| “All churches die.” That was the declaration given to me in a church meeting once. Our group had been examining various ministry activities within our congregation. What was apparent to some of us, others considered abhorrent. If we wanted to spur more people into the good life of the church, there were things we needed to change. What was striking to me wasn’t that there were people against change. That’s an almost universal trait to humanity. Most of us don’t like change. Even though we change more than we realize, the subject itself breeds contempt. No, what struck me was that those against the change knew we needed it. They just didn’t want it. Someone else had made a comment about churches that don’t change are the ones that end up dying. That’s when we heard the truth that all churches die. Of course, that is correct. How many of the churches that we read of in the New Testament are still around? The church which led me to faith closed years ago. The church where I married has changed hands several times. Yes, like people, churches die. Congregations have a life span. But what if your doctor tells you there’s something you need to do to protect and ensure your future health? Do you enforce the “all people die” speech on her? Or do you consider changing your diet, exercising more and perhaps taking medicine? Now, I understand why some people have a hard time combining church and change. It feels like we’re letting go of something important. We may even worry that our message will change along the way. Rest assured! What you call familiar would be strange to Christians of other generations. And don’t you know the gospel? Then again, some of us are content with letting churches die because, well, it won’t happen in my lifetime. Of course, we know there is nothing new under the sun. That attitude is familiar. Of all people, King Hezekiah once thought the same thing. He had been deathly sick himself. So much so that the king of Babylon sent a group to check in on him. No doubt this was to survey his weakness to determine how much of a threat his people might be. When the envoy arrives, Hezekiah is well. So, he gives the Babylonians the grand tour of his house. There isn’t anything he doesn’t show them. The prophet Isaiah then came to Hezekiah. He saw something the king did not. The word of the Lord was that the Babylonians would take Hezekiah’s sons. They would serve as eunuchs for Babylon’s king. That also meant his people would be in trouble. What was Hezekiah’s response? He thought the word from God was good. “Why not,” he thought, “if there will be peace and security in my days?” There it is. My days. Think of what we know about the Babylonian captivity. Take a moment to consider the bitter hardships experienced by the people of God. Hezekiah did nothing to try to change that from happening. And not because he wasn’t well enough. Not because he didn’t know. Simply because it wouldn’t impact him. Yes, all churches die. But I want my children to know that I gave God everything I had. They should be able to look back on what I have done and know that I sought to prepare the church God gave me to receive the next generation. That maybe I focused more on their days than mine. May God forgive us if we are more content to die than to change. Stay blessed…john |
John Fletcher
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