Death: Closing the Coffin Lid
The coroner closed the door, and another death was recorded.
Years earlier a diagnosis had been made and treatment was started.
For months doctors tried to get the patient turned around and moving in the right direction.
Lab work and scans were ordered, but often the results were ignored or overlooked.
A specialist was brought in to try and treat the problem.
The bad habits that resulted in the patient’s death had started literally decades ago.
Sadly, the family never felt like the doctors were identifying the real underlying problem.
When the family was finally consulted about the seriousness of their loved one, it was too late.
In the end the patient coded, and a crash cart was rolled into the room as everyone did everything they could think of to save him.
But in the end the patient died.
How would you feel if you knew the death above was the result of negligence or malpractice?Would it make you angry or frustrated? What if it could have been prevented?
Look at the case above through a different pair of lenses.
The coroner closed the door, and another death was recorded.
What if instead of talking about a patient it was talking about a local church? There are a lot of congregations today that are dead or on spiritual life-support. We read about the church of Sardis in Revelation 3:1: “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.”
Years earlier a diagnosis had been made and treatment was started.
Years earlier the leadership of the church listened to the culture around them about preaching too strongly, thinking they were the only ones going to heaven, and as such they instructed their preacher to “go easy” on the listeners. Don’t preach hellfire and brimstone sermons. Instead focus on love and grace. Stop preaching on the uniqueness of the church or divorce, and instead focus on loving God.
For months doctors tried to get the patient turned around and moving in the right direction.
For months the elders tried various programs to get people involved in the church in an effort to increase numbers. They had movie nights, Valentine banquets, kite days, youth lock-ins, trunk-or-treats, senior member outings, and more in an effort to please the masses. What they failed to realize is most of their internal programs did very little to spread the Gospel and save the lost. Church became a social club instead of a church family committed to doing the will of God.
Lab work and scans were ordered, but often the results were ignored or overlooked.
While the “numbers” on the board were hanging in there, the spiritual health of the congregation was deteriorating rapidly. Marriages were crumbling. People within the congregation were unforgiving and holding grudges for years. Young people were leaving the church in droves. Some kids were experimenting with homosexuality and transgenderism. Others had abandoned the idea of marriage and were instead happy to commit fornication, while living at home with no responsibility. Many young women had become radical feminists and were rebelling against biblical patriarchy. Many young men were refusing to give up their videos games and grow up. And most families were happy just living in the world.
A specialist was brought in to try and treat the problem.
A youth minister was hired to fix the problem. However, this 22-year-old individual just exacerbated the problem by promptly removing the children from their parents—parents that had been commanded by God to train up their children. Instead of correcting the problem, this newly hired youth minister set up what would ultimately become spiritual welfare—a supplement that was supposed to be implemented in the home. In addition, he often offered advice or suggestions that went against what the parents were trying to teach at home. And sadly, he even had sexual relationships with at least two of the young ladies in the youth group.
The bad habits that resulted in the patient’s death had started literally decades ago.
Decades earlier the leadership had shifted all their attention toward not missing the assembly—so much so that the entire congregation got the message that “church” was only something you did for 1-2 hours per week. Rather than teaching them that Christianity was a lifestyle that should be lived 24/7, the leaders focused all of their attention on the numbers on the attendance board in the front of the auditorium. The neglected teaching them how to have home devotionals or how to have their own relationship with Jesus Christ. The elders held weekly or monthly “board” meetings at the building rather than going to the homes of their sheep. They were running a business rather than shepherding sheep. And as a result, the congregation stopped studying and became spiritually sick.
Sadly, the family never felt like the doctors were identifying the real underlying problem.
In too many cases, some of the members recognized the problem. They realized the congregation was no longer growing spiritually. They longed to be out in the community carrying out the Great Commission. But the leaders felt that might make other members uncomfortable. The cure these members suggested was more than the current leadership wanted to take on. After all, they didn’t want to cause any ripples in the water—just keep everything nice and smooth. All the while problems and issues were conveniently swept under the rug. Until finally, the rug could literally hold no more!
When the family was finally consulted about the seriousness of their loved one, it was too late.
Usually the “cry for help” is only sounded when numbers start going down permanently. As long as the budget numbers are met and the attendance does begin to fall then everything is viewed as okay. But once those two criteria begin to fall the leadership normally will sound the alarm. First by preaching sermons about giving and attendance. Then it may even get more serious with home visits or letters.
In the end the patient coded, and a crash cart was rolled into the room as everyone did everything they could think of to save him.
Oftentimes, as a church is dying the leadership will try anything to keep it alive. Entertainment? Check! Modern music? Check! Cotton candy sermons? Check! Expanding women’s roles? Check! At this stage in the downward spiral so many members are on the milk of the word that any meat offered is often regurgitated and spit out.
But in the end the patient died.
Yes, we are seeing congregations close their doors all across the country. Some have suggested as many as 400-500 per year. But there are also many congregations that die spiritually, even though they have their doors still open. Insanity is often described as doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result. It’s time we address the spiritual health of our congregations—and get serious about discipleship.