My first ministry job was when I was 18 years old as a church intern for a new church plant in Vegas. I just got saved, and this church had faith in the calling God placed on my life. 15 years later, I've learned some things that has helped me be better at sharing the need to be in Gospel Community. Here are 3 reasons I believe Christians stop going to church? I'm sure you can add more to this list, but this is my personal conviction.
#1: THEIR SALVATION EXPERIENCE WAS NOT FULLY CHRIST CENTERED
American Christianity has been deceived by mysticism, which is an act of emotional out bursts and external expressions that can cause confusion on how one is truly saved. Many of us would agree and say that the only way some one is saved is through Jesus; however since the early 1900's external practices took place in America that began a movement of mysticism that caused the Gospel to be more about how you feel at the moment vs. what does the Bible say about it.
Salvation must be clearly understood from a biblical view. Here's how I would break it down...
- Sinners must be drawn to Christ (John 6:44)
- Sinners must hear the Gospel (Romans 10:14)
- Sinners must be convicted of sin (Acts 2:37)
- Sinners must repent form self/sin (2 Corinthians 7:10)
- Sinners must embrace Christ (Eph 2:7-8)
The tension is that we have either shared a part of this message (probably just the embracing Christ part) or we present a cool emotional expressive worship service atmosphere and forsaken the true explicit gospel. Then you have to wonder why "believers" are slipping away, because the message was not about Christ, it was about an emotional fix, which comes and goes.
#2: THEIR SINS BECAME A BURDEN FOR THE PASTOR TO ENDURE WITH THEM
Let's be honest, discipleship is HARD. I tell our people all the time, there's a reason why Jesus had many followers, but only 12 he intentionally poured into. Just like you and me, people come with baggage and when there is to much baggage to deal with, we EXPLODE. The easiest way to not explode is by being passive with each other and go our separate ways quietly. But goes against so much of what God's Word teaches us (2 Corinthians 5)
As a Pastor, it's always easy to blame the individual you are mentoring, coaching, or discipling. And that just shows marks of an unhealthy Pastor (Guilty). Pastor's must learn to endure with the people he is shepherding. When those you lead see you fighting for their relationship, they will catch on eventually and prayerfully be serious as well.
In the book of Titus (The island ministry book), Paul encourages brahdda Titus to put back into place that which accords with sound doctrine. What was that? Healthy leadership. Are you healthy? both spiritually and physically? Some times we can allow our education, experience, and position as Pastor to miss out on enduring with those God entrusted to us.
People may not be sticking because you, the Pastor, aren't sticking. Remain in the struggle. Be faithful to the unfaithful. Pursue the lost sheep. Remember that redemption is a process, but is so rewarding. Lead and love well Pastors!
#3: THEIR SUNDAYS WERE MORE ABOUT COMMITMENT THAN COMMUNITY
If we read through out the New Testament, and through church history the church meetings on Sundays evolved into what we see today. It was not always that way. When the NT believers gathered, they did so through out the week, not just on Sundays (Acts 2:42-47). The Jews made Saturday their Sabbath as well as their worship gathering, and many evangelical Christians have made Sundays their main gathering because of Easter when Christ rose from the dead.
Sundays in America for Christians have become more of a commitment than a need for community. A close Pastor friend of mine said that many Christians on Sunday morning view church as something you attend verses some where you belong. The book of Acts teaches us that the early Christians lived in gospel community because of a few reasons...
1. The Holy Spirit brought them together (Acts 2)
- We as baptist have blammed our Pentecostal family for being manipulative of the Holy Spirit, when we are also guilty of this very thing just in different ways. We don't need more programs in the church, we need a fresh anointing blown through every believer in Christ to be together and to move onward together. Everything else will take it's place as the result of the work of the Holy Spirit in and through us.
2. The Holy Spirit used persecution to send them through out the world together (Acts 7)
- This is something we don't experience, therefore don't understand here in America. Pastor, you want your people to be more desperate to gather instead of you complaining about it on Facebook? Pray for persecution. I know that's harsh but it's the biblical truth, the church was beginning to multiply and go to the ends of the Earth through the avenue of persecution. We are seeing that lived out today in Iran, Syria, Indonesia, and other persecuted areas.
For Ohana Church, we've realized that the only way we can move forward in Hilo where most families have other activities going on Sunday, is by providing groups in those areas that represent the church and the heart of Christ. My son begins tackle football this fall, that will take him away from Church on Sunday; however we have a Deacon that will lead a small group of football players and their parents in the study of God's Word. Now, I know this is taboo for a lot of Pastors and we can begin to fight and debate on Sunday worship formats and how it should all be done in a certain way; however if we are going to reach a lost nation like America (4th largest lost nation in the world), we have to get out of the walls and BE THE CHURCH!
My heart breaks when I see Pastors with master degrees, and PhDs in theology who live in our community and the extent of the church is what He does in his study during the week, and on Wednesday Nights and Sunday Mornings. The Church must be people mobilize and sent out by the Holy Spirit to love people to the beauty of Jesus. Here's a great principle I'm learning...
"Sundays are a reflection of Monday through Saturday"
A hui hou,
Kahu Zeke Tomaselli
1. The Holy Spirit brought them together (Acts 2)
- We as baptist have blammed our Pentecostal family for being manipulative of the Holy Spirit, when we are also guilty of this very thing just in different ways. We don't need more programs in the church, we need a fresh anointing blown through every believer in Christ to be together and to move onward together. Everything else will take it's place as the result of the work of the Holy Spirit in and through us.
2. The Holy Spirit used persecution to send them through out the world together (Acts 7)
- This is something we don't experience, therefore don't understand here in America. Pastor, you want your people to be more desperate to gather instead of you complaining about it on Facebook? Pray for persecution. I know that's harsh but it's the biblical truth, the church was beginning to multiply and go to the ends of the Earth through the avenue of persecution. We are seeing that lived out today in Iran, Syria, Indonesia, and other persecuted areas.
For Ohana Church, we've realized that the only way we can move forward in Hilo where most families have other activities going on Sunday, is by providing groups in those areas that represent the church and the heart of Christ. My son begins tackle football this fall, that will take him away from Church on Sunday; however we have a Deacon that will lead a small group of football players and their parents in the study of God's Word. Now, I know this is taboo for a lot of Pastors and we can begin to fight and debate on Sunday worship formats and how it should all be done in a certain way; however if we are going to reach a lost nation like America (4th largest lost nation in the world), we have to get out of the walls and BE THE CHURCH!
My heart breaks when I see Pastors with master degrees, and PhDs in theology who live in our community and the extent of the church is what He does in his study during the week, and on Wednesday Nights and Sunday Mornings. The Church must be people mobilize and sent out by the Holy Spirit to love people to the beauty of Jesus. Here's a great principle I'm learning...
"Sundays are a reflection of Monday through Saturday"
A hui hou,
Kahu Zeke Tomaselli
