It is entirely possible for a group of God’s people to die. There are congregations throughout this country that are every bit as dead as the church at Sardis. Like Sardis, some of them have good reputations and a great past. They assemble every Lord’s Day and observe the “acts of worship” described in the New Testament Acts 2:42. Sometimes they point back to the past and take pride in the fact that some “great” preachers used to work with them. But, like in The Wizard of Oz, you can pull back the curtain and see them for what they really are: spiritually dead.
In local congregations seldom is the “cause of death” easy to see. Most of the time it is not a single item that killed a church—it was a combination of several things that brought about their demise. I think of several congregations I know of that used to have large numbers of people assemble together every Lord’s Day, but now struggle to keep the electric bill paid. As an outside observer it seems to me that all of the “dead” churches I know have several things in common, and it is these elements that I want to examine here. Some of these elements might be classified as “causes” and others as “effect.”
- Neglect Of Bible Classes
- Neglect In The Pulpit
- Lack Of Joy Among The “Saved”
- Neglect Of The Meetinghouse
This is more an “effect” than a “cause” of death. I realize the meetinghouse is just an expediency, and we are not even required to have a meetinghouse to assemble in. I also realize the most beautiful building in the world is not a sign of spiritual vitality or the Lord’s approval. However, it has been my observation “dead” churches usually meet in unkempt or decaying buildings —I am not talking about the cost or size of the building, but how well the brethren maintain it.
Why is an unkempt meetinghouse a “dead give-away”? The meetinghouse itself was purchased with the Lord’s money, and the way brethren treat the meetinghouse is a reflection of their attitude towards the Lord.
Think of the Old Testament tabernacle and temple—both constructed with the finest materials and put together with the greatest of care. Our meetinghouse is neither a tabernacle nor a temple, but it is a place where God’s people assemble together for spiritual purposes. The building is not “holy” in any way—but it was purchased with “holy” money i.e., the Lord’s money.
Paul told Titus to “adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things” Titus 2:10. While this passage is specifically talking about “adorning” the gospel by our lives, it also teaches us to present the gospel in the best light possible.
Several years ago a congregation asked me to come work with them. I drove to their meetinghouse to have a discussion with the elders about the work there. When I pulled into the parking lot I noticed the sign in front of the building was severely damaged, not from a recent storm but from years of neglect. First impressions are lasting. My first impression about this congregation was that the brethren just did not care about how the rest of the world viewed them or the Lord.
Sometimes parents allow little children to mangle some of the free Bible tracts in our tract rack. When I see such disfigured tracts I throw them away—the greatest message in the world deserves a better presentation than we often give it.
What is the harm in allowing the meetinghouse to decay? It shows a lack of appreciation for what we have and a lack of concern for things belonging to our Lord. Like the Jews in the days of Zerubbabel, it shows that we have more interest in our own houses cf. Hag. 1:1-5.
Conclusion
Is there any hope for a “dead” church? The Lord extended some hope to the church at Sardis, providing they would “hold fast and repent” Rev. 3:3.
Our victory lies not in the past, but in the future cf. Rev. 3:1.
PLEASE SHARE SOMETHING YOU FEEL CAN BE DONE ABOUT ANY OR ALL OF THESE FACTORS.
by David Padfield
