Some are closing:
(1) Due to Covid 19
(2) Some due to the shipping of jobs to other countries
(3) Some due to inflation
(4) Some due to supply
If this trend continues some fear there will not be enough businesses for the citizens of this country to find a place of employment to feed their families.
But something else that is alarming is the closing down of churches in this country.
As you drive around in the major cities of this great country we see FOR SALE signs on churches closing down and for sale.
Also, churches that use to have an attendance of 500 to 600 each Sunday now they have an attendance 30 or 40.
Some of these churches to survive are merging with other churches.
The best estimate among different researchers is that 3,850 to 7,700 congregations closing a year, which works out to around 75 to 150 congregations a week depending on what research you are looking at.
What makes this so bad is more churches are closing each year than be opening.
It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out that if this trend continues churches will cease to exist.
Lifeway Research states “Even before the pandemic, the pace of opening new congregations was not even providing enough replacements for those that closed their doors,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research.
What is the problem and even more important what is the solution?
Let me share with you this…God has instituted three things that are essential for a society to survived.
(1) Marriage
(2) Government
(3) Church
And the devil is working 24 hours a day and 365 days a year to destroy all three.
All three of these are essential for a society to exist.
But I do not have the time in this sermon to deal with all three of these but I do want to concentrate on the church.
Let me play the devil’s advocate and ask you a question.
Suppose I was the devil and I wanted to closed down God’s church.
HOW WOULD I GO ABOUT ACCOMPLISHING THIS?
I would do the same thing that the devil is doing!!!
WHAT IS HE DOING?
He attacks…
I. THE CHURCH ATTENDANCE
Like never before he is attacking the church attendance visciously!!!
WHY IS HE ATTACKING THE CHURCH ATTENDANCE VISCIOUSLY?
Because the people of God have received a lot of help from church services over the years.
• You can ask people where they got saved and most will tell you in a Bible-believing, Bible-preaching church.
• I can not tell you the times I have seen folks come to church discouraged and when they left church they were greatly encouraged in the Lord.
• I can not tell you the times I have seen families that were having serious domestic problems and they came to know the Lord and they had a good marriage.
People all over the world come to church because of two reasons:
(1)They love the Lord and God’s people
(2)But they come to get spiritual nourishment also.
Illus: Mankind understand the importance of physical nourishment but just as important if not more important is spiritual nourishment.
Illus: A man wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. "I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them! So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all." Signed: Missing the message.
This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:
"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time, my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals for me. But for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this: They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today. When you are DOWN to nothing... God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical AND our SPIRITUAL NOURISHMENT.”
God placed the church here because He knew that we need a strong bible-teaching-preaching church.
At the present time no other organization or institution on the face of the earth can boast of such attendance as God’s Church in the past.
Illlus: Sometimes we hear a football fan boast and say of a football game, “We had 85,000 people in attendance.”
Now that is a good attendance and something to be proud of, but it is nothing compared to God’s church.
Each week, millions of people attend the house of God to worship the Lord Jesus Christ, and this goes on week after week and year after year.
But sometimes you hear folks say, “I love the Lord but I do not attend church.”
Actually, according to the Word of God they do not love God. I CAN PROVE THAT FROM THE SCRIPTURES!!!
Look at Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
This is not a suggestion, this is a command from almighty God!
WHAT DOES GOD’S WORD SAY ABOUT KEEPING HIS COMMAND?
1 John 2:3-4 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
Because God’s Word tells us in Hebrews 10:25 we are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together.
I am not judging these people who claim to love the Lord but do not faithfully attend church, but God’s Word is judging them when God use some strong language and tells us in I John 2:4, He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
Now that is strong language and the reason God is using strong language is because He put the church here for people who love Him.
Listen, I can not do very much alone, but when I join hands with God’s people we can do a lot!!!
We read in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
What is Solomon saying?
Illus: He is saying we all are like little heaters. When I come into this building my body puts out heat and I alone can not make a lot of difference in the temperture but if we come as a congregation and all of us are like little heaters we can warm this place up for the Lord!!!
• One cord is easily broken, but the more cords tied together the stronger that cord becomes.
• And also when all the believers come together the stronger we become for the Lord.
The question we should be asking...
• “If a person truly loves football, why wouldn’t they want to attend a football game everytime they possibly could attend?”
• If a person truly loves baseball, why wouldn’t they want to a attend a baseball game everytime they could possibly attend?
• “And if a person truly loves the Lord why wouldn’t they want to attend church everytime they could possibly attend?”
Now let me do a little preaching here…Some might say they love the Lord, but their lives say there are a lot of things in their life they love more than they love the Lord.
WHY IS IT THAT SOME DO NOT ATTEND CHURCH?
