Built to Nurture: The Quiet Power of a Faithful Influence

-
Image
by Bart Denny Mother’s Day can land differently for each of us. For some, it brings warmth and gratitude. For others, it brings grief, regret, longing, or pain. So before we say anything else, we should say this clearly: we don’t need to pretend every family looks like a greeting card. We don’t need to pretend every home has always felt safe, healthy, or whole. That’s not real life. And it’s not the Bible either. The Bible gives us families with beauty and brokenness, promise and pain. And right there, in the middle of real life, God works. God doesn’t build faith in perfect homes. He builds faith by grace. He builds faith through ordinary people who show up, pray, teach, forgive, encourage, correct, comfort, and keep loving. Most of us can look back and see that our faith didn’t appear all at once. For many of us, faith came slowly. Maybe it came through a mother or grandmother. Maybe through a teacher, mentor, neighbor, pastor, or someone in the church who cared enough ...
Post a Comment

"People just don't want to come to church anymore!" The Last Words of a Dying Church

-

 Lately, I've had the opportunity to observe some dying churches, and to talk to people about the increasing problem of church decline and death. I know many dying organizations subscribe to the mantra, "We've never done it that way before." But, in the case of churches, it assumes that at least someone in the organization is trying to turn things around. 

Why does no one show up for worship on Sundays? Because "no one wants to come to church anymore." It's actually an answer that I heard before COVID, but the pandemic seems to reinforce that line of thinking. And I understand that cultural Christianity is dead. There is no societal expectation that people show up for church just because that's what "respectable" people do. That should be a win. Do we really want unregenerate people in church leadership? But it does cut into the numbers, especially for churches that don't really have much to offer by way of authentic community, vibrant worship, and real discipleship.

But the funny thing is, there are churches that are doing well despite the pandemic. Must be that rock music disguised as worship songs. Or maybe it's the preacher who's good at "tickling peoples' ears." Surely, those churches aren't faithfully preaching the Word--because people sure don't really want to come to church (at least real church) anymore. Right? Well, I suppose such thoughts give failure a sanctified wrapper.

To say that "people just don't want to come to church anymore" is a classic example of blaming the community for the sorry state of the church. In such churches, the Great Commission has become the Great Omission. Why reach out? or why change the ways we used to reach out? Bus ministry and old-fashioned, door-knocking soul-winning, coupled with sweat-wiping, slobber-slinging preaching used to bring the crowds. Hey, we didn't change.

And there's the problem. Well, we're not going to compromise on biblical truth! I know, Jesus said to worship on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and to be sure to be there Sunday night and Wednesday night. And make sure there's no drums or electric guitars sitting on the stage. Jesus would have frowned on that. I don't think He would have.

And some churches want to change, but they feel they just can't "put on a production." Well just do what you do with some quality and intentionality. Don't be the steward who buries his one talent. Invest it well. Clean up the clutter around the church. Act like you're expecting guests. Don't apologize for what you are--but, at the same time don't badmouth other churches. Do what a small fellowship can do well. Be an intimate and inviting community, intentional about discipleship. Pray...individually, corporately. And when God sends help from other local fellowships of believers, don't refuse, but be thankful that God (and other churches) want to see your church thrive and survive.

Comments

Post a Comment

All comments are moderated. I welcome respectful disagreement with my posts. Such discussions can cause me to consider perspectives I hadn't examined before. However, I also reserve the right to delete any comment for any reason. Why? Simple enough, this is MY blog, with MY thoughts, and I want to have a civil conversation that is, at all times, God-honoring in nature.

Popular posts from this blog

Why Christians Should Oppose the Death Penalty (Even If the Bible Affirms It)

-
By Bart L. Denny, Ph.D., Th.M. Let’s Be Honest: The Bible Doesn’t Shy Away from the Death Penalty The Bible makes it plain: God established capital punishment as part of His justice. From Genesis 9:6 to Romans 13, Scripture consistently affirms the state’s right to wield the sword. Even Jesus, while showing mercy, never denied the legitimacy of that authority. So if Scripture supports the death penalty, why should modern Christians push back? Here’s the Problem: Today’s Death Penalty Isn’t Biblical Capital punishment, in God’s design, was supposed to be fair, swift, and just. The Mosaic Law didn’t hand out death sentences lightly. It required two or more eyewitnesses. It punished false testimony harshly. It didn’t discriminate. But our modern systems—particularly in the U.S.—are riddled with inconsistency, bias, and delay. They fail to meet the biblical standard. What Justice Looks Like in God’s Eyes High burden of proof (Deut. 19:15) Equal treatment of rich and poor ...
Read more

When Civility Fails: A Pastor’s Response to Violence, Rage, and the Hard Work of Truth

-
Image
  by Bart L. Denny, Ph.D. Introduction — Why I must speak I have been reflecting on recent events in our nation and wrestling with how best to speak into them. As a follower of Jesus Christ and as a pastor, I believe my calling is to shed more light than heat in times of turmoil, and to offer the seasoning of grace in a culture that often tastes bitter. This will not be an exercise in soft-peddling. It will be frank, pastoral, and, where necessary, unflinching. Somewhere, this post will fail to address a consideration that it might have spoken to. I own it, saying in my defense only that space prevents my discussing everything that might be said on a subject and my views on it. Yet undoubtedly, this will cover more ground than most newspaper op-ed articles. Some readers may focus on one thing I say in the post without taking the entirety of what I said here in context. I pray you won't. But I resign myself to the likelihood some will. What I saw this past week I saw a young...
Read more

How Much More? Praying with Persistence

-
Image
by Bart Denny Have you ever noticed how persistence changes outcomes? Parents know this all too well. A child wants a cookie before dinner, or a toy at the store, and the answer is “no.” But the request doesn’t stop there. They ask again. And again. Eventually—sometimes just for the sake of peace—we give in. Persistence works. But here’s the question: if persistence can move us—imperfect parents and imperfect people—what happens when persistence is brought before our perfect, loving, just heavenly Father? That’s the point Jesus drives home in Luke 18:1–8. He tells a parable “to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” The story contrasts two characters: a corrupt judge with no fear of God, and a powerless widow who had no advocate but one weapon—persistence. And persistence won. If a widow could win justice from an unjust judge simply by refusing to quit, how much more can God’s children expect from the most just Judge of all when we persist in prayer? Let’s expl...
Read more