Everything is created with a life-cycle. Humans are born, there is rapid growth in the early years, the growth slows and plateaus, and then there is a decline into our late stages of life until we meet our ultimate end in death. And strangely enough, through multiple studies this same life-cycle has been found true of an individual church. The church is formed, started, or planted and there is rapid growth. Over time that growth slows and begins to plateau. And then, ultimately, the church starts to decline and it will continue to do so until its ultimate death. It is estimated that 4000 churches a year close their doors. That’s huge!
So, the obvious question here is the same question Ebeneezer Scrooge asked of the spirits as they visited him in the Charles Dickens classic, “Are these the things that will be, or are they the things that could be?”
Studies have shown that there are churches who leap into another round of life. It doesn’t have to be! However, in every case of recovery there has been a major shift, or change, or decision that causes the people to behave differently and therefore propels the church into another cycle of life. There has to be a decision point and a positive outcome for this to happen and it will not happen if the people refuse to act. Resistance to a visionary’s leading will only result in the church continuing on the same path, and many times expedites the church’s demise.
For a human this process in irreversable, but for a church it is completely reversable. However, the people within that church have to become determined to change for this reversal to take place. This is all interesting stuff and causes me to take a look at my spiritual life to see where I am on this lifecycle with my relationship with God. Am I in an exciting time of growth and renewal, or am I in my midlife plateau? Even worse, am I in a steady progression of decline leading ultimately to becoming ineffective for the Kingdom?
My physical path is before me and unchangeable…my church’s path and my spiritual path is a different story. Which will you choose?
Learn MoreThis Saturday is our first “Super Service Saturday” of the year. It is great to see the people of God rising up to serve our community! At HRBC we are determined to reach out to our community through participating in activities outside the walls of our church. We have moved beyond our walls and it feels so good to stretch the arms of Christ out to those who may not experience His loving touch in any other way. One of my favorite sayings is: “You are never more like Christ than when you are serving.” My prayer is that while we are out in the community reaching out with His arms that we would also be delivering a message of hope with our voices. Too many times we think…”If I just serve then they will see Christ.” There is no doubt that service is good, but Christ called us to “make disciples” (Matthew 28:20) and only the WORD of God can change lives. There are many non-Christians doing good things for the sake of humanity. We must declare the Gospel and “be prepared to give an answer for the hope that is within us” (1 Peter 3:15).
So, HRBC…serve, serve, serve! But, while doing so…share, share, share!!!
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Verse of the Day
