Random Thoughts…

After yesterday’s blog post there has been quite the conversation.  Some have actually challenged the report as being inaccurate, saying, “the church is not dead!”  They say that the whole thing is a nasty rumor and that I should tell the truth!  That is all I want – to know the truth, so I went looking.  Was the church really dead?  Were there really conflicting stories of her demise?  Was it possible she still yet lived?  I had to find out.  Thankfully there are plenty of eyewitness accounts. 

What follows are interviews with several of these “eyewitnesses.”  As you will read not all agree on the church’s condition – whether dead or alive – however, I do think you will have a better understanding of what really has happened.  Maybe…

Eyewitness #1

“I had been a part of the church since I was a kid.  Sunday School, Children’s Church, whatever, you name it I did it.  I had heard she was in trouble, not healthy – you know?  Anyway, one day I showed up, it had been a while since I had been there and I was shocked at what I saw.  She looked old. Tired.  Worn out.  You could tell she was in bad shape.  I talked to a few people I knew and asked them what was going on with her.  They just shook their heads and said, “things are really bad.”  I didn’t exactly know what they meant, but I decided I didn’t want to stay around there and see so I left.  Never went back.  Maybe I could have done something, but I’m busy.  I didn’t have the time I used to have.  I guess I was like a lot of other people.  Good news is I found a better church.  She is young, hip, exciting.  She doesn’t care if I come or not she is just glad to see me whenever I can make it.”

Eyewitness #2

“I knew she was dying.  In fact I told everybody who would listen and even some who wouldn’t listen.  I am proud to say, “I told you so!”  I warned her about how much she cost to operate.  I tried to get the people to stop doing outreach – it cost too much.  I tried to get them to stop supporting missions – we needed to take care of us not them!  I tried to tell them they were spending too much and doing too much.  Nobody listened to me!  I know that people need to hear about Jesus and heaven and all that, but we can’t save everybody.  We needed to save ourselves!  Besides, they knew where we were they could have come to us, we didn’t have to go to them.  So, yeah – I knew she was dying.  And if anybody at the church is listening to me now – “I TOLD YOU SO!”

Eyewitness #3

“Such a sad day.  I don’t think I have quit crying.  I never thought I would see the day.  The church is dead!  I don’t know what to think.  I know I could have, should have done more to help, but I’m just one person.  I mean who would have listened to me?  Besides,  they way “those” people acted it is no wonder the church died.  Yes, I was member there but I wasn’t like those other people.  I used to tell people all the time about some of the things that people said and did at the church.  Gossip?  No!  It wasn’t gossip it was more like asking people to pray for all the ungodly behavior.  Anyway, it didn’t make a difference.” 

Eyewitness #4

“I don’t know what I can say.  I know this – somebody needs to be held accountable!  Churches don’t “just” die.  Somebody has to be blamed.  I remember how we used to do things and if we never had changed we would still see her alive today.  I used to tell that preacher down there, “we’ve never done it this way before!” but he just wouldn’t listen.  Maybe you should investigate him, or some of them other so-called leaders down there.  First it was the music, then they moved my Sunday School class, the final straw was putting us in chairs so we could have more people in worship.  A lot of good all that did.  They should have left everything alone!  Maybe it’s God’s fault!  Just saying.  I mean, if He really cared He could have fixed things, put things back the way they used to be.  Really – where was God when the church was going down?” 

Eyewitness #5

“Dead?  Are you sure?  I mean she was in bad shape when we got there.  But she had been neglected for so long it made sense she was sick.  So many of her members never lifted a finger to help her.  They had to see her struggling.  Could they have done more?  You bet!  They had more resources than they knew what to do with, but they never used them.  I know the rumor was that the money had run out, but God told them He owned everything and to trust Him to meet their needs.  They refused.  I know that a lot of them talked about running the church because they were going to fix it themselves.  But Jesus tried to remind them He is the head of the church.  In fact, somebody commented on hearing someone knocking at the door one time but no one was willing to get up and see who it was.  Anyway, I’m not sure you have the right information.  I know she was in bad shape, but I didn’t think she had died.  You might want to dig around some more.” 

That is exactly what I am going to do – keep digging.  Is the church dead?  Yesterday I thought she was, today – I’m not so sure.  Besides, don’t we serve a Savior who was resurrected from the dead?  Just saying… maybe He isn’t finished with His church yet!  Stay tuned!  As always, pass this along.  Get the word out.  We must get to the truth!