Dead churches- has anyone ever seen one turn around?

Not only have I seen them turn around, but I've seen it start from a church a lot deader than 300 people. You might not have a forest fire, but at least you have bonfire.

A church we attended shrank down to less than 50 folks on a good Sunday. At this point my husband quit going(for his own reasons) and I took my children elsewhere as this church had some serious issues that couldn't be dealt with. That was at least 5-6 years ago. Then some of the "problem" members began to die off. Mind now that these weren't bad folks, just folks with wrong opinions who were to old and set in their ways to change. For a while there wasn't more than a handful including the preacher who had led the church throughout it's seeming death. At that point the core members took a good hard look at the "traditions" that were keeping folks out of church and began to be more Christlike. Hard to do in a town where everyone know everyone and what they did twenty years ago that no one has forgotten.

My own inlaws began going back to this church. Entirely different atmosphere. Where before it was all about who had the power, now it's about how they can do things together! They are seeing more and more people join the church every Sunday! Where before the black folk in the neighborhood weren't welcome except at VBS, they now willingly accept all who will come.

All it takes are a few people willing to do what Christ expects us to do. Love your God and love your neighbors. These folks started with barely a spark and look what they have going now.

 

You know, sometimes we need to read between the lines. "getting church out of the way" may simply mean that that the church services aren't at times that are really convient to her. We don't always get to pick and choose our schedules and sometimes life presses in and makes scheduled worship extremely inconvient.

Back a hundred years ago, churches didn't always meet twice on Sunday and again on Wednesday night. It met sometimes only once per month. The church I told you about above started out just that way 120 years ago. It's in the churches history.

Or it could just be that this girl hasn't yet matured enough to realize what a blessing fellowship can be and is still doing it because someone told her she should. If that's the case, ya gotta just let her grow some and keep encouraging her.

Having lived in Michigan as a child, I have a pretty good idea of why you have as many as you do. There just aren't a lot of choices for worship. Here in the south there is a church on every street corner. Up there it just isn't that way, so people who have the urge to worship will attend just because they have no other choice. Then because their needs aren't being met and they don't know how to express it, you get days like you had today, where everyone just sits and chats.

And don't worry about seeming chit chat. Some of my best experiences in SS as an adult have come when we've tossed the lesson and simply talked about what was going on in our lives. Not excluding God, just letting each other know of our needs and praises. Now that was fellowship!

 

The Lord can do anything.

If you feel you are called to stay at this church, then start with prayer.

 

I turned a church around that reached a low of ten people. I started discipling and praying for those who were there and willing to respond. God did some incredible things.

 

Sounds like a leadership problem to me. Our church ( before we were going ) was dead. Mainly a bunch of older people going through the motions. The old pastor left and a new Pastor and new youth Pastor took over. Since then everything has turned around. Those who didn't agree or like him left ( weeding the garden I'd say ) and those who were dedicated to Gods word and living it stayed. We have been there only 2 1/2 years and we have seen more and more younger families join and get envolved. Those faithful older people get envolved too. I hear there is more of a unity to serve Christ and reach souls than there was before.

Thank God for our leaders

 

The key is to get peaching and teaching the truth no matter how had it is resisted. To many have become dead because they left the truth and the Spitit would not continue in that place. Our chuch is coming back to life because we are turning back to the truth. Though some have left others are seeing that it is the only way.

 

buckster75
AMEN my point exactly

 

Your church situation will be in my prayers. Keep us updated

 

In my opinion, if a "dead" church can be "resurrected", it wasn't dead in the first place. It may have been on life support, but it was still alive.

You can't resurrect a corpse!

 

A church running 300 (the average church in American is just under 100), that has your husband all of a sudden leading in VBS (trationally where women lead) doesn't sound dead to me. Sounds like considering the interm situation that you have a church in transition. I do hear the sounds of someone a bit too high on her spiritual horse, however. Have you discussed this with anyone at the church that can do something about it or just complaining here?

I would question the youth pastor leading a discussion on the churches vision without a pastor in place. How do you expect God to give the church a clear vision when there is not clear leadership?

Instead of whining why not pray for the next pastor, praise God that your husband has interest in serving God and tell the youth pastor that he is there for the youth not to lead the discussions about what the churches vision should be. Maybe the people aren't dead and uninterested afterall, perhaps they are just wiser then you are giving them credit for!

 

go2Church, I think you are being too harsh on her. She's venting, like we all do sometimes, and talking about something that really bothers her.

Emily, praying for y'all to follow the Lord's will.

 

Sometimes those going through the motions were brought up in the church and they, as it turns out, actually were never saved. A few years ago a deacon in our chuch, an old man, came forward for salvation. And then there are those who may not be saved and and will never admit it. Pray for the truth to come and for a remnant to stick to that truth. But we must also remember we are in those times when people will gather men to say what they want to hear which may not be the truth.

 

And remember the purpose of the church and your part in the body of Christ. To bring glory to God. Help other members to find their way to God's purpose for their life. Uplift and encourage. Built up the body.

 

I often wish today's churches emulated the status of Israel's synagogues -- they were central to all aspects of community life. The early church sometimes met 3 times a day. I commend the RCC for keeping their doors open most of the week, but I realize this is not always possible. Most people in my congregation have nothing to do with each other outside of Sunday service, and many of them are weighted down with earning a living. But I miss the close fellowship I crave.

But if a congregation isn't dead, but just sleeping, all it needs is someone to stir the ashes, blow the spark into flame, and pour on some more fuel...

 

Reading the beginning of your latest post, "maybe you are onto something" and the last part of the post "you don't know, you haven't talked to them, they don't want to be bothered" is very confusing.

Are you willing to point a finger at yourself and trust God to change the hearts of the people, if indeed that is the problem or are you convinced you have figured it all out and are frustrated that no one is listening. Which is it?