“I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20 NLT)
Have you ever wondered, pondered, imagined what being a part of the 1st century Church would have been like? Listening to Peter, James, John, and others of the original eleven, then Steven, Paul, Silas, Barnabus, Timothy, Jude and others who actually were discipled and ordained by the very ones who had spent time with Jesus. What if one of them showed up at your church on Sunday? What would they think of what’s happening at your church or mine, compared to what they experienced in the churches they helped to establish?
COVID was certainly a major contributor, but many churches declined in attendance during COVID and haven’t rebounded, while others have closed their doors for good. Obviously, large numbers of people who once attended and identified themselves as believers in Jesus, have decided they no longer need to attend church. Why do you suppose so many “believers” see church attendance as optional?
Like a concert, conference, or other event, too many are seeing church as something they can “take” or “leave” rather than something that is vital to their spiritual health. The online option has become the norm for many because it’s convenient and can be “watched” at their leisure.
John Stonestreet is on to something when he wrote: “Much is behind these shifting numbers. First and foremost, God continues to prune and winnow His Church, seeking the health of His Beloved. The broader cultural shift away from truth claims and anything that smacks of traditional morality has only intensified in recent years. And, we should at least consider the possibility that the decline in both numbers and influence is, at least in part, a self-inflicted wound.” (See BreakPoint Why So Many Are Choosing Couches Over Pews // An Awakening at Asbury – 02-15-23)
In my mind, we shoot ourselves in the proverbial “foot” when we opt out of church for personal convenience. It amazed me when I was pastoring how many young families chose to let their child, 6-12 years old, participate in sports on Sunday rather than attend church. It’s one thing to miss once in a while, but every Sunday through the Summer shouts: “CHURCH ISN’T THAT IMPORTANT!” Yet, statistics will verity that most people who become believers will come to Christ by age 18.
Stonestreet continued: “To use a pair of homespun metaphors, the kind of bait used determines the kind of fish caught. Or, more prosaically, what you win people with is what you win them to. After decades of appealing first and foremost to whatever people want and editing to whatever they think, we’ve essentially discipled a generation that will only follow a Church that leads where they want to go.”
One of my neighbors who came to church with my wife and I, began to cry as she sat down and was still crying as we left. “Why?“ you may wonder? Likely, for the same reason I cry much of the services, because of the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit. There’s an atmosphere at our church, and I sincerely hope at your church, that is tangible and can be explained in no other way than it’s God stirring His people to learn of Him and grow closer to Him. Church was never designed by God to simply be a social club; it was meant to be a house of worship and prayer for God’s people.
Yes, of course, He shows up in other places at other times, but there’s a reason He shows up when His people meet, and if you’re not experiencing His presence at your church, you may need to ask why. The truth is, as believers, the Holy Spirit lives in us, so, if we’re not sensing His closeness maybe the place to look isn’t the church, but the mirror.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 