How to Kill a Church Without Really Trying



As we take inventory of our lives as Christians, I believe that
most of us will find that we have a larger problem with "not
doing" than we have with "doing."

That is, We have become adept at certain lifestyles and
behaviors, but have depended on that to give us our sense of
churchiness rather than being more actively interested in
improving our lot in life.

Now I am working off of at least two assumptions today.  First,
I believe that you love the Lord or you would not be here. 
Second, you really want to see God's work in this area to
succeed.  Am I correct in that?

Having said that, there are behaviors that we have, and things
that we fail to follow through on that affect the church
negatively.

I have not listed these in any particular order, except for the
first one.  Because it is in that area that we struggle the most.

Neglect prayer.  This is probably the weakest link in any
church's life.  No matter how determined that we are to improve
our prayer life, something gets in the way of doing it. 

I can relate to the disciples in the garden of Gethsemane when
Jesus asked them to pray with Him.  I am sure that they began to
pray.  I am sure that they wanted to pray.  I am sure that they
were ashamed of themselves when Jesus woke them up and asked
them to pray again.  But Satan has a way of making our eyes
heavy, our minds distracted, and our hearts weary.  

What is Jesus' desire for us?

Luke 18:1  And he (Jesus) spake a parable unto them to this end,
that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

Next, we can kill our church by denying the power of the Holy
Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is the fuel that runs the church.  He
is the food that the church eats.  He is the breath that keeps
the church alive.  He is the oil that soothes troubled waters
and heals broken hearts.  He is the still small voice that leads
us in paths of righteousness.  He is the power that makes the
Word of God alive.  He is the magnetism that draws people to
Christ.  He IS.  

There is nothing that the church needs that is not supplied by
the Spirit of God.  If it is not of the Spirit, we do not need
it.  He is the gift that brings all other gifts.  So why do we
fear Him?  

Which brings us back to prayer.  Jesus himself promised His
disciples the gift of the Holy Spirit.  He wants us to receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit.  So why are we not asking sincerely
for the power that God wants to give us that will bring all
other gifts that we need with it?

Following close on the heels of this we find the next area where
the church is harmed:  A refusal to recognize the authority of
the church.  This is a hard one, because there are many who want
no one in authority except for themselves.  We have taken the
reformation teaching of priesthood of the believer, and let it
wipe out all of the counsel given in the New Testament.  

God has given some authority in the church to lead and teach. 
Paul is specific about this.

2 Cor 10:8  For though I should boast somewhat more of our
authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not
for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:

..13  But we will not boast of things without our measure, but
according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed
to us, a measure to reach even unto you.



1 Timothy 5:17  Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy
of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and
doctrine.



Hebrews 13:7  Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken
the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the
outcome of their conduct.

..17  Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they
watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let
them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be
unprofitable for you.



1 Cor 16:15  I urge you, brethren; you know the household of
Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they
have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints;

16  that you also submit to such, and to everyone who works and
labors with us.



1 Cor 12:28  And God has appointed these in the church: first
apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles,
then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of
tongues.



While the Word is clear that those in authority are to rule and
lead with love, and compassion in the fear of God, it is equally
that some have been given the gift, or responsibility of
leading.  It should be kept in mind that the leader is also the
servant of all, not vice versa.

With that in mind we come to the next point:



 When we make the individual more important than the group, we
lose the sense of community that God wants us to have.  Through
Bible history, while there have been many outstanding
individuals, God desires not to have a person following Him, but
a people.  

Look at the book of Esther.  God used two individuals to save a
whole nation.  It was precisely because God wanted to save His
people that He raised up two individuals.  The importance of the
story is not that two people saved themselves, but that two
people risked their lives to save the group.  

In God's family, we help each other grow.  We knock off each
other's rough edges.  We support each other in times of crisis. 
We rejoice with each other when blessings come.  What befalls
one member of God's family, really impacts each one.  

Unfortunately some will demand that the church family serve
their individual wants.  Some will demand that the will of the
church be bent to conform to their will.  This may be in
theology, or lifestyle, or church governance. Or any number of
other areas.  I heard of a head deacon once who left the church
in a cursing rage because the thermostat in the church had been
moved 1* without his permission.  

Perhaps once again we can refer to the Book of Esther.  While
Haman was not of God's family, we see the characteristics that I
refer to displayed.  His only thought was of his advancement,
his family, his place in the kingdom, etc.

Then, if we want to see the church NOT grow, all we have to do
is simply wait for some one else to work.  What if Mordicai had
said, "Well, this is too dangerous. I'll let someone else deal
with it?"

 We know that Esther was afraid to approach the king about
Haman.  But her uncle pointed out to her that perhaps God had
led her to this place at this time solely for the purpose of
saving his people.