If you ask people why they do not attend church, they will give you a number of excuses.
Notice, I said EXCUSES, not REASONS!
YOU KNOW WHAT AN EXCUSE IS? IT IS A LIE!!!
They do not want to look bad in the eyes of others so they make up a lie so they want look like a person that does not love the Lord.
Illus: By the time Bobby arrived, the football game had already started.
• “Why are you so late?” asked his friend.
• “I couldn’t decide between going to church and going to the football game.
• So I tossed a coin,” said Bobby.
• “But that shouldn’t have taken too long.” said the friend.
• “Well, I had to toss it 39 times.”
Illus: Suppose a dedicated sports fan said, “I've had it! I quit this sports business once and for all. You can't get me near one of those places again.”
• Every time I went, they asked me for money
• The people I sat with didn't seem very friendly
• The seats were too hard and not comfortable
• I went to many games, but the coach never came to call on me
• The referee made a decision with which I could not agree
• I suspected that I was sitting with some hypocrites -- they came to see their friends and what others were wearing rather than to see the game
• Some games went into overtime, and I was late getting home
• The band played some numbers that I had never heard before
• I was taken to too many games by my parents when I was growing up
• I don't want to take my children to any games, because I want them to choose for themselves what sport they like best
Why is it that these ridiculous excuses are given at church, but not for sports events!
• He knows the church is his greatest threat on this earth to him, and the best way to slow it down or shut it down is through church attendance
• He knows when he keeps Christians out of church they are sending a message to their family and friends that God is not worthy of having first place in their life.
Christians need the church and that is why God commands them to attend.
Solomon is saying in that passage I just read to you we believers need each other.
Illus: Dr. Odell Belger was in the mountains of N.C. and he noticed a cow that had been attacked by a bear. But he wondered how a bear could survive such an attacked.
He was with a man who was raised in the mountain and he explained.
He said preacher when a bear attack one of the cows, the cows hang out together and when a bear attack one of the cows all the other cows circle around the bear and the bear sees he is out numbered and he flees!
God knew we needed the church in a world of evil. So He instituted the church for our mutual protection.
But the devil knows this and has become very successful in shutting down churches.
There use to be a church on the corner of every block it seems but the devil is closing down churches weekly.
But the devil is working over-time today to close down every Bible-preaching church.
If I was the devil and I wanted to close down God’s church I would do it through church attendance.
Another thing I would do that he does…
II. HE ATTACKS THE GIVING OF GOD’S PEOPLE
Illus: A minister tells the story of a preacher who asked a man why he did not join and support God’s church with his attendance and giving.
• The reply was that the dying thief did not join the church and he was saved.
• "Well," said the minister, "if you do not belong to a church, perhaps you help by supporting missions?"
• "No," said the man. "The dying thief did not help missions, and wasn’t he saved?"
• "Yes," said the minister, "I suppose he was, but you must remember that he was a dying thief, whereas you are a living thief."
God gives us His blessings all week, and when we come to the House of God we should not come empty handed.
Illus: Grandma was giving directions to her grown grandson who was coming to visit. She said:
• "You come to the front door of the apartment complex. I am in apartment 14T. There is a big panel at the door. With your elbow push button 14T.”
• “I will buzz you in. Come inside, the elevator is on the right. Get in, and with your elbow hit 14.”
• “When you get out, I am on the left. With your elbow, hit my doorbell."
"Grandma, that sounds easy, but why am I hitting all these buttons with my elbow?" the grandson asked.
Grandma replied, "You're not coming empty handed, ARE YOU?"
Illus: You would think that people was grateful enough for God to give them the strength, health and the job to provide themselves and their family they would not come to church empty handed.
Giving does more than pay the preacher.
Giving to God’s Work:
• Sends the Gospel around the world
• Provides a place of worship
•Provides heat in the winter and air-conditioning in the summer
• Provides literature for Sunday school
And much more!
Sometime ministers have to come up with different ideas to motivate people to give.
Illus: One minister was preoccupied with thoughts of how, after the service, he was going to ask the congregation to come up with more money than they were expecting, for repairs to the church building.
• Therefore, he was annoyed to find that the regular organist was sick and a substitute had been brought in at the last minute. The substitute wanted to know what to play.
• "Here's a copy of the service," he said impatiently. "But you'll have to think of something to play after I make the announcement about the finances."
• During the service, the minister paused and said, "Brothers and Sisters, we are in great difficulty; the roof repairs cost twice as much as we expected, and we need $4,000 more. Any of you who can pledge $100 or more, please stand up."
• At that moment, the substitute organist played "The Star-Spangled Banner." And that is how the substitute organist became the regular organist!
Illus: Jesus in one of the church services he sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury.
