“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” James 1:22
I love my church. It has been a church for more than 185 years. It has a rich heritage founded on the Word of God, and it has been pastored by men who loved the Lord more than anything else in their lives. One of its ministries is a Christian school where children from pre-K to 12th grade can learn academics along with the Bible. My family and friends attend this church, and together with them, I serve the Lord in several ministries. I cannot imagine my church not being there, and I cannot imagine not being a part of it.
Do you love your church like I love mine? What would you say if someone told you that your church was in danger of closing in the next year? It could happen! This Sunday I heard some startling statistics. Only 10% of independent fundamental churches are growing, and only 10% are maintaining. That means 80% are at risk for closing in the next year! Why? Because believers are not being proactive in regards to protecting their church because most don’t believe closure could happen to them.
Is there a way that we can help move our churches to be in the 10% that are growing? Here is what I learned this Sunday in the first day of our annual missions conference.
In order to grow our churches, we must…
- Pray for our pastor.
- Pray for the protection of our church.
- Have a passion for lost souls.
First, we have to pray for our pastor. The Bible reminds us to “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.” (Hebrews 13:7) Churches without a shepherd are like sheep without a fence. They will wander to their doom without someone to care for them. When a church loses its pastor, who is the shepherd of the local church, the body of believers, like sheep, have no one to lead them. (1 Peter 5:2-3) Without the preaching and teaching of the Word of God, men, women, families, teens begin to wander from their faith and eventually leave the church. As more leave, the church eventually will be unable to sustain itself, and it will close.
Praying for the pastor strengthens him, encourages him, and empowers him in his service to God. I do not know all that a pastor does, but I do know it’s a 24/7 job. My pastor preaches, teaches, counsels, takes phone calls at all hours, visits the sick in hospitals, visits homes in the neighborhood, works when needed at the Christian school, mentors young men who have been called to preach, and manages the affairs of the church. There is undoubtedly so much more that he does in his work, and I have no doubt he is a man who needs to be enveloped with the prayers of his “flock” continually. In addition, we must also remember to pray for our associate and youth pastors as well.
Second, we have to pray for the protection of our church. These days many churches have security teams due to the violence that is so prevalent in today’s world. It is difficult to go more than a few days without hearing of gun violence in a public place. Most of us think it won’t happen to us, but that is exactly what others whom we read about thought as well. Praying for God to surround His people with divine protection is prudent (Luke 11:21). But while we are protecting ourselves against possible outside intruders, we often forget about the destructive forces that can be within our churches.
Gossip, cliques, or “roasting the pastor” over Sunday lunch can be just as deadly to a church as an intruder with a gun. Likewise, inappropriate music, disrespectful dress, or ungodly activities can be an insidious invader that can result in the complete disintegration of the church. We cannot drop our guard; our worship must be Christ-centered in every aspect! The Bible tell us that we should abstain from the very appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22), and that we should be separate from the world (2 Corinthians 6:17). When no difference can be seen between us and the culture in which we live, our church is dying.
Thirdly, we must have a passion for the souls of men. If we do not care about evangelism, missions, or Sunday school, it shows that we do not care about the eternal lives of people. Remember, everyone has eternal life. The difference is where you spend it. Those who have accepted the free gift of salvation from God reside in heaven forever. Those who reject Christ and his forgiveness will spend eternity in hell. If we don’t care about that, we have lost the essence of the church, and it will die. Without a focus on evangelism in our community through visitation programs and missions, our church will fade away.
Sharing the gospel with those that live around us and those that are beyond our immediate surroundings is the work to which Christ has called us. The Bible says in Mark 16:15, “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” If we do not embrace that, we are helping tear down His church brick by brick.
I challenge you (and myself) with these questions.
- When was the last time you prayed for your pastor?
- “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” 1 Timothy 2:1-2
- When was the last time you prayed for your church or involved yourself in its ministries?
- “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.” Isaiah 54:17
- When was the last time you shared the gospel with someone who needed to know that Jesus loved them and sacrificed his own life so that he or she could have forgiveness of their sins and eternal life in heaven with God forever?
- “Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” John 20:21
If we do not keep these three things foremost in our hearts and practice them in our lives, our churches have the potential of being part of the 80% that could close their doors in the next twelve months. If you love the Lord and His church, pray for your pastor, your church’s safety, and those who are lost and need Jesus. Then go out and make a difference for Christ!
The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ, her Lord;
She is His new creation by water and the Word:
From heav’n He came and sought her to be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her, and for her life He died.
(from “The Church’s One Foundation” by S. J. Slone)
“And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.” Acts 16:5
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“Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan.” – John Bunyan