WARNING SIGNS OF A DEAD CHURCH
1- (D) DEDICATION TO THE WORD OF GOD
2- (E) EXCITEMNET OF GOD IS LOST
3- (A) ATTENDANCE IN CHURCH IS DOWN
4- (D) DETERMINED TO DO NOTHINHG ABOUT IT.
ACTS 20:28
I believe some churches today are losing the battle to bring in the lost souls and lead them to Christ.
I also believe churches today are drying up spiritually, fundamentally and they even have a lack of concern as to why this is even happening.
God has seen enough of churches waste away to there was nothing left of them, in them and with them.
Have you ever wondered why this or that church that once was flourishing, that was growing just went dead?
I know I have
I want to touch on this subject for a few minutes here on; Warning signs of a dead church.
I ask you here today to take heed to the signs of a dead church.
God still needs the church today. He needs it now more than ever. Today I believe we are in the last days. The church today needs to be anchored to that solid rock.
The very word of the living God needs to be preached, taught, learned and relearned by those that are attending these churches.
This may sound like I’ being harsh or being judgmental here but I believe I have no choice in the matter. God has burdened me with this message.
I may say some things that make you mad or upset but I have to make these points, it might be the difference here at this church.
I would never want this church to be mocked or jeered at as being a church that once had that touch of God and fell by the wayside, would you?
Would you want to be a church where we just played religion or a church that was worshipping the God of our lives, the god of these worlds, we need to get pass this dog and pony show.
What are the warning sign of a dead church then?
The first sign is dedication, dedication to the world of God.
Churches today are not getting any substance from the Word of God. Their pulpits have some watered down version of the Bible being taught from it.
There is no meat in the message, it is all filled with milk and very little of that I remind you. There is nothing to grow on.
Preachers today are becoming scared to preach the Word of God and bring the entire truth to their church.
It might offend them, it might drive them away, it’s got to the point where some churches are not even having a time set aside for the almighty Word of God to be preached!
How sad to see this happening, but it is happening!
Teachers of Sunday schools classes, they might read over their Sunday school lesson Saturday night and that’s about it, then they expect their class to be fed on that the next morning.
I fear that the body of the church doesn’t even take one hour a week to read their lesson, one hour a week to study the Word of God.
The dedication of reading the Word of God is non-existence in churches today.
If we don ot spend time in the Word, then how do we expect to learn it?
What begins to happen is, church membership from the pastor on down begins to empty their souls, it gets to running low on fuel.
Then they start searching out for those things that might fill them up, and what are some of those things?
I would say New Doctrines, you start grabbing at any and all little promises that come your way.
How do you think cults get started? They are started by people that are hungry for the word, not necessarily the Word of God but some type of word to hang on to.
If your dedication to the inspired Word of God is strong, you first see that it is wrong in your eyes and in God’s eyes.
Second is your spirit will be full of God’s Word and you won’t be looking around for some compromising word that will lead you away from the truth.
Church, today we cannot fall into not having the trap of not being dedicated to reading, studying, learning, praying and weeping over the Word of God.
The second sign of a dead church is: Excitement, the excitement of God is lost.
I can walk into a church today and even before the singing starts, before the preacher brings his message, I can pretty much tell you what kind of excitement this church has.
I look at the members, I look to the left and see people just sitting there with a blank look on their face. I look to my right and see members looking out the window like a child looks out when they are sick and see’s all their friends playing outside and wishing they were out there with them than inside looking out.
I went to a church a few years back, I won’t mention their name but not one person came and greeted me, not one person came by and said welcome, hello or for what it matters, goodbye.
It was almost like I wasn’t there or they cared less if I was there.
The preacher got up and started preaching and he said something in his message I thought deserved and Amen.
I let out and Amen and this young boy sitting right in front of me turned round with the wide eyed look, he kept his eyes on me all service. I just winked at him every now and then, just to let him know I knew he was staring.
Listen, I come to church because it’s my Father’s House. I come to church to worship the Lord that I love. There is no greater joy or excitement than to come to church for me and feel God’s warmth and love.
WE should first make time to welcome any and all visitors, they might be without Jesus, without God and searching for the answer.
Second, we should uplift our brothers and sisters in Christ here. This might be burden down with some sort of problem and needs that hug or kind word.
Here they come and we have no excitement ourselves to even lend that helping hand.
You can jump and scream at a football game, a baseball game or maybe hear your favorite clothing store is having a 50% off sale tomorrow, you might get all hyped up just knowing your team is winning or you might be getting a new dress of two.
We should be so excited about the Word of God and just anticipating great things God can and will do for us, we should always have that glow about us.
