.jpeg)
Articles
Why Are Churches Dying?
If you look at churches around our country, there are many that are dying. Church attendance has declined in many places. This leads to some Churches eventually folding and the members having to look for somewhere else to attend. Yet this is not the only way in which churches are dying. There are many churches today that are dying spiritually and not just numerically. Why is this? Consider the following four reasons churches are dying spiritually.
Unlived Truth
As Christians, we should know (John 8:32), believe (1 Timothy 4:3), do (James 1:22), and speak the truth (Ephesians 4:15). The problem is in some churches there are some members who know and believe the truth, yet they do not live by it. They claim to live as faithful servants of God, but they are hypocritical like the Pharisees (Matthew 23). For this reason many churches are dying because members are not living right in the eyes of God and are dead spiritually. If we want to keep the local church from dying, we must live the truth.
Everyone Is Not Doing Their Share
As members of one body, we each supply something different (1 Corinthians 12:12-31). When each member is doing their part, it builds up the body in love (Ephesians 4:16). When each member is not doing their share, the body is not functioning at its full potential (just like the physical body without one of its members). There are many churches filled with people who are passive participants in service to God and not active. They may fill their pew, but they do not fulfill their role. This is causing churches to grow weaker. As the body grows weaker, other members try to pick up the slack and may grow weary. This leads to the body becoming even weaker and eventually the church may end up dying as a result. If we want to keep the local church from dying, we all must do our share.
Discipline is Not Practiced
Today, church discipline a thing of the past in many churches. We live in a society that is preaching tolerance to sin and it has affected some churches. Members may be living in sin and the local church does nothing about it. We must understand that a little leaven leavens the whole lump (1 Corinthians 5:6-7). If we tolerate one sinner, then we will tolerate another, and another, and another till the church is overrun with sin. In any case where a church is overrun with sin, I guarantee you it began with a church who did not practice discipline in one or two early cases. Then, after not dealing with someone who became unfaithful, they proceeded to do the same thing again and again until the church was full of sin. What we must do is withdraw from the disorderly (1 Corinthians 5:1-11, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15). If we want to keep the local church from dying, we must practice discipline.
The Teaching is Weak
Many churches today fill their pulpits with teaching that is weak. The problem with weak teaching is it can be hard to recognize. Weak teaching is not the same as one teaching error, and thus some do not recognize it. Instead, weak teaching is teaching that does not deal with any issues. It is not “toe-stepping” in nature. It is often teaching that you could preach anywhere and it would be accepted. We must realize that sound teaching must deal with issues/rebuke (Titus 1:9-16) and it must contain the sum/whole of God’s word (Psalm 119:160; Acts 20:24-28). If we want to keep the local church from dying, we must demand sound/strong preaching instead of weak teaching.
Conclusion
Many churches are dying today numerically and spiritually. We have looked at several reasons why it is that churches are dying spiritually. We must watch out to make sure these issues are not taking place where we attend. If they are, the local church we are at may be close to dying spiritually. Let us work to keep it alive!
