Why Churches Are In Trouble.

1 Peter 2:2  As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 

3  If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 

Many in the Church do not taste of the milk because they are not saved. They are there for many reasons, but not to grow from the Word hence to keep them coming you have to sing for 45 minutes and preach for 15.

Hebrews 5:11  Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. 

12  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 

13  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 

14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. 

Others have grown so used to the milk that they never seek for meat and therefore cannot discern good and evil. They thrive on emotions like a baby. If they are not entertained or titillated they leave in a tantrum.

1 Corinthians 3:1  And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 

2  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 

Possessing the gifts does not mean the person is mature in Christ. The Corinthians had all of the gifts and they majored on them instead of what they were given for. They exalted the least of the gifts making them not much different than the Pharisees who tithed mint, anise and cummin while ignoring the weightier matters like judgement, mercy, and faith. They even got to where they questioned Paul's apostolic authority when it was he that led them to Christ.

Maturity does not necessarily come with age as many still use milk after being saved for decades. They may have sat under some of the best teachers and preachers, but choked on the smallest of meat because milk is all they can handle. They say their pastor is too deep in the word or complain they are not being fed and have to be coddled when they get a tummy ache from a bite of sound doctrine. When Jesus stopped feeding the people physical bread and tried to give them some strong meat about Him, the bread of Heaven, many choked and walked away.

It is time to put down the milk and get a knife and fork as we need those who are meat eaters to show forth Jesus in a dark and evil world. We will need more than John 3:16,11:35 and Romans 8:28 if we hope to light up the darkness. Enjoy the sweetness of milk in between bites of strong meat. Maranatha!!