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death of the church

church is dead!  for all intents and purposes church, as we know it, is dead - and that, believe it or not, is a good thing.  over the past 10 years, according to the United Brethren, the church has declined over 9%, while, according to Barna, we have spent over 500 billion dollars in evangelism and the population of the USA has increased over 20% - now that is, in all terms and understandings, a failure.  over the years the church has lived under four misunderstanding's

first misunderstanding:

"while other churches are dying, we are growing!"  wrong!!!  I here this one a great deal - but it is not true, when you look deep.  according to "church growth" stats, 80% of their growth comes from "new believers."  but this is not true - 99% of the growth actually comes from people who attended another church, be it traditional, main line or old line, and looking for something a little different then their old church.  most churches define these people as "new believers" because they did not believe the way the new church believes.

for example - if you come from a tradition that allows "infant baptism" and join a "non-denominational church" (I use quotes around non-denominational because most of these church trace their foundation to Campbell and Stone and The Church of Christ - baptism is required for salvation) or southern baptist church - you are classified as a "new believer" because you did not have "the right" baptism.  this is not "growth" - it is a wash.  if there are two churches in town, one methodist, with 500 people, and one sbc, with 500 people, and 50 move from the methodist to the baptist the baptists claim "we grew with 50 new believers this year" - when in reality, there was no growth at all in the kingdom - it was a wash.  now, if  you look at in the "brand name factor" the sbc did grow - but I'm not big on brand loyalty.  besides, my brand is Jesus Christ and God's Kingdom - nothing else matters.

second misunderstanding: 

I remember talking with a pastoral friend who told me, "the church will last forever, Christ told us 'the gates of hell will not prevail against it.'"  but is that true?  did Christ make such a statement?  and if he did, did he really mean the church, or something else?  I don't think Jesus was talking about the church when we made this statement:

"'and how about you?  who do you say I am?'  Simon Peter said, 'you're the Christ, the Son of the living God.'  Jesus replied, 'blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah!  for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.  And I will tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades' will not overcome it.'" (Matthew 16:15-18 NIV)

we all know that the truth that Jesus built his church upon it that He is the Christ - the Son of the Living God - not on peter, or anything else.  and it is that truth that the gates of hell have no power against - the fact that Jesus IS THE CHRIST - the church is fare game - both Scripture and history has proven this to be true.  over the past the churches have broken apart because of something as stupid as the color of the carpet, or if air-conditioning should be installed.

third misunderstanding:

this one is the one that drives me up a wall - it is what I call "the christian copout."  it is when you question the church, and people in the church, as to why they are so cruel and unforgiving, we are told - "the church is filled with people, driven by human nature" - these are the same people who then claim the church is for believers.  but, not you can doubt it if you like, as "believers" the church must be filled with people who are above human nature - and into God's nature.  when churches and pastors hide behind their humanity, they fall prey to the bonds of humanity.  when the church claims humanity as it's guiding force - it is not different then the world we live in, and that's just not cool.

over the years I have been confronted with some of the meanest, cruelest, judgmental people ever - in the church.  I read, and I am not sure where, that some 93% of all the people you know desire that you fail, and the same is true in the church.

fourth misunderstanding:

most christians use the copout of "I don't know how to share my faith.  the pastor never taught us how."  this is the biggest bunch of "@@" ever.  if you saw a good movie you would spend hours talking with your friends about it; if you eat at a good restaurant would you tell your friends all about it - no one needs to "teach" you how to share, you just do.  if your faith is so weak you can not share your excitement with a friend - you need to look deep into your heart for the spirit of God to guide you.  let's be honest, you can't share what you don't have.

closing:

for all intents and purposes, the church is dead - or is it?  and if it is, can it be resurrected?  think of it this way, would you invite a friend to your church, knowing all the garbage that fills the building each and every sunday?  most, as time has proven, will not - because if we did, the church would be filled with people - true new believers, not believers from other churches.  what are we doing wrong?  I believe it all centers on worship - or the lack there of.

according to Barna, over 40% of evangelical christians say they do not feel the presence of God in worship - that's just wrong, at all levels.  why?  here's a simple list of basics

• the message is outdated and has no meaning to the needs people have today.

• the music is off base - when I hear organ music I start to crave hotdogs

• the setting is uncomfortable

• the message does not challenge

you can add a million.  ask the people, who stopped coming why they stopped coming - the answer might surprise you.  don't ask the people who attend the church, they think what you have is great, ask the people who are not in the church - why? if you truly desire to open the doors to the church and let in the hurting, it will take true movement on your part to get the ball rolling - change is good.  to truly get the church alive again we need to allow the resurrection spirit of Christ to have the first and final place in the church.  the church is dead, long live the church!!

john o'keefe