The Church in America - A Call for Prayer

… But we need look also at His instructions in John 21:15-17 given on an ancient beach after a breakfast of fresh caught fish. Christ turns specifically to Simon and tells him three times to “Feed my sheep”. This is the same Simon that Jesus renamed Peter and pledged he would be the rock upon which He would build His church (Matt 16:18). Here Jesus speaks specifically and directly to Peter, giving him instructions that are clear, direct and easily understood.

Do you see an issue here?

All churches should not be soup kitchens, as honorable as that would be. Nor should churches stop supporting outreach and missions, these too pursue God’s plan. But neither should the church ministry be solely outreach and growth; trouble hides there.

Something has bothered me for a long time, an uneasiness that refuses to resolve. This may prove controversial and not everyone will agree or support these thoughts. That’s OK, here goes anyway.

The internet has allowed me to research and read hundreds of Vision and Mission statements from American Churches nationwide. Life changes and career moves also provided first-hand knowledge from local churches and denominations. With very few exceptions they follow Mathew 28:19 and allude or directly quote the “Great Commission”:

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and the son and the Holy Spirit…”

The Master spoke these words to all eleven of the Disciples who were gathered on a mountainside. He then ascended into Heaven.
His instructions are clear, direct and easily understood, this is what he wanted his disciples to accomplish. He commands this of all his Disciples, those then and those now. Please be sure, nothing here adds or subtracts anything from those words.

But we need look also at His instructions in John 21:15-17 given on an ancient beach after a breakfast of fresh caught fish. Christ turns specifically to Simon and tells him three times to “Feed my sheep”. This is the same Simon that Jesus renamed Peter and pledged he would be the rock upon which He would build His church (Matt 16:18). Here Jesus speaks specifically and directly to Peter, giving him instructions that are clear, direct and easily understood.

Do you see an issue here?

All churches should not be soup kitchens, as honorable as that would be. Nor should churches stop supporting outreach and missions, these too pursue God’s plan. But neither should the church ministry be solely outreach and growth; trouble hides there.

Every Christian who enters through a church door is hungry; looking to be fed. They are hungry every time they enter, yet even those hungers change over time and chance. Modern churches have few mechanisms in place to seek out and define these new hungers. While we surround the new attendee for a while, do we forget about the widow or orphan who continue to stagger through? In my experience the answer is sadly, yes.

Several of the churches I have experienced are in a death spin-cycle. They desperately work to attract new people. New music, gymnasiums, cafés, charismatic speakers and programs, all these drain church budgets and place them in a grow-or-die financial crisis. This they call outreach, while the widow and orphan, the sinner, newly divorced, confused, lonely and broken-hearted sit hungry and alone.
The American Church is rapidly attending to the course that our Western European brothers have followed. The end is empty cathedrals and irrelevance.

Even so, Christ’s Church goes on elsewhere in homes and tents and caves and huts, feeding those who are hungry, this church will not fail. Our American crisis will only resolve when we are willing to take a hard look at what we have become.

This is in the end, a call to prayer for our churches that slip steadily toward an uncertain future.

When you look at statistics it is pretty scary. Here's more: From 2007 to 2014 Americans who claim to be Christian declined by 7.8%. Those who claim non-Christian faith rose 1.2% (probably immigration). Those who claim to be unaffiliated with any faith rose by 6.7%. In my parents generation 85% of Americans claimed to be Christian, in my children's generation only 56% claim Christianity.

Where are we missing the boat?

Something has bothered me for a long time, an uneasiness that refuses to resolve. This may prove controversial and not everyone will agree or support these thoughts. That’s OK, here goes anyway.

The internet has allowed me to research and read hundreds of Vision and Mission statements from American Churches nationwide. Life changes and career moves also provided first-hand knowledge from local churches and denominations. With very few exceptions they follow Mathew 28:19 and allude or directly quote the “Great Commission”:

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and the son and the Holy Spirit…”

The Master spoke these words to all eleven of the Disciples who were gathered on a mountainside. He then ascended into Heaven.
His instructions are clear, direct and easily understood, this is what he wanted his disciples to accomplish. He commands this of all his Disciples, those then and those now. Please be sure, nothing here adds or subtracts anything from those words.

But we need look also at His instructions in John 21:15-17 given on an ancient beach after a breakfast of fresh caught fish. Christ turns specifically to Simon and tells him three times to “Feed my sheep”. This is the same Simon that Jesus renamed Peter and pledged he would be the rock upon which He would build His church (Matt 16:18). Here Jesus speaks specifically and directly to Peter, giving him instructions that are clear, direct and easily understood.

Do you see an issue here?

All churches should not be soup kitchens, as honorable as that would be. Nor should churches stop supporting outreach and missions, these too pursue God’s plan. But neither should the church ministry be solely outreach and growth; trouble hides there.

Every Christian who enters through a church door is hungry; looking to be fed. They are hungry every time they enter, yet even those hungers change over time and chance. Modern churches have few mechanisms in place to seek out and define these new hungers. While we surround the new attendee for a while, do we forget about the widow or orphan who continue to stagger through? In my experience the answer is sadly, yes.