The fact that you are here in this church family means that God
has a work for you to do.  A work that no one else can
accomplish.  And God is willing, able, and ready to help you do
that work.  If you don't do it, who will?  

Next, a major mistake that we make that stifles the church's
outreach is to focus on the building, the services, or the
organization, and not the people.  

Now, there is no one here who appreciates a beautiful church
building more than I do.  I have seen some pretty sorry ones. 
One church I went into for the first time had large holes in the
carpet down to the concrete.  That raised my hackles.  But we
can move to the other extreme and spend all of our time, money,
and energy on the church building to the exclusion of doing what
we are called to do.

Amos speaks to the concept when speaking of the services of the
temple in his day.  

Amos 5:21  "I hate, I despise your feast days, And I do not
savor your sacred assemblies.

22  Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain
offerings, I will not accept them, Nor will I regard your
fattened peace offerings.

23  Take away from Me the noise of your songs, For I will not
hear the melody of your stringed instruments.

24  But let justice run down like water, And righteousness like
a mighty stream.



It is possible to make the house of God an object of idolatry. 
Anything that we place before God himself becomes an idol.  We
can make the Sabbath into an idol.  We can make our diet into an
idol.  We can make our church into an idol.  

The children of Israel were facing countless vipers.  They were
throughout the camp, and biting many of the people.  As they
were writhing in pain, they cried out to Moses.  Moses turned to
God.  God instructed Moses to make a brass serpent and put it on
a pole.  Then the people were directed to look to that serpent
to find healing.  They did, and many lives were saved.  

This serpent traveled many years, many decades, and ended up in
Jerusalem.  Then something happened.  By Hezekiah's time the
people were worshipping the snake.  Something that had begun at
the command of God, had become something that stood between
people and God.

Hezekiah in his wisdom, saw that this was a stumbling block to
the whole nation's spirituality.  Because of this he had it
destroyed as part of the reformation that swept the land.

Which moves us to the last point.

It's not about us, it's about God.  

What is?  

Everything.  

We want to see ourselves at the center of the little world that
we create for ourselves.  It is not important to know what we
want, how we want things run, who we like or who we don't like. 
It is about God.  What He wants to do for us.  What He wants us
to want.  How He wants things run.  Who He wants us to reach out
to.  

If we make our church about what we want, we are making the
church in our image, not in the image of God.  And how do we
know what God wants?  Pray, read, ask, listen.  

1 Cor 2:9  But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear
heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which
God has prepared for those who love Him."

We read that too many times without finishing it.

10  But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the
Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

God desires to reveal to us His will.  He wants to share with us
His Spirit.  He wants to infuse us with His power.  He wants us
to be filled with overflowing with His love.  He wants us to be
witnesses to His goodness and mercy.  His desire for us is to be
HIS WITNESSES.  

He want's us to remember that it is not about us, it is about
Him.  What do we have to share without Him?  What power do we
have without His?  What love can we demonstrate without His
love?  What can we witness to that would be of any help to a
troubled world than His goodness and mercy?  

Today, I am calling you to look a little higher than you have
been looking.  Take your eyes off of the things of this world
and look a little higher until the face of your Savior fills
your vision.  I am calling you to expect the blessings of the
Lord, which are more abundant and precious than any you can find
in this world.  I am calling you to have a dream of the lofty
ideals that God wants to bring you to.  In short, I am calling
you today to a new kind of life, a new kind of worship, totally
centered in, immersed in, filled with, the power of God.

I know that is not easy.  So I am going to give you some thing
to help you.  I have a book for each family, which if you read
carefully, will help you to move closer to God.  I have just
finished reading it, and it touched and convicted my heart.  

We will be going through this carefully at prayer meeting.  As
you read it, I invite you to join us and together with us search
for the meaning that God would have us find.  

Brothers and sisters, I don't know about you, but I am bored
with playing church.  I am tired of all of those things that are
keeping us from being filled with the power of God.  I am weary
from watching God's people self destruct from pride and
criticism.  I'm worn from worrying if God's people are going to
show up to church next week, or are they going to entertain
themselves somewhere else.  I'm drained because of finger
pointing at each other, the conference, or whatever, while
sitting on the fingers that are not pointing.  

We need change.  We do not need a pat on the head, we need a
kick in the seat of the pants. We need to be awakened.  Will we
wake ourselves up, or will we wait until trouble comes as an
overwhelming surprise?  We need to quit being proud of our
doctrine or practice, and fall on our knees and confess that at
best we are slothful servants.  We need the power of God in our
lives.

It is not going to come if we are not looking for it.  It is not
going to hit us over the head and take over our lives.  It must
be sought.  It must be bought. And it must be caught. 

Are you ready for that?  Are you desiring that change?  Today if
you wish to confess your weaknesses to God, and ask for His
power, His life, I invite you to come down and make a commitment
to seek after those changes that you need in your life.