Podcast Episode #469
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Declining attendance isn’t as much of an issue in churches as declining frequency of attendance. Today we discuss those who miss frequently and how to solve that.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
- For the Christian, corporate worship should not be considered optional.
- Too often, people miss church for reasons that would not keep them from missing work or a recreational event.
- Don’t let your church’s structure drive its mission.
- If you have leaders in the church who consider corporate worship optional, they probably shouldn’t be a leader in the church.
The five infrequent attendees that we discuss today are:
- The fading church member
- The “church is just another activity” church member
- The unbeliever/seeker
- The anti-structure church member
- The special events only church member
Resources mentioned in today’s podcast
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Can i get transcription of.the podcasts somehow? Thank you
I think you mean a transcript?
If the Landmarkers and hyper-Calvinists were removed from our churches, most of ours could be real Southern Baptists again.and revitalization could come.
All I have seen of the know-it-all Landmarkers are mean and looking for a way to get control of the church with their doctrine that says, “If you belong to the ‘right’ church that teaches ‘right’ doctrine, you are saved.” If they want to be Landmarkers, why don’t they stay where they are instead of coming in and corrupting Southern Baptist Churches?
Notice “belong to the ‘right church’ in that statement. Hello! isn’t that exclucivism.
Does that sound like many of the churches we know, all of which I am cognizant of think they are the “only church”.?
Add that to the relativists, ethical egoists, and people who have been “rebaptized” -having come from other denominations who have really never left their denominational doctrines behind -, and you have a mess. on your hands..
All I have known of the BMA and ABA churches claim they have the same doctrine as the SBC,, but “buyer beware”, The ones I have known who came from those denominations were highway thieves coming in with an agenda trying to take over the church ravenous as a pack of wild dogs.
They know how to say the right words to come into our churches and play up to people when they get in; but when enough “followers” are secured, they strike like a pack of wolves.
They appear to especially like to do things that make them get notice from the entire church. They will donate things that the budget has already covered or a special account is established for; but when an attempt to reimburse them is made public,, they will make it known to the whole church they won’t take the reimbursement.
That causes some weak people to join in with them, thinking they are the most dedicated.
When one of them or one they are trying to influence become ill and hospitalized, several of of them will converge upon the hospital, making a special effort to beat the pastor there and “minister to the patients.” When the pastor comes, they will make it known they have already which is only an attempt to nullify the ministry of the pastor.
IIf he ever reacts in public or strongly in private to that, they have him. They will move in like a pack of wolves and rid the pulpit of him. If he does not comply, they will destroy him on Facebook..
Of course, they will use fictitious names and/or will pull a Machiavellian trick, finding weak people who are angry enough to front their issues and stay in the background so they will still appear sugar plum.
I have known of one group like that who kept a “notebook” on the pastor. They socialized with him, met in special prayer meetings, invited him to their “closed” socials in their homes. . . to see if they could find a “weakness in his doctrine or ministry .” This kind also target the pastor’s wife. If she is weak, they will pick her to the bone.
Their aim is to destroy the pastor and put a pastor in the church they want. Next is to drag out the old 70 year-old hymnals which would take our churches back to the 1940’s. Of course, it won’t be long until they destroy him. They are never satisfied.
If there was a way to restore doctrinal purity in our churches, we could revitalize. As long as we are chasing numbers, that won’t happen. There needs to be a “back door” revival before we can have a true Southern Baptist revitalization where the “front door” will open again and people can be saved with a true Gospel of Christ.
Or maybe you’re just too angry?
I do hope Cotton’s is a righteous anger. I hope he is not angry with the people as much as he should be with the institution. I have to agree with him to a degree but truly the members are at fault for letting this happen. Where is the maturity in these that cannot discern what is happening? Titus 3:9 says “But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.”
Us Christians today get caught up on too many discussions over matters that have no eternal value. 70 year old hymnals or screens with words, guitars or organs, coffee in the foyer or ‘over my dead body’ are some of those discussions. Calvinism is an argument that seems to continue and is a time waste for this reason; most of the people arguing do not understand Calvinism or Arminianism or even John 3:16 for that matter. They might be brought closer to God by discussing the theory of relativity. He did, after all create it. There are a plethora of extremely learned theologians that can agree so how is the layperson going to get it sorted out?
If we spent more time serving God, being the hands and feet of Jesus there would be a revitalization. We have become a very ‘instant- gratification’ cult rather than a church. Programs, events, feel good activities, and it always has to be bigger and better than the last time.
Why do we keep trying to revitalize the church by attracting people with all of this worldly stuff instead of ministry? Why do we want people in the church who are just going to complain and argue instead of serving?
Let’s get back to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Be the church and not a social organization.
Hey Cotton, you sound a little upset about something that’s eating at your joy. Will be praying for you.
I am prompted to wonder whether the woman Thom Rainer mentions in this podcast was actually unregenerate–a convenient explanation–or the church failed to assimilate her into its life and fellowship–a less convenient explanation but one that often accounts for why new converts drift away.
Chreasters-Only come at Christmas and Easter.
Spot on!