HOW TO KILL A CHURCH WITHOUT TRYING

TO THE CHURCH IN SARDIS JOHN BY INSPIRATION WROTE “And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” (REVELATION 3:1-3) PAUL IN WRITING TO THE CHURCH IN EPHESUS (EPHESIANS 1:1) “Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” (EPHESIANS 5:14).

IT IS A GENUINE FACT THAT THE MEMBERS OF A LOCAL CHURCH CAN KILL IT WITHOUT EVEN TRYING OR EVEN HAVING THAT INTENTION.  HOW IS SUCH POSSIBLE? AM I CONTRIBUTING TO ITS LIFE AND VITALITY OR ITS DEATH? ONLY YOU CAN ANSWER THIS! IN THIS SHORT ARTICLE I WILL MENTION SOME EASY WAYS TO KILL THE CHURCH. IN DOING SO, I HOPE TO PROVOKE US TO THINK MORE SOBERLY ABOUT OUR PERSONAL LIVES AND THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO THE LIFE OR DEATH OF THE CHURCH.

ONE WAY TO KILL A CHURCH IS BY NEGLECT.  THE WORD NEGLECT MEANS “TO GIVE LITTLE ATTENTION OR RESPECT TO: DISREGARD; TO LEAVE UNDONE OR UNATTENDED TO ESP. THROUGH CARELESSNESS.” (WEBSTER’S NEW COLLEGIATE DICTIONARY.”  WE CAN NEGLECT OUR SALVATION (HEBREWS 2:3); WE CAN NEGLECT OUR JOBS, OUR FAMILIES, WE CAN NEGLECT EVERY THING THAT IS IMPORTANT IN LIFE, WHILE GIVING ATTENTION TO THINGS THAT ARE OF NO PROFIT AND DESTRUCTIVE. CONSIDER DEMAS “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia” (2 TIMOTHY 4:10). ALSO CONSIDER LUKE 8:14. THIS NEGLECT MAY SHOW UP IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. IT IS SEEN IN BEING DELINQUENT IN WORSHIP AND BIBLE STUDY (HEBREWS 10:24-25). THOSE WHO MAKE EXCUSES FOR MISSING SERVICES, NOT HAVING LEGITIMATE REASONS ARE HELPING KILL THE CHURCH. THERE IS ALSO FAR TOO OFTEN, NEGLECT IN OTHER AREAS: STUDY, PRAYER, ENCOURAGEMENT, GRATITUDE, ETC.

ANOTHER WAY TO KILL THE CHURCH IS REFUSE TO GET INVOLVED IN THE WORK OF THE CHURCH. WE HAVE BEEN REDEEMED TO BE ZEALOUS IN GOOD WORKS (TITUS 2:14). WE ARE TO ABOUND IN THE WORK OF THE LORD KNOWING OUR LABOR IS NOT IN VAIN (1 CORINTHIANS 15:58), SHOW OURSELVES A PATTERN OF GOOD WORKS (TITUS 2:7). FAR TOO OFTEN WE ARE NOT ONLY NOT CONSISTENT IN OUR WORSHIP, WE DO NOT INVOLVE OURSELVES IN ITS PROGRAMS AND WORK. USUALLY THE ONES WHO CRY “THE CHURCH IS NOT DOING ANYTHING”, IS THE VERY PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING AND DON’T WANT TO. THEY ARE A LOT LIKE THE JEWS IN (ROMANS 2:1) FOR WHILE THEY CONDEMN OTHERS THEY ALSO CONDEMN THEMSELVES FOR THEY ARE DOING THE SAME THING.  MAYBE WE SHOULD BE ASKING OURSELVES THIS QUESTION, “IF EACH MEMBER OF THE CHURCH WAS DOING WHAT I AM DOING, THEN WHAT WOULD THEY BE DOING?  LET US BE HONEST HERE!

ANOTHER WAY TO KILL THE CHURCH IS TO LOOK FOR GREENER PASTURES SOMEWHERE ELSE. OF ALL THE PEOPLE THAT I VISIT TO ENCOURAGE TO COME TO EAST HUNTSVILLE AND WORSHIP WITH US, I HAVE YET TO HAVE ANYONE I VISITED (TO MY REMEMBRANCE) THAT SAID WHAT CAN I DO FOR EAST HUNTSVILLE. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT THEM AND THEIR CHILDREN.  HOW OFTEN DO PEOPLE DEPART BECAUSE OF WHAT IS GOING BETTER SOMEWHERE ELSE? MY FRIENDS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CHILD REARING IS IN THE HOME. THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH IS TO PREPARE PEOPLE SPIRITUALLY FOR ETERNITY.  I AM ALL IN FAVOR OF CHRISTIANS GETTING TOGETHER AND HAVING FUN TOGETHER. WE MUST KEEP THINGS IN FOCUS WHAT FAMILIES NEED IN THE CHURCH IS THE TRUTH THAT PREPARES THEM FOR TIME AND ETERNITY.  BY ALL MEANS WE NEED TO SOCIALIZE THEY DID IN ACTS 2:46, BUT THE MAIN EMPHASIS IS SPIRITUAL. DO CHILDREN HAVE TO LEAVE ONE LOCAL CHURCH TO SOCIALIZE WITH THOSE OF ANOTHER?

OTHER WAYS TO KILL A CHURCH IS BY DIVISIVENESS, BEING INDIGNANT TOWARD OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH, GOSSIP, CRITICISM, LACK OF ENCOURAGEMENT, LACK OF PRAYER, DECREASING THE ACTIVITY AND PROGRAMS OF THE CHURCH, HAVING NO GOALS, PURPOSE AND PLAN OF DEVELOPMENT OR BY HAVING SIN IN THE CAMP.  MY PRECIOUS FRIENDS LET EACH OF US DO WHAT WE CAN TO BUILD, STRENGTHEN AND ENCOURAGE THE CHURCH AND AVOID AT ALL COST ANYTHING THAT MAY CONTRIBUTE TO ITS DEATH.

IN CLOSING LET US INSERT THE POEM “THE DASH” BUT INSTEAD OF USING HIS, HIM, HER, OR SHE, LET US INSERT OUR NAME AND THEN READ IT AGAIN AND INSERT THE WORD CHURCH. THE POEM WOULD GO AS FOLLOWS:

“I READ OF A MAN WHO STOOD TO SPEAK, AT THE FUNERAL OF A FRIEND HE REFERRED TO THE DATES ON ________ TOMBSTONE, FROM                                      THE BEGINNING TO THE END.

HE NOTED THAT FIRST CAME THE DATE OF HER BIRTH, AND SPOKE THE  FOLLOWING DATE WITH TEARS. BUT HE SAID WHAT MATTERS MOST OF                        ALL WAS THE DASH BETWEEN THOSE YEARS.

FOR THAT DASH REPRESENTS ALL THE TIME, THAT ________ SPENT ALIVE ON EARTH. AND NOW ONLY THOSE WHO LOVED ________ KNOW WHAT                         THAT LITTLE LINE IS WORTH.

FOR IT MATTERS NOT HOW MUCH ______ OWNED, THE BUILDINGS OR THE CASH, WHAT MATTERS IS HOW ______ LIVED AND LOVED AND HOW                               _______ SPENT ________ DASH.”

MY FRIENDS THE CHURCH IS ALIVE AND WELL LET EACH OF DO ALL WE CAN TO KEEP IT THAT WAY.

Bill Cantrell