10 Ways to Kill a Church
Open/Welcome – We had a great start last week. So alive and exciting. It made me think about the opposite. How do you kill a church?
I want to give you 10 Ways to Kill a Church!
Two Scriptures: Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (That word was spoken to a wondering, disobedient church)
Matthew 16:18 (NKJV) And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
(The Message) This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.
And while I believe that it is true that Jesus will build his church, our free will can get in the way.
In fact, I will show you 10 ways that it can get in the way by sharing 10 Ways to Kill a Church!
You ready? I said, are you ready? (no particular order)
# 1 – Show Up Late and Leave Early
• Why does this one kill a church?
• Because it says church isn’t really all that
important
• Iwon’tbelatetomyjobortothesoldout
concert, but “come on”.....it’s just church!
• It goes against the principle of the Word (the
Bible) that says...In Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,”
# 2 – Think Church is Just About You
• Why does this one kill a church? • Because it is so self-centered.
• It isn’t the spirit of Christ, Jesus
• He humbled himself
• It was never about Him: it was always about
others
• When we focus only on ourselves, it means we
are not focusing on others
It goes against the Biblical principle of Galatian 6:2 which says “Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” (NLT)
# 3 – When the Church Calls for Volunteers, Assume They are Talking to Someone Else
• Why does this one kill the church?
• It doesn’t model the life of a Christ-follower
• Jesus was all about serving
• If ANYONE had a right to be served, it was
Jesus
• Yet he came TO serve, not be served.
• Churches that are vibrant, radiant, growing
and alive all have at least one thing in common- they all have people who are excited to serve in God’s House
• John 15:13 (NLT) says “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
# 4 – Complain About the Church “Always Asking
for Money”, That Way, If You Complain Enough, Your Conscience Will Be Clear for Never Giving ANYTHING.
• Why does this one kill a church?
• There are a number of reasons.
• First, the attitude kills the church immediately
• Second, a church is just like any other
business, school, home or individual- it has to
have money to exist.
• Also, not giving goes against the Biblical
principle found in 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 (The Message Bible) “Every Sunday each of you make an offering and put it in safekeeping. Be as generous as you can. When I get there you'll have it ready, and I won't have to make a special appeal. Then after I arrive, I'll write letters authorizing whomever you delegate, and send them off to Jerusalem to deliver your gift.”
# 5 – Leave Prayer Up to the “Professionals” (You know....the Pastor, the Elders, the Deacons, etc.)
• Why does this one kill a church?
• Because a praying church is a powerful
church
• When you pray, you begin to walk in the
presence of God on a daily basis
• You hear Him speak to your heart more
often
• You follow His voice my readily
• The Bible says “If my people will pray, I will
hear and I will do awesome things in this
place” (A paraphrase of 2 Chronicles 7:14)
• I wonder if the opposite is true?
• “If my people WON’T pray, then I won’t hear
them, and I WON’T do awesome things in this place”
# 6 – Confuse “Going” to Church with “Being” the Church
• why does this kill a church?
• It certainly doesn’t make an impact on the
world
• It certainly doesn’t make an impact on
Longview, or Kilgore, or Hallsville or
Gladewater, Marshall or Gilmer
• It also makes the sum total of my
responsibility merely showing up, standing too long for the music and looking at the back of someone’s head
• That’s all I’ve got to do.
• Check. Been there, done that. Got the BULLetin
• But that goes against the radical, life changing, community turned upside down kind of idea that Jesus gave us when he founded his church.
• But the devil loves it
• No one healed
• No one witnessed to
• No one delivered
• All the Christians, safely locked up for an hour-and-a-half on Sunday and quiet on Monday!
• Wow! He’s gotta love it!
• But there is only one problem.....
• It, once again, goes against the Bible
• The bible (technically Jesus) said in
Matthew 28:19 “Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life” (The Message)
# 7 – Show Up Every Third Sunday or So (Unless it’s raining or snowing or icy on that third Sunday....and of course, unless your favorite sports team is playing, some family member threatens to come into town, the lake is particularly calm that day which is great for skiing
and tubing or you decided to stay up late and watch a movie on Saturday night before the third Sunday you were “thinking” of being there. Special offers and coupons do not apply. Only one excuse per household. Employees and shareholders of Restoration Fellowship Church are not eligible.)
• Why will this one kill a church?
• What if everyone did that?
• What kind of church would that be
• (please see # 2 above)
• Maybe someone needs your encouragement,
your support, your kind words
• And maybe, JUST maybe, they ned that more
than just the third Sunday of each month!
• And again, the Bible has something to say
about that....
• Hebrews 10:25 says “(Let’s not give) up
meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (NIV)
# 8 – Preach One Thing: Live Another

• Let me explain this one
• It is probably the opposite of what a
“religious” mind thinks at first
• We are ALL broken
• We ALL mess up
• No one is perfect
• Religious people would say “that’s right
preacher, we need to get these people “Holy”
around here
• And while I agree that we need to be holy,
what I disagree with is how most people in
religious circles thinks that is accomplished
• Its not about a bunch of “do’s and don’ts
• If you are struggling with alcohol or drugs or
any type of addiction, this IS the place for you
• What I’m saying is, don’t hide your struggles
and feel like you have to cover them up
• Come here and honestly admit, “you know
what, I’m struggling in this area”
• And you will find a church that puts a ring on
your finger, a robe on your back, and shoes on
your feet
• You’ll find a church that will reach down and
write something in the dirt at the feet of your
accusers
• And you’ll find a church that says we aren’t
here because we are perfect
• We are here because HE is perfect and He loves us in spite of our imperfections
• Again, the bible has something to say about this one...Romans 7:14-16 in The Message bible says:
• “"I know that all God's commands are spiritual, but I'm not. Isn't this also your experience?" Yes. I'm full of myself—after all, I've spent a long time in sin's prison. What I don't understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise.”
Transition: Now hold on, if the church is still alive, I’ve got two more things that will kill it.....
# 9 – Walk in Offense
• Why will this kill the church?
• Well, for obvious reasons
• People who walk in offense walk in
unforgiveness
• They also walk in bitterness
• They also believe automatically that people
are against them
• They think the pastor is talking to them,
looking at them funny, was directing a
comment their way
• They think people are talking about them or
gossiping about them, as if all people had to do was stand around and make them the topic of conversation
• Again, the bible says a lot about this, but let me just give you a few scriptures
• Colossians 3:12-14 (The Message Bible) says “So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even- tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.”
And FINALLY, if there is any life left in her at ALL, you can finish the church off with this final silver bullet....
# 10 – Be a “Church Hopper”
• Why will this kill a church?
• Commitment is hard to come by these days
• Employees will leave a company for fifty-
cents more per hour
• People who completely love and support
their favorite team today may not support
them tomorrow (can you say “Tony Romo”)
• People seem to leave churches for the most
meaningless, trivial reason these days
• Literally, I have heard of people leaving
because of the color of the carpet that was
chosen
• There is a general “consumer mentality”
that says “as long as you are blessing me, petting me, stroking me, entertaining me or exciting me, I’ll stay
• But if something better come along, well....it was nice knowing you
• Again, the Word of God gives us direction here
• Psalm 92:13 says “Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.

