Autopsy of a Deceased Church- Intro

Introduction:

• Rainer’s Analysis indicates that many churches in America are showing signs of decline toward death.

A recent study found that 65% of churches are in decline or plateauing. However, 35% are growing, which should give you hope.

• “Even healthy churches need to learn from autopsies, because they can tell us paths of prevention.” Thom Rainer

The world will never be without one of Christ’s churches. ()

Matthew 16:18 ESV

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the forces of Hades will not overpower it.” ()

How can churches die in light of Mt 16:18?

However, there is never a guarantee that each individual church will continue. In fact, many view Jesus’ words to the churches in Rev. to indicated that churches face judgment and die.

Revelation 2:5 ESV

Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

Based on Rainer’s analysis of churches in America:

1. 10% are healthy

Sermon Series Schedule:

2. 40% have some symptoms of sickness

3. 40% are very sick

4. 10% are dying

Jesus warned several specific 1st century churches, many of whom had been planted by the apostles. We are not exempt! If we don’t head His warnings, we too my find ourselves among the thousands of churches which close each year. Each generation has a responsibility to pass the baton to the next. We are here today, and we must run with what we have received and begin laying the groundwork for those who come after us.

We are not dead. We are not necessarily dying. However, if nothing changes where will be 20 years from now? With no new members, what will Craft look like? It is critical that we maintain and improve church health.

• June 22 – Introduction (Tim Regan) • June 29 – The Great Commission Becomes the Great Omission (Kevin Manos) • July 6 – The Preference Driven Church (Curt Morgan) • July 13 – The Church Refused to Look Like the Community (Pastor Mike Hughes) • July 20 – Slow Erosion (Nolan Pierce) • July 27 – The Past is the Hero (Bruce Conway) • August 3 – The Church Rarely Prayed Together (Nolan Pierce) • August 10 – Wrap-up / Prayerful Commitment (Pastor Mike)

This study, and the Activate process, is designed to help us take a check up.

We want to honestly evaluate where we are today.

We want to clearly see what God’s vision is for our future.

We will make any changes we need in order to improve health and continue shining the light of God in our community.

st uJ

Common Threads

• Common threads found in most of the church are the focus of each chapter; (see page vii)

In this study, we will focus on one symptom per week.

We can learn from the experiences of churches which have gone before us.

Many studies focus on the exceptional. They show us “church growth” ideas which worked in their communities and churches. While that can be valuable and offer us ideas, not everything transfers to new communities.

This study focuses on churches which didn’t make it.

Though painful, we need to heed the warnings their cases give.

Read pg 6

Through doing this we can see how we have come from to what we see in churches today.

Acts 2:42 ESV

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

We will examine the fade away from the great commission of

Matthew 28:19–20 ESV

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The Bible is filled with example and teaching of what we should be.

The Bible is filled with example and teaching of what we should be.

Sadly, many churches have drifted and if we aren’t careful, we will too. (In fact, we may find that we have already lost a step or two.

The great news today is that we don’t have to do it alone!

Acts 1:8 ESV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

We live in the age of the Spirit’s power!

We don’t have to figure it out and do it on our own.

God works in and through us to accomplish His purposes

Many (probably most) sick churches blindly believe all is great!

Read pg 3-4

Why do many church members in dying churches refuse to see the decline in the health of the church?

Prayerful Commitment:

Each chapter challenges us to make a prayerful commitment

Read pg 8

Prayerful Commitment #1: God, open my eyes that I might see Craft as you see it, Lord. Let me see where change needs to take place, even if is painful to me. And use me, I pray, to be an instrument of that change whatever the cost.

Philippians 2:1–11 ESV

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

2. The church had no community-focused ministries

Conclusion:

3. Members became more focused on memorials

4. The percentage of the budget for members’ needs kept increasing

5. There were no evangelistic emphases

6. The members had more and more arguments about what they wanted

7. With few exceptions, pastoral tenure grew shorter and shorter

8. The church rarely prayed together

9. The church had no clarity as to why it existed

10. The members idolized another era

11. The facilities continued to deteriorate

12. The church experienced a slow and painful death

I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. ()

Take time to answer the first question on pg 8 if you haven’t done so.

Honestly and prayerfully evaluate where we are today. You don’t have to share your answer, but take time to answer it.

If we were given a physical exam today, what do you think the doctor’s diagnosis would be: healthy, slightly sick, very sick, or dying? Why?

“If then there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, sharing the same feelings, focusing on one goal. Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” ()

• In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. () • “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship, the breaking of bread, and to prayers.” () • I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. ()