Tag Archives: church

The Game of Life – Church Edition

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game-of-life_church_edition_250I was in attendance at a worship service as people were being baptized. I am always amazed at how many people get baptized several years after they make a profession of faith. I wonder if the church is teaching the meaning and reason for baptism, but that is a topic for another day.

This day, what stood out to me was an older gentleman who shared why he was being baptized. He played the game of life, church edition. He was active in the church, attended Sunday mornings, brought his children faithfully, but when he left the doors of the church, he loved the world. It was not until his life fell a part and he hit rock bottom, that he really turned from the world and began living for Jesus. He played the church game, went to church, was active, said the right things, etc. I’m sure everyone thought he was a believer as they saw him inside the four walls of the church. But on the outside, the fruit was not there.

Never give up sharing the Gospel in the church. You never know who is just playing the game, and not living the life.

2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us that, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

Romans 12:2 tells us, “Do not be conformed to this world,but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect”

Don’t just play church, if you are a true believer then your life will change as you turn your back on what the world has to offer. It seems that so many professed followers of Jesus have embraced the world and say that it is their freedom in Christ that allows them to do it what they do. Paul writes in Romans 6 that we should not continue to sin so grace may abound. That our life is made new through a new life in Christ, as symbolized through baptism. Our old self is dead, and we have risen seeking to serve Jesus.

Are you playing the “church game”? Convincing others that you follow Jesus when you really follow he world? I urge you to stop playing that game, and seek out who Jesus really is and build hat relationship with Him. Then your need to play the game will end.

 

Dwindling Attendance in Churches – III

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In this series, we’ve already looked at a couple reasons why churches decline:

There is a positive side to the decline of churches as the article notes, “The drop in membership is pushing the churches to do more direct outreach. It starts in the surrounding streets, …..“. As membership declines, they need to go out and seek more people to join the church. They begin to have a greater outward focus. Sadly, the focus become getting “giving units” to meet expenses and not people committed to living for Jesus.

I find it interesting tha the article says, “We do know the neighborhoods are very interested in preserving all of the churches in their neighborhoods,” ….. “It makes a very definite difference in the neighborhood when they disappear. It makes for an empty shell.” It seems that people see the need for churches, maybe God, in their communities, but they are not a part of the faith community. Again, could this be the result of nostalgia in people, wanting to hold on to memories of what once was in their lives?

The first part of this final quote from the article I’m going to share is true, but has a twist at then end.

“The problems of these downtown churches are in such a state that they are not going to be able to solve them by themselves,” she said. “I think the city needs to be engaged too.”

Yes, the churches will not be able to solve the problems  by themselves, they’ll need God and to focus on Him. But that’s if you look at the spiritual aspect of the church and their need.

The article and so many others look at the material side of the church. How to save the building, how to pay the bills. The main reason for the decline in the churches the article talked about is the decline of the city itself as people move out. It is happening in cities across the United States. The government can help rehab the facilities, but they can’t help the heart of the church.

Are city churches declining in attendance because we’ve abandoned the cities themselves?

May we focus on God, not facilities and may we reach into the cities, not to save buildings, but to save people.

 

Dwindling Attendance in Churches – I

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I recently attended a denominational state convention meeting where during the address they noted that membership was declining and that obviously what there were doing was wrong. Then there was an article in the local paper about the stress that one denomination was experiencing in the city and the decline it was seeing. There seems to be a theme of decline in Christianity. I want to look at it through comments in this article over the next few posts Continue reading →