Who is really qualified to declare that a church is dying?

When I ask people why they left a particular church, the answer I hear most often is that the church was dead. 

There seems to be much discussion about dying or dead churches and so my concern is for the leadership of those headed for the church morgue.

The implication of what I've read from other blogs this week is that dwindling attendance is the most obvious measurement of a dying church.

Some people declare a church to be dead if they don't like the worship set or if the energy of the pastor seems low.

Obviously, church death is in the eye of the beholder. I believe that talk about a dying church is pathetic even if prophetic. I never want to see a church close its doors and believe that the damage done to some or all of the faithful few can and does lead to a stumble and fall.

The spiritual success of a church is not a numbers game. "What is born of the Spirit is spirit."

If a church is struggling financially, it's never too late to seek help and guidance into a revitalized work. If the vision of a church has been blurred, find a bottle of glass cleaner. The success of a New Testament church is not dependent on the building or bells and whistles.

I've attended many home church services in which I heard the voice of God just as clearly as if I were in the sanctuary of a megachurch.

The central purpose of any worship service must be the delivery of the Word and an opportunity to worship. The opportunity must be available to build horizontal and vertical relationships.

I reluctantly agree with some who believe that many church plants aren't from the Lord. Sometimes we all miss God's will. But once started, I don't believe in my heart that God would favor closed doors and scattered sheep.

God's work never fails. Leaders fail. But God restores failures.

Reorganize. Try a new way forward. Pray without ceasing.

Closing a church is a much more difficult decision than closing a business. The impact is spiritual.

We need to be very careful about declaring the work of any church as dead.

Especially as we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus!

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Today's Scripture

"And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is alive because of righteousness" (Rom. 8:10).

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Dr. Steve Greene is the publisher and executive vice president of the media group at Charisma Media and executive producer of the Charisma Podcast Network. His book, Love Leads: The Spiritual Connection Between Your Relationships and Productivity, is now available.

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