Pastors Training Pack - What Went Wrong/What Went Right

 

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Chapter I - What Went Wrong/What Went Right

“Why people are not going to Church”


Do you ever feel you suffer as much for the church as you do from it?

 

To often people have to imagine what a healthy church should be like. Or they try

to imagine a world without a church. The typical churchgoer will see the church down the street growing and impacting the neighborhood, while their church recedes into its own arrogance, like a diseased infected animal that is paralyzed from moving to its call.

 

So why does this happen? Why do some churches grow and some do not, more importantly why do some churches seem to prosper with excited people while others try to hide their public Christianity.

 

Why do so many churches decay and die. In my years of pastoral ministry and church growth consulting, I have seen a lot of churches grow when they should not have, and I have seen churches falter when they should have grown.

 

I have seen people so excited about their church, it is all they can talk about, and others who hide the fact that they are Christians, too embarrassed to tell even their family members. And I have seen so many people who have been hurt and abused by churches, to the point they leave from strife and with hurt.

 

Why does one church succeed while another does not? The real answers are frightful and too often ignored.

 

We have a problem in our church in America, a big problem. Perhaps it is two

problems. The first is that church has formed a bad reputation in our general society. People are dropping out of our churches in mass droves, while others do not dare to set foot in a church! People are being hurt, ignored and even abused by the institution that was designed to save, love, and help the people of God and the people around them.

 

The church was to train its people and release them into the world with the power of the Spirit to proclaim the Kingdom of Christ, yet the kingdom of selfishness and misdirected priorities have taken over.

 

The second problem is that some people will just hop to the bigger and “better”

church down the street or even across town, while abandoning their home church where they worshipped all of their lives.

 

Churches with beautiful majestic  buildings that have been around for over a hundred years are closing their doors, and new churches inshopping centers are flourishing.

 

How and why is this happening? Is it a cultural phenomenon because of changing methodologies and perceptions or is something else happening? Are the new ways of worship, teaching, and facilities only a covering for the real reasons why some churches fail? And is it two distinct problems or is there really only one main problem?

 

We are called to be the haven of rest, a place of growth, a place of

encouragement, a place of learning, a place of comfort, and most important a place of worship! So why are there so many hurting and wounded people out there, who are fed-up at us: The Church?

 

Where did we go wrong, why did we go wrong? Is there an answer for these

questions? Are we willing to find out so we can correct them and honestly be used to further God’s Glory and God’s purpose? Well, I believe there is an answer! And I believe we are willing! If we do not, the future is too frightening to look upon.

 

We just might look like some Hollywood apoplectic “B” movie where Christianity is a figment of history, or be like parts of Europe are today! Lost! Totally lost! I firmly believe we do not have to imagine a healthy church, we can move the church as God has called us to do, He has given us the opportunities, resources and power, if only we obey.


I believe we do need to do a better job at reaching people, changing some methodologies, and being creative is a good approach to start with, but it is not the mainproblem! These are not the core issues on why people are finding other various activities to fill the Sunday time slot! Yes, we do need to re-think our methods without compromising the message.

 

The church thinks the guitar and keyboard are of the Devil, while lecturing boring, monotone messages from The King James; then, wonders where

all the people are. Something needs to change.

 

But, again this is not the main problem! The problem is not the historical architecture of gothic design, that theater style is more conducive to people, that chairs are better than pews, and storefronts are better than the A-frame.

 

The problem is that the church has lost its way; we have fallen off the path that Christ has for us! Either we reform and then the Lord can use us to usher in revival (Theologically speaking He does not need us! But God through history has usually used people in His plan), or we will be like a Science Fiction movie where religion is a relic of the past!

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