Several of the churches I have experienced are in a death spin-cycle. They desperately work to attract new people. New music, gymnasiums, cafés, charismatic speakers and programs, all these drain church budgets and place them in a grow-or-die financial crisis. This they call outreach, while the widow and orphan, the sinner, newly divorced, confused, lonely and broken-hearted sit hungry and alone.
The American Church is rapidly attending to the course that our Western European brothers have followed. The end is empty cathedrals and irrelevance.

Even so, Christ’s Church goes on elsewhere in homes and tents and caves and huts, feeding those who are hungry, this church will not fail. Our American crisis will only resolve when we are willing to take a hard look at what we have become.

This is in the end, a call to prayer for our churches that slip steadily toward an uncertain future.

It's not all gloomy,

It's been reported also that increasing numbers of young people are becoming Christians in several countries. It's been also reported that conversion into Christianity is significantly increasing among Korean,Chinese, and Japanese in the United States. By 2012 percentage of Christians on mentioned communities was 71%, more than 30% and 37%, respectively. In 2010 there were approximately 180,000 Arab Americans and about 130,000 Iranian Americans who converted from Islam to Christianity, Studies estimated approximately that 20,000 Muslims convert to Christianity annually in the United States. According to the World Christian Encyclopedia, between 1965 and 1985 about 2.5 million Indonesian converted from Islam to Christianity. Many people who convert to Christianity face persecution.

I think that is the point I tried unsuccessfully to make. Why are these Churches growing while American Churches fail. This is the debate we need to have.

Jesus did not build His church on Peter, but upon Himself.
Peter would have been a faulty foundation for anything to be built on.
His many failures are recorded in Scriptures.

I get what you mean no Peter wasn't a pope, though Jesus used Peter to build his church he did preach to the Gentiles and Jews. And at one time peter's own shadow would heal the sick so indeed Peter had a purpose.

The Roman Catholic position is that Jesus builds His church upon Peter, while the protestant position is that Jesus Himself is the Rock upon Whom the church is built... the church being those who confess Jesus as Lord.

Something has bothered me for a long time, an uneasiness that refuses to resolve. This may prove controversial and not everyone will agree or support these thoughts. That’s OK, here goes anyway.

The internet has allowed me to research and read hundreds of Vision and Mission statements from American Churches nationwide. Life changes and career moves also provided first-hand knowledge from local churches and denominations. With very few exceptions they follow Mathew 28:19 and allude or directly quote the “Great Commission”:

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and the son and the Holy Spirit…”

The Master spoke these words to all eleven of the Disciples who were gathered on a mountainside. He then ascended into Heaven.
His instructions are clear, direct and easily understood, this is what he wanted his disciples to accomplish. He commands this of all his Disciples, those then and those now. Please be sure, nothing here adds or subtracts anything from those words.

But we need look also at His instructions in John 21:15-17 given on an ancient beach after a breakfast of fresh caught fish. Christ turns specifically to Simon and tells him three times to “Feed my sheep”. This is the same Simon that Jesus renamed Peter and pledged he would be the rock upon which He would build His church (Matt 16:18). Here Jesus speaks specifically and directly to Peter, giving him instructions that are clear, direct and easily understood.

Do you see an issue here?

All churches should not be soup kitchens, as honorable as that would be. Nor should churches stop supporting outreach and missions, these too pursue God’s plan. But neither should the church ministry be solely outreach and growth; trouble hides there.

Every Christian who enters through a church door is hungry; looking to be fed. They are hungry every time they enter, yet even those hungers change over time and chance. Modern churches have few mechanisms in place to seek out and define these new hungers. While we surround the new attendee for a while, do we forget about the widow or orphan who continue to stagger through? In my experience the answer is sadly, yes.

Several of the churches I have experienced are in a death spin-cycle. They desperately work to attract new people. New music, gymnasiums, cafés, charismatic speakers and programs, all these drain church budgets and place them in a grow-or-die financial crisis. This they call outreach, while the widow and orphan, the sinner, newly divorced, confused, lonely and broken-hearted sit hungry and alone.
The American Church is rapidly attending to the course that our Western European brothers have followed. The end is empty cathedrals and irrelevance.

Even so, Christ’s Church goes on elsewhere in homes and tents and caves and huts, feeding those who are hungry, this church will not fail. Our American crisis will only resolve when we are willing to take a hard look at what we have become.

This is in the end, a call to prayer for our churches that slip steadily toward an uncertain future.

Do you think Jesus was speaking of physical food? I always took it to mean Spiritual food/sustenance Jesus is the Bread of Life.

Amen!! I recently left my church of two years because of this right here. They were so proud of being a “great commission church” but they did not tend to and protect their flock. My brother has mental health issues and needs lots of help as he goes in and out of homelessness and can’t keep a job. I begged my church for help and they refused me so I left without looking back. It’s heartbreaking. It’s coutnerfeit. I’m praying to be plugged into the genuine body of Christ now... which I know only God can bring me too as I highly doubt it is at any church institutions. Every church I’ve been to (4 or 5) have been the same. They aren’t God’s hands and feet. They only use God and “church” as a means of upward mobility. It’s disgusting.

I think there are genuine Christian Churches out there but they don't appear to be the ones with big buildings, big congregations or gymnasiums. I find Christ in small churches and small groups but it takes searching to locate them. We can encounter Christ anywhere and at any time, he did not call the first disciples from a pulpit but in relationships and personal encounters. I Seek but don't rely on any church to help me encounter Jesus.

Why don’t you rely on any church to help you encounter Jesus?