Many rich people threw in large amounts.
But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins worth only a fraction of a penny.
Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, in Mark 12:42-44, “And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.”
It takes money to finance a church and it takes the people who love the Lord to finance this spiritual war that the church is involved in today.
Illus: When president Bush waged war against Iraq, he had to go before congress and ask them to finance the war.
Congress could have voted “no” and we would have had to bring home all of our soldiers abroad and Saddam Hussein would still be slaughtering people by the thousands.
Thank God they had enough sense to see all the evil this man was doing and voted to finance this war.
A church can only do the work of the Lord if the congregation loves the Lord enough to give and support that work.
They can close their pocketbooks and close the church down and we will have to bring all the missionaries home, and let the devil achieve the evil he wants to achieve.
Illus: Two well-worn bills arrived at the Federal Reserve Bank to be retired – a $100 and a $1. As they traveled down the conveyor belt, they struck up a conversation.
• The hundred reminisced about the interesting life he had, traveling all over the country. “I’ve been to the finest restaurants, Broadway shows, Las Vegas, and amusement parks,” he said. “I even want on a Caribbean cruise once.
• Where have you been?”
• “Oh,” said the one dollar bill, “I’ve been to a Methodist church, an Episcopal church, a Baptist church, and a Lutheran church.”
• “What’s a church?” asked the hundred.
If I was the devil and I wanted to oppose God I would…
• Attack the church attendance
• Attack the church financially
And I would also do as he does and attack…
III. THE TESTIMONY OF GOD’S PEOPLE
I am not saying that everyone who ATTENDS and GIVES knows the Lord as their Savior.
But I am saying that it would be difficult to convince people that someone had a good testimony, if they very seldom came to church and very seldom gave to the Lord.
Let me ask you a question, “If you were dying today and you wanted to call on Christians to pray for you, WHO IN THIS CONGREGATION WOULD YOU CALL?”
• Would you call on someone who very seldom comes
• Would you call on someone who rob God of his tithes and offering each week.
I will tell you who you would call, you would call on people who not only ATTEND CHURCH and GIVE unto the Lord’s work, but people you KNOW WHY THEY ATTEND AND WHY THEY GIVE!
And it is because you know that they truly LOVE THE LORD JESUS! They have a good sound testimony.
The devil today knows one of the best ways to fight against God is to rob people of their testimony.
We preachers try to encourage the congregation to bring people to church with them.
But listen, if you are not living a holy life please do not invite people to attend this church. Why?
(1) Because they are not going to come if you are living an un-holy life.
(2) Because they will think everybody in church are as ungodly as you are!
We are known by the fruit that we BEAR AS A CHRISTIAN.
The American church today has allowed mediocrity to creep in the church.
• It is reported that in churches today 90% of the work is performed by 10% of the members.
• Christians have come to the conclusion that it is alright to be a Christian and not bear fruit.
• A secular study projected by the year 2050 that Christianity will be so obscure that it will have absolutely no effect on the moral and ethical condition of our country.
The devil know the best way to destroy the reputation of God’s church is by church members living an un-godly life.
Conclusion:
I opened this sermon by saying, “Suppose I was the devil. What would I do to stop God’s church from going forward?”
I would do exactly what the devil is doing to close down God’s church if I was the devil.
WHAT IS HE DOING?
He attacks…
I. THE CHURCH ATTENDANCE
II. THE GIVING OF GOD’S PEOPLE
III. THE TESTIMONY OF GOD’S PEOPLE
Illus: In the book of Ruth a wonderful love story story take place.
Three weddings and three funerals struck the home of Elimelech and Naomi.
All three men of the house died, leaving behind 3 widows. Naomi, who was now a very bitter woman, angry with God, wanted to return to her homeland.
She called her two daughters in law and broke the news to them. She told them she was returning to Bethlehem and that they were to return to their own parents.
Ruth said “No Way!!!”
In Ruth 1:16-17 we read, And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
This is the kind of commitment needed in the church. Ruth said the only thing that separate me from you is DEATH ITSELF!!!
Her sister-in-law retuned back to serving her gods, but Ruth said IT IS GOING TO TAKE DEATH TO REMOVE ME FROM FOLLOWING YOU.
Illus: After former president Ronald Reagan was shot he was asked how would this affect his presidency.
He said with the remaining days of his life he was going to take everyday God gives him to serve the Lord.
Listen, if we could relive our lives we all would do a lot of things differently. But those days are gone in our life.
THE QUESTION IS WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO WITH THE LIFE GOD HAS GIVEN YOU IN THE DAYS YOU HAVE LEFT?
YOUTUBE – You can hear this sermon preach on youtube.
Type Youtube - Lykesland
