I have questions about a dying church????????????

Question

A church I have been attending, has had a real bad past and stopped growing a while back, our preacher said the church is dead and has a vision, he is trying to take what few of us is left and start another church, kinda hiding that we are the ppl from the "old church", so we are leaving the old building and we are gonna meet in a borrowed building to start the first 4 preview services. Is the lauch is successfull we will later abandon the old church building and let things there dissolve. There is a lot of controversity about what we are doing, and have lost some ppl. I am confused, I have been prayerful,, but there's a lot I don't understand? Are deacon's important to have in a church? What about the church body's ability to vote on major decisions in the futer? Hiding that the dead church with a bad past is mothering a new church? Lack of funds? I can't tell details, I don't want to gossip, I just want to know what should I know about a church? I know the word of God is most imprt.

I know that the word of God is most important being taught and preached. But watching a church die and now down to a handful of people worries me and some of the most faithful ppl are leaving or already left? What should I know going into this as a church family?

A past preacher had done some unchristain things, I believe he had a affair with a young member and some other things too, that preacher has gone, and no one wants to come to our church because in our small town everyone knows about these things all though its been years ago and we've had the new preacher for like 4-5 yrs we have kept getting smaller. I have heard a lot of other churchs look down on us for the way we are handling things and some churches support us from what I hear at church.. thats why I am confused. Preacher said not to talk about the mothering church to new ppl who come to the previews, it's like we're not lying but we're not talking about it to new comers either and I am afraid of when ppl start asking questions,...whats gonna happen?

Answer 1

You know in your heart of hearts what is RIGHT and what is WRONG; and what is GOOD and what is BAD.

That said, it appears that your preacher/leader is starting his/her own "schism" with the parent church --or as you aptly describe it, a "dying" or "old church with a bad past" which will remain nameless-- and that your group is HIDING.

It certainly begs the question: Why in Heaven's name are you HIDING anyway?? If your preacher/leader thinks that the "old church" is WRONG, then be fortright and come out swinging. Speak up and be firm with your "new" faith then!

HIDING connotes that your leader may still be surreptitiously needing the financial support of the parent church... which is another RED FLAG and will beg another question then: Isn't that CHEATING and LYING??

Hmm... then I suggest that you start searching around for a different group then, after you do your own homework first.

Peace be with you.

Answer 2

I think when it comes to "church" stuff, things can be bitter sweet. You really want to do what is right in the eyes of God, but sometimes we wonder just what is that. I think you are on the right track with praying. That is first and foremost the best things you can do, I mean after all, this is all about God, so who better to ask.
I would make sure that no matter what, don't hide or try to lie about anything. No matter what, anything you are doing you should be proud of and do with confidence. If you are hiding what you are doing, or have bad feelings about it, then that is where you need to re-think and go to the Lord in prayer.
I would look in the Bible about how they dealt with a dividing church and church issues. 1 corinthians 12 has a lot of great stuff that might help you out.
Most importantly and the thing you are doing right is praying, stick with that and the Lord will guide you. God bless and I pray everything works out.

Answer 3

All the different denominations of the world came about because someone wanted to add to what the "Lord's " church is.

For instance they wanted to add organs and pianos Which God Does not command us to use in worship to him. The church split up and then the moving away from the New Testament church got worse and worse until today there are hundreds if not thousands of different denominations.

The Church of Christ is based on the New Testament Church that Christ died for.. He said I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Unity is stressed over and over in the N.T. Being a part of the ONE BODY which is Christ. He is the foundation.

God wants us to all come together in one unity.

God tell us exactly how he wants and commands to be worshipped;

Gather together every first day of the week Hebrews10:25;James4:17;Ephesians2:10; Titus3:8
Remember his death, burial and ressurection by partaking of the Lord's supper every first day of the week. Acts 20:7; Matthew 26:26,27,28; 1 Corinthians 11:23,24,25,26,27,28
Music is to be vocal: Ephesians 5:19 1Corinthians 14:15; Colossians 3:16
Christians need to hear, believe, repent, confess, and be baptized by immersion.( Romans 6:1,2,3,4) Romans 10:17 Hebrews 11:6 Acts 17:30 Romans 10:9,10 Acts 2:38 Acts 22:16 Galatians 3:26,27 1 Peter 3:21 Mark 16:15,16 Luke 13:3

God is most important and that is why we need to study and make sure we are not adding to or taking away from God's own words. Read Rev.22

God does not accept all worship, He says In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrine the commandments of men.

We have to worship God the way he tells us to or not do it at all because he will not and does not accept VAIN WORSHIP.

Answer 4

Usually when a pastor says a church is dying, it simply means it has lost the congregation and a lot of churches are going to two separate services. One for traditional and one for contemporary. Anything that can allow a church to grow and glorify God would be a good thing. Many churches are losing members, sometimes because of the pastor and sometimes because they are not bringing in young people. Unfortunately, most people other than the pastor run the church. (The elders, the bishops, etc.)I feel that is sad but it works that way in most denominations. Since I am unfamiliar with your church or your pastor, I would go with your own feelings. Pray about it and an answer will be given to you.

Answer 5

the first question is Why? is the church dying? i am a preacher for a Baptist church. the churches should be teaching from the Bible, the Bible said Luke 12 that everything will be seen and cant be hiden. it is confusing but i will pray that God Leads you to a New place. I good Church should be loving, warm and teach from the bible. the bible should be your rule of thumb. sometime Gods word makes you feel bad , make you feel that he is talking strate to you without you telling your problems to anyone. gods word is going to uplift you. In Peter jesus told him Get behind me satan but he wasnt talking to satan he was talking to Peter because peter wasnt obeying God. the church is made up of ALL of the People not just the Peacher and Deacons its every member has the same right to church matters. if you need help finding a good church in your area just email me and i will send you some that i know of. I believe in the bible and i allow him to lead. hope this helps. also the church can only die if the LORD allows it to and the only way that is if the church has left it's first love (Rev 2:1-8)

In love of christ

Answer 6

Well, its kinda hard to answer without more details. I have been in many churches and two new church start-ups. I can understand that in some old churches the older members do not want to change anything, but you must to keep the church alive. Maybe the only way is to let the old one die and start a new one. However if it is all for the wrong reason-then it is all wrong.
But, still, I don't have enough information to advise you. Only thing I can say is you need to know all you can about your church.

Answer 7

Yeah, some religions hold their churches in high standards, but a quick little note for you from a Druid. You don't need a church to have a religion. I celebrate my religion in the forests, the hills, the desert, where ever nature happens to find me. If you church fails, it fails, it was obviously meant to do so. Fate is a funny thing sometimes.

But just don't think that because there is no building, that there isn't a faith. You can always have religion, even if all you do is pray within the confines of your own home.

Answer 8

is the church's past problems simply rooted in a building? will a simple move solve anything? it's likely to be expensive to fix up another place as you'd like it.

The fact is, except for some of the more evangelical groups (so far; even they will likely run out of steam), a lot of congragations are dwindling. Trust in organizations diminishes; individual spirituality is becoming the norm.

If your attendance is down to a few, you may want to piggy-back onto another church, sharing facilties and having services at different times than theirs. That way, both you and the other church can help each other out.

Answer 9

Yeesh. Lying about something won't make it go away. The truth will ALWAYS come to light, and most will be able to see through the lie to begin with.

A church that is lead by one man, with no accounting, is being led by that man - not God.

Answer 10

Time to stop "playing church" and come home to Orthodoxy, the Roman Catholic Church or some church that has roots in Apostolic Succession. Sorry, my sister....but all I see in your post is confusion. Satan is the author of confusion.

Come home.