I remember my first days in Bible College. Wow was I on fire. I had just recently given my life to Jesus Christ. I had known the effects of sin. My life was spiraling out of control and then when all hope was lost Jesus was right their. So with a fire in my heart and a passion to save the World I entered Bible College. I soaked up as much as I could. I looked forward to the day that I could teach and preach at my first church. And finally that day came. I was hired. Or as I would like to think, I was called in to ministry. With a Bible in my hand and a desire to do damage for the kingdom I strolled into my first church. And since that day I have learned something about many churches. They are filled with dead people.
I think it is time we start talking about the elephant that is in the room. Many churches in America are dead. Oh we have nice buildings and sing songs but let’s not kid ourselves we are dead. Our churches are filled with people who are more concerned about their own comforts than the souls of lost people. We are more concerned that we get our way rather than asking the question, “what is God’s way?” Our board meetings are filled with a spirit, but it is neither holy nor convicting. Many times we ask those who are newest in the church to change so as not to unsettle those who have been in the church the longest. We become more concerned by what is played musically rather than if worship is taking place at all. Oh I could go on but the truth is the truth and it is time for us to act upon it. The church is dying because we have allowed Satan to take refuge in our churches.
And my dear preacher friends you probably could Amen me on this. But let me say that we are part of the problem. Every time we get down from the pulpit and get praises for our eloquent sermons and simply do nothing to stir the death that exist in our church we allow the disease to grow. Maybe it is time to tell some of the little ole church ladies that they are wicked. Call them out by name. Let us approach weak-minded men who have no spiritual “balls” to repent of their unwillingness to lead their families. Let us call the sin that really exist. And as we call out the sin to the dead let us check our own hearts. For many of us are dead. But now is the time to wake up. Now is the time to repent and allow the Lord Jesus Christ to move mightily in our lives.
I truly believe that the best days are ahead for the church. But I also believe that the church we know today will not make an impact on our World. It is time that we start a revolution in the church. It is time to either wake the dead or it is time to move on. But as a warning I have found that waking the dead is an impossible task. I am not saying it cannot be done but I am convinced of this, it will not be done until repentance takes place. God is good and he wants to save lost people. He has saved me. And for that I am eternally grateful. I give praise to Him because I was on my way to Hell. But today I am on my way to an eternity with Him. I no longer plan to preach to the dead. Send me to the dying but not to the dead. I would love to hear from others. Please make your voice heard.
A Pastor's Prayer Journey 
Dave,
Wow. A-freaking-mazing. This line, ‘With a Bible in my hand and a desire to do damage for the kingdom I strolled into my first church’ blew me away. I think we all had those dreams at some point, didn’t we? The problem is that we ended up preaching in churches instead of in the world.
Have you ever noticed that in Mark’s Gospel, the first miracle Jesus does is to drive out a demon? (1:21-28) And have you ever noticed that that demon was in a man who was in a synagogue? So Jesus comes and before he does anything else, he drives a demon out of the ‘church.’
I think churches are the worst thing to happen to those called to preach which is probably why the apostles didn’t preach ‘in a church’ but remained sort of aloof–instead choosing to preach among the lost. I think the church has killed many of us because we spend so much time trying to raise the dead (which is impossible) that we can barely find time to actually live and preach among the dying (as you say).
Yes. I agree. A revolution needs to happen in the church. Maybe I should say a Resurrection needs to take place in the church?
Great post.
Bill