But sadly some churches today are dead because they have lost their excitement for God.
The third sign of a dead church is Attendance in church is down.
It’s where we have become numb to the fact that 50% of people that show up for Sunday Morning, never show up for Sunday Night. Wednesday night I think 10% of the church membership shows up.
I’m not talking about every now and then but each and every week.
It is now a rare occasion that churches even have Sunday Night services these days. Wednesday night, it is very rare to see nay churches have them now.
I understand, I really do since Covid 19 hit, it has hit the church in a bad way. I see where the media has made it sound like if two or more gathered together you will get Covid 19. The only thing I know for sure is when tow are more are gathered in Jesus name he in in the midst.
Churchiest ofay have now accepted to meet on Sunday morning, some even once a month some twice a month.
I am not faulting churches being careful and not having their members catch anything, I really do. But what about home studies for every member. What about phone outreach to members? How about prayers for every members and the church? These things can happen in the comfort of your home.
I believe the assembling ourselves in the house of God is important.
I remind you today that the Inspired Word of God in Hebrews 10:25, Not forsaken the assembling or ourselves together”
WE often find excuses why the attendance is not where it should be. I can stand here and name them for you and we would be here another hour.
If you were to stand before God, face to face, what reason would you give him to justify you not being in church? God knows when you cannot go to church for reasons of sickness, or you are hurting whatever it may be, God understands that and so do I. I sure do not want anyone to come to church sick and give it to everyone else.
You see attendance in church is not a job or even a chore but it should be a desire to worship with God in his house.
If you are a parent your kids see that you do not go to church, I remind you they are the leaders of tomorrow. They will be the church of tomorrow if God tarries any longer. Think about that.
Church attendance is only the beginning steps of what is to follow.
If your attendance is faithful as God is faithful to us, what better reward than it is to know we are doing what God ask us to do?
That is my point, God is asking and we are not doing what he ask of us.
I believe when you see attendance in churches fall, I see a church that sooner than later will have unconcerned members and leaders.
Churches are in danger of being dead churches without the complete support of its members.
The fourth sign of a dead church is determined to do nothing about it.
My heart breaks when I hear church members say it’s not my concern or I’m just not interested in helping our church grow or do this or that.
My hope and prayers that every blood bought Christian has that zeal inside of them to do whatever it takes to get a lost soul to come to Jesus.
Churches today hasn’t seen a person under the Holy Ghost Conviction in years. I’m not kidding, I have talked with other pastors, members of those churches and they have told me this.
Churches today are not determined to go about the Fathers Business, did you know in the bible the very first words Jesus was quoted as saying is located in Luke 2:49
That was “I must be about my Fathers business”
Sadly some churches today are determined to do nothing about it. They will just sit back and say, let someone else do it, we have been doing it for years. Or someone new comes alone and they shut that person down because this is not how it is done around here. Do not start getting things started, we’re just not going to get involved.
God will not have a church that only wants to play church, a church that is not excited about the gospel Christ dies for.
I ask you today, examine where this church stands, do we have any of these things happening here? Have we been giving the warning signs and not taking heed to them?
Read verses 29-30;
28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
This will happen when a church becomes dead in Christ.
Where is your dedication to the Word of God?
What level of excitement do you have for this church?
What kind of attendance do you have?
Are you determined to do nothing about it?
Do you love this church enough to stand beside it and to say I will do what it takes to see that this church is alive and well with the gospel of Jesus Christ!
You may say, I know I cannot be at every service, but I know I can do better going forward.
I’m not asking you to please the pastor or someone else or maybe a friend, you have come to please God.
I think these are just a few warning signs God has laid on my heart, there are many more but I ask you, what kind of church do you want Jesus to see here.
If Jesus walked through those doors today, would you welcome him, would you make him feel at home?
Would Jesus see a church that is excited to come to worship?
Would Jesus see dedicated people here that wants to spread the “Good News” in this community?
It’s your choice, the warning signs are there before you. Now…are you goig to take notice or are you just going to say, it’s not really happening here, we are just fine?
DEAD
DEDICATION IS WEAK
EXCITEMENT IS LOST
ATTENDANCE IS DOWN
DETERMINED TO DO NOTHING ABOUT IT.
There is and alter right here, just for you to come and talk it over with Jesus. You might just want to come and pray to God and thank him for this church.
You might ask him to allow to be a member that is excited.
You might want to pray about you attending more often.
Or…you may just be determined to do nothing about it?
Allow God to move in you right now and allow the Holy Spirit to what you can do to make this church the House of God?
