Write this letter to the angel of the church in Sardis… “I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead. Rev. 3:1
Lifeless. Tired. Asleep. Dysfunctional.
We’ve all heard of dysfunctional families. Most of us are probably in one. But have you stopped to consider if your church is dysfunctional or, worse yet, dead?
Here’s some problem signs.
You can’t keep a preacher.
Paul’s letters to the churches in the New Testament are filled with gratitude, outpouring of love and hopes to meet them or be reunited with them soon. So how come some preacher’s leave churches feeling like the barely survived the torture chamber? Is your church a house of horrors for preachers or a house of God ready to partner with them for the cause of Christ?
For you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. Phil. 1:5
You are unknown in the community.
Jesus said we are to be like a city set on a hill. If your church isn’t being light and salt in your community something big is wrong in a big way.
Your community is growing but your church isn’t.
Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women. Acts 5:14
If you church is declining in number but your community isn’t, something is amiss. When the Holy Spirit is allowed to work, more and more people come. If your church has less and less instead of more and more there’s a problem somewhere.
You are family owned and operated.
When everyone is related to each other that’s a sure sign that new blood and new converts to the Lord are lacking. One family should not dominates the direction and decisions of the entire church.
My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others? Jam. 2:1
You don’t have any friends there.
If you aren’t hanging out with people from your church that’s a definite sign of dysfunction. Jesus church is supposed to feel like family, a functional family.
We should do good to everyone… especially the family of faith. Gal. 6:10
You are embarrassed to invite friends.
Do you ever feel like if you did meet someone who accepted your invitation that you’d be embarrassed to bring them to meet your church because you don’t know what kind of offensive thing might be said from the pulpit or if they would be greeted warmly? If that’s the case, it is s a sure sign the body is broken.
The church of Christ, should be a vibrant, functioning, healthy, living body. God says so.
God put our bodies together in such a way that even the parts that seem the least important are valuable. He did this to make all parts of the body work together smoothly, with each part caring about the others. I Cor. 12:24-25 CEV
You may also be interested in: So When Can I Leave My Church?
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