Post-Mortem Of A Dead Church
Sometimes the cause of one's death is known beforehand. In other instances, we are able to detect a physical decline but are unable to diagnose the nature of a person's illness, thus unable to effect the remedy. In such cases, an autopsy may be performed to determine the causes of mysterious death, helpful as preventive measures for the living.
The Bible describes physical death as a separation of the spirit from the body (Jas. 2:26), in which the body of man is left cold, stiff, lifeless, unfeeling, ready to decay and to be buried. In like fashion, the church in which the Spirit of God dwells, (Eph. 2:22), is dead when it loses its spirituality as a result of spiritual diseases. The Holy Spirit will not dwell in an unholy church. Corpses of dead churches are everywhere — cold, still, lifeless, unfeeling, ready to decay and to be buried.
Let us conduct a spiritual autopsy on a dead church, Le., trace the causes of her death. Select most any dead church of your acquaintance and you'll see most of the following logical order of downward steps in its history.
Inefficient Leadership And/Or Organization
This inefficiency may be the result of the selection and ordaining of unqualified men as elders. Sometimes men are chosen because they possess the physical qualifications only (married, one wife, believing children). Such men only occupy an office but do not do the "work of a bishop" (I Tim. 3:1), neither do they fulfill the need of efficient leadership, (Acts 20:28; Heb. 13:17.) We do not seek to eliminate any of the qualifications as given by the Holy Spirit but, rather insist all of them must be met before such men are appointed to the work to be accomplished.
In a congregation without elders inefficiency is the consequence of a lack of system or organization. Some appear to believe the appointing of committees for special tasks will create an unscriptural office in the church. So everybodys' business is nobody's business. Each is afraid to suggest or do anything for fear of being accused of "running the church" (and he usually is). Everybody talks about doing but nothing is done. A church at this point is in a critical situation. Obviously, the next overlapping downward step is:
Lack Of A Program Of Teaching And Work
Such a church is only "keeping house" for the Lord. Absent are the many activities so necessary to the edification of each member and the increase of the body such as: Personal work and program; cottage meetings; new convert's training class; teacher's training class; absentee check; teacher and parent meetings; etc. etc.
Apparently, this was the condition of the church at Sardis (Rev. 3:1), concerning which the Lord said: "I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead . . . This church was dead for lack of scriptural exercise — for persisting in the neglect of duty while attempting to justify their existence on the basis of profession ("name"). This church may have had a large membership and a fine building for such in itself does not make an active church',
Negativism
Brethren now begin to bemoan the situation, stifling any spark of zeal and enthusiasm left in the congregation. This is the logical movement of those on the "stool of do nothing". It's much easier to criticize and adopt the Pharisee's spirit of orthodoxy "We are not like others". While it is true that perhaps a pulling horse may need to stop and kick occasionally, the horse that only kicks is certainly not pulling. So, while the brethren spend their time arguing and complaining the stage is set for disunity and petty differences with the formation of cliques and a refusal of each to cooperate in any constructive program.
No, we do not deny that Christianity has its negative aspects. But we affirm its positive element as well. A scriptural evangelistic program must include "shaking the bushes" as well as being on the defensive against current digression. The empty pew can but be the result of negativism. Both wreckers of error and builders of truth are needed in the Lord's construction crew. Brethren do not develop confidence in those who know only what is wrong with the world. Naturally, only those also on the "stool of do nothing" will hasten to identify themselves with this congregation only to add still further to its miserable existence.
Lack Of Sacrifice
Naturally, in a church without an active program there will be little or no sacrificial efforts by its members. This will increase toward a greater disinterest since an active part is necessary for such interest in the church and an interest in the church is required for an active part. Each reacts upon the other. This stifles both individually and collectively. For lack of sacrifice the church at Laodicea was "Lukewarm". (Rev. 3:14-18.) It was a self-satisfied group.
Some are helped until they become helpless. The apostle Paul requested forgiveness of the Corinthians in making them inferior to others churches by his taking wages of other churches to do service to the church at Corinth. (2 Cor. 11:8: 12:13.)
Failure To Exercise Discipline
This inactive, disorganized, disinterested and self-satisfied church will not likely exercise any disfellowship of its members. Those who live in glass houses can ill afford to cast stones. The church at Corinth in a condition comparable in some respects to this church, was puffed up, and had not rather mourned, that a man in the congregation guilty of fornication had not been disfellowshipped. (I Cor. 5:1, 2.)
