Why is the church dying?

Over the weekend I went to train as a lay servant of the United Methodist Church. During our first conversation about being a lay servant the question came up, "Why do you think the church is dying?" Everyone had their answers and most surrounded that there are no youth in our congregations. 

That is a good start, but how about let's get to the heart of the matter. How about we actually look at why the church is dying!

It has been nearly 8 months since the special general conference of the United Methodist Church voted to retain the definition of traditional marriage as between a man and a woman. It is also the year that we voted to retain that homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.

Over the summer, I went to Kenya, and today news came out of Kenya that broke my heart. Men of God, had voted to become a reconciling congregation. Maybe this congregation believes that being a "reconciling congregation" will make them popular, it will bring more money in. And it's true, it probably will. Yet, it will also kill the souls of the people. They are voting to allow Satan to walk among them every week, devouring whomever he can. 

You see John 10:10 even says "The thief comes to kill, steal and destroy..." and that is exactly what happened on Sunday, September 1, 2019. The thief came and he destroyed one church's ministry in Kenya. But all is not lost, at this point all they have to do is repent, and seek the truth. 

So why is the church dying?

The church is dying because we are losing our identities in Christ. We are losing sight of the life-changing identity that Christ has given us. 

Knowing our identity is in Christ is one thing, but understanding how that practically changes the way we live is another. We no longer chase after the desires of our flesh but instead seek to bring God glory in all areas of our life.

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions is not from the Father but it is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15-17)

If we are not seeking to find our identity in Christ alone, then we are seeking it in something else. However, when our identity is in the eternal things of Christ, we will not be crushed by our failures and weaknesses, fall into pride from worldly success, or despair over disappointments or tragedy. We won’t get lost seeking the attractive but empty things the world offers because Christ gives us a stable and eternal hope in a world of unstable hopelessness.

1 Peter 2:9 says of our identity in Christ: But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

How do you expect to glorify God when you are willing to sell your soul for a bit of recognition among man? 

Our churches are dying because the world sees us living just like them and they ask “WHY CHANGE?” This is why our churches are dying! We are no longer delving into the word of God, we are chasing after our own flesh and desires…so much so that we are willing to join the world at a far riskier price than simply following God’s holy ordinances! 

As A.W. Tozer said "One compromise here, another there; and suddenly man can't tell the church from the world."