you listen closely you can hear the bells tolling... it's the death knell of the church in America.
In days gone by when a person had left this life having passed through the portals of death the church within the community would sound the "death knell." The death knell served as the public notification that a death had occurred in the community. It was the sounding of the church bells, three for a man, two for a woman and varying patterns for children (See The Church Bells of Kent: Their Inscriptions, Founders, Uses and Traditions by John Charles Lett Stahlschmidt, p. 126-127) that informed the community of the death. Unfortunately, when it comes to the American church I believe there is sufficient reason to believe that the death knell is close to sounding, if it hasn't already. Obviously, I will not be exhaustive in my thoughts, but as a local church pastor I would simply like to share my concern that the church in America is, in fact, dying...
In the years of my ministry I have observed what seems to me to be a growing desire for individualism to the neglect of corporate fellowship centered on the gospel. In conducting a survey among young adults (ages 20-29) Lifeway Research found that over 70% consider themselves "spiritual"-that is desiring to know God or more about God (or Higher-being) though not committed to any church (http://www.lifewayresearch.com/2009/04/19/young-adults-consider-themselves-spiritual/). The same survey conducted among those over the age of 30 still exceeded 60%. Examining the last decade the Pew Research center reveals a steady drop in attendance of local churches (http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/09/13/what-surveys-say-about-worship-attendance-and-why-some-stay-home/). Barna Research Group reveals the same startling trend (https://www.barna.org/barna-update/leadership/323-report-examines-the-state-of-mainline-protestant-churches#.U4eAqvldWoM). The trend of rapid decline in local church involvement crosses denominational lines, including the Southern Baptist Convention, the denomination with which I am affiliated (http://www.abpnews.com/ministry/organizations/item/8562-sbc-baptism-membership-numbers-fall).
These figures are startling, troubling and heartbreaking, especially considering that, according to the research, the majority of people consider themselves "spiritual." I think many, if not most, pastors would agree with me when I say that I didn't really need to see these surveys to know the results they portray. I see it regularly and have seen it in every church that I have been privileged to pastor. Of course the remnant always exists, but they are undoubtedly the minority. Concerning the majority of "the church," however, there is a professed love for Jesus, a professed desire to be saved, a professed hunger for spiritual "things" or "knowledge," yet there is very little commitment to the Lord's church. It is an "everybody do their own thing" mentality that seems to have gripped professing believers. I've seen the reality of these numbers in virtually every church that I've pastored. In days gone by the church was the center-piece of a community and every service well-attended. Now, Sunday morning services are considered the "big service" of the week; Sunday nights typically represent 50% or less in attendance and mid-week service barely garners a handful of attendees. Moreover, many Sunday morning only attenders are becoming more and more "hit and miss." The old cliche' 20% of people do 80% of the work is very much outdated. Perhaps the more accurate ratio would be 5% of the people do 95% of the work.
Of course, people have their reasons, or to be more accurate, their excuses for lack of commitment and involvement in the local church. Some will cite their employment, others will point to local school involvement; some will say they can't get out in the evening time and certainly there are all of those children and grandchildren activities. Local church involvement, it seems, has lost its significance in our culture. However, the issue, I think, isn't that church is unimportant to "believers", but that it is just not as important as everything else going on in people's lives. After all, consumed with this individualistic mind-set, many people feel that they can worship God just as effectively in the car, on the lake, at the campground, in the deer stand, on the job, at the ball field, or at home with their own family members. Furthermore, we (churches and church leaders) have so personalized the Gospel that we've lost sight of God's bigger picture and, thus, aided in the exodus from commitment. What I mean to say, here, is that we have made the Gospel all about us as individuals and have forgotten that it is about Jesus. Jesus died for me. Jesus saved me. I'm growing in my walk with the Lord. Certainly, the Christian can make these statements and know them to be true, but in American Christianity we do what we often do with many things, we take it to excess. I absolutely believe in entering into and cultivating a personal walk with God. However, we have no right to personalize/individualize the gospel to the neglect of God's kingdom (corporate) work. Jesus didn't say he came to build the plans for your life. He said He came to build His church (Matt. 16:18); and build His church He has. The book of Acts tells of God's leading His apostles to plant and grow local churches all over the world as the manifestation of the kingdom of God on the earth. This was and is God's plan for reaching the world with the Gospel. Through the years of my service in the Lord's ministry people have asked questions to this effect: why don't we see the power of God displayed today like we read about in the book Acts? Well, without launching into a lengthy doctrinal discussion over that question let me simply offer this reply: Could it be that in the book Acts we read of a people, though imperfect, yet were consumed with an overwhelming love, zeal and passion for Christ, to the degree that their entire focus was on living for and serving Christ, but not merely as individual Christians, but, rather as individual parts of the local church in the community in which they lived. In contrast, the mentality of most today seems to be, how little can I do for God and still please Him? Sadly, I contend that many "Christians" are in the same condition, spiritually, as the people of Israel were described in the days when there was no king: "... every man did what was right in his own eyes (Judges 21:25)..." Everybody want to have it their own way and just do their own thing.
Today, believers have their own walk with God. The desire and perceived need for local church involvement is no longer existent for a majority of people who lay claim to the name of Jesus Christ. As a result we are witnessing our nation moving further and further away from God. Certainly, I don't pretend to have all the answers, but I will says this: we cannot practice "Burger King" Christianity and expect the blessing of God. We don't get to "have it our way." We can't do God's work the way we want to do it. The kingdom is God's work. The local church is God's plan to build the kingdom. The Great Commission to make disciples was given to the church, to be carried out by the church. The hope for this world is God moving in and through His church. While I know that God has and does work through individuals, I'm praying that the people who claim to know, love and serve God will once again see the church, and their commitment to and part in the church, as important as it is to the Lord Himself. I fear, however, that it may be too late. In fact, I think that if you listen closely you can hear the bells tolling... it's the death knell of the church in America.
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