Over the past three years our family have walked through the valley of the shadow of death several times. We are facing this valley again on Alisha’s side of the family. Not only have I walked through this valley a lot lately with my own family. As a pastor and chaplain I have walked this journey with many families over the past thirteen years.
Saturday, I walked this road again, with a family from our congregation. Attending this funeral was hard for me, as the deceased was 44 years old. Only 4 years older than me. As I listened to the summary of his life, and accomplishments, and saw all those who were grieving. I was stuck by the thought, what had I done with my life? What had I accomplished? Had I made a difference in the life of others? If I were to cease to exist, would I be missed and for how long?
From here I got to thinking about the church in America and various congregations I know. The same questions ran through my mind again. What difference is the church in America making? What difference in our community is our local congregation making? If the church in America ceased to exist tomorrow would it be missed; if so for how long? If our congregation ceased to exist, would we be missed by our community? If so for how long?
Knowing the people of Tomah CON and other congregations in and out of Tomah I can say with full confidence, our congregation and many others would leave a gaping hole in their community; if we ceased to exist. But I also know of congregations that have been asleep at the wheel for so long that people in the community thought they shut their doors years ago. I know of congregations that are so stuck in the past that they have ceased to make a difference in the here and now. Finally I know of congregations and you do as well that are so worried about being conformed by the world that they have stopped seeking to change the world.
This brings me to my text from yesterday. Revelation 3:1-6. Yesterday we returned to our Healthy Church series. The main point that I wanted the congregation to remember and I want you to remember is. A healthy church/congregation is one that is making a difference in their community. They are the ones that are transforming society, instead of being transformed by society. Sadly however, while there are many congregations who are seeking to make a difference and transform their society instead of being transformed by society. Many churches in America are asleep at the wheel. Stuck in tradition and comfort, looking inward instead of outward, trying to recapture the old days. Instead of being awake and vibrant making a difference in their communities. This was true of the congregation in Sardis, from Revelation 3:1-6.
We see, this congregation used to be vibrant and alive. They used to be relevant to the people of their community. They use to be passionate for Christ. They used to be making a difference and transforming society instead of being transformed by society. But those days were passed. They had grown comfortable, inward focused and had forced the Holy Spirit out of there gatherings. They were asleep at the wheel. Christ tells them if they do not awaken soon, they are going to die. I do not think this means literally I think He is speaking to the death of the congregation. Meaning, they would become completely ill relevant, and lose any little impact they had on the people of Sardis.
But the good news was and is, there were a few individuals in the congregation who were not asleep at the wheel. They were alive, they were vibrant, and they were on fire for God. Jesus says these individuals, He will remember before His Father. The congregation is called to repent. It is these people who working from the inside, allowing their passion to catch others on fire. Who had the best chance to spur the congregation into repentance and revival.
For some of you reading these series of post you are like the people of Tomah Nazarene and you cannot identify with these. You are part of an overall healthy congregation. Others of you however are in dying congregations. As you read these post you can identify totally with the individual churches. If you are in a healthy church, may these post be cautions signs and lessons learned. If you are in an unhealthy, dying church it is time that you either get to fishing or you cut sling load and go. Hopefully instead of jumping ship you will pray that God will use, you as a catalyst for change. It is time to wake up. Pastor Travis out.