Such fills the church with unconverted members and a general irreverence for God's word which in turn creates an even greater demand for non-offensive teaching. All of which makes impossible any evangelistic efforts due to the inconsistency of its members. Such laziness leads to:
The Pastor System
Now the preacher, desirous of seeing the work go forward, tries to do everything by himself. The members are happy with this arrangement and receive it with open arms. The preacher may or may not be such an one as desires authority but the Pastor system is gradually developed by his encouragement.
This contributes to the further downfall of this church. Regardless of the amount of work done by the preacher, he is only one man and can but do the work of one man. No one man can "build up" the church. A "'mushroom growth" centering around the personal charms of a preacher is very deceiving. If he is successful by virtue of personality and eloquence to increase the attendance, this leads to the next logical downward step toward destruction, that of:
Preeminence To Men
The modern "Pastor" of this church is now regarded as "Law and Gospel ... Individual study of God's word is neglected and even discouraged as false doctrine and innovations of every shade and color creep into the church by the strength of this promotionally minded preacher. Such preachers who will accept such preeminence will seek personal glory and promote it by using exclusively the positive approach in their sermons on "love" (?) and "Marching for the Master". This man will make a strong appeal to the emotions of the audience and will instill zeal but without sufficient scriptural knowledge to properly guide this enthusiasm along scriptural lines.
By this time the church wants to grow (in numbers) but has lost its ability to grow with the power of the gospel, (Rom. 1:16). And being filled with a large number of unconverted members who think of the church as "another denomination" in competition with such groups, the voice of the majority demands turning to:
Social And Recreational Emphasis
The preacher now consumes his time as a civic and family counselor, a teenage chaperone and a social program promoter. The church is growing (?) as more and more people "join" the church and its praises are sung by the community as a real asset to our modern civilization and its complex problems of juvenile delinquency and working mothers. While it is quite active, it is as "dead as the chicken, as cold as the ice cream and as weak as the tea" it serves in the "Fellowship Hall". "She that liveth is pleasure is dead while she liveth". (I Tim. 5:6.) This is true of churches also which are not able to discern between the social and the spiritual, in the mission of the church. Aside from other things wrong with the church at Corinth as taught in I Corinthians 11, they were unable to discern this distinction. 'When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not eat the Lord's supper "What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not ? . ." "For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep". (I Cor. 11:20, 22, 30.)
After his customary two years, the preacher now leaves with glowing reports of a pleasant and profitable work with the church having doubled in size since his entering the ministry (?) with them. At this point some gospel preacher, judging from reports and with less investigation than is advisable, enters the work anticipating the very best of cooperation in doing 'the work of an evangelist". (2 Tim. 4:1-5.) After a few months of getting acquainted, he learns of the scriptural needs of this church and with the courage of convictions worthy of God's servant, tries to warn of the dangers and assist in setting the work along scriptural lines. But, alas, great opposition is encountered from the worldly but influential members and he is "let go" for the "good of the church" and for the sake of a superficial peace in the congregation. Another preacher is sought and "hired" who is not an "anti", one who is really interested in working with young people, a good organizer, promoter, mixer and willing to stifle his convictions to keep from "causing trouble" in the church. And above all, he must agree to do obeisance to the "puppet" elders who had recently been elected by a majority vote of the men in a monthly business meeting. This church is now ready for:
Institutionalism And Centralized Control
Why is this inevitable? The foundation has been laid! What set the stage? The church is largely composed of men and women unacquainted with the organization and work divinely given it of God and are unable to distinguish between what is the work of individuals in adjuncts to the home or state as compared with the work of the church within the scope of its own framework. This church has not been discharging its responsibility in its God-given mission and someone else offers to do it for them if they will supply the money. This sounds like an excellent arrangement to get the job done (thinking the end justifies the means anyway) and save the conscience. The Lord's money, formerly spent for coffee and donuts, is now divided with church sponsored educational and benevolent institutions. The organization of the church is perverted and it becomes a full-fledged denomination both in attitude and work.
Conclusion
This dead church is loved and mourned over, but, alas, ready to be buried and forgotten. But it is much better to save a life than just to know the cause of death. Let us who are "set for the defense of the gospel" earnestly take the preventive measures as learned from this postmortem of a dead church.