Last week, the session of the Good Shepherd church where I have been preaching voted to close the doors. I had only been with this congregation for a little over two months. During that time, we have laughed, prayed, and wept together. I have become very fond of them.
The reason for the closing comes down ultimately to money and people. The church had been living under a tremendous overhead--more than four thousand a month. When I arrived, the numbers had dwindled to about twenty-five. the lease runs out at the end of the month. We had found a place to go, but when it came close to the time to make a move, many of the original people decided that they were either unable or just too tired to make another move. So next Sunday will be their last.
There has been a steady stream of trucks coming up to the church, picking up items that will go to many other churches. My old church got new choir chairs. A Liberian Christian church will get a piano. A half dozen churches will profit financially from what this church had.
I thank God for Good Shepherd church and all its members. Even till the very end, it never became a depressed, self-absorbed fellowship. the people genuinely love others. They genuinely love Christ. They are wonderful prayers and lovers. they have embraced all kinds of people, from the mayor of the town to the homeless people on the street. They have nothing to be ashamed of as a group.
The really sad part about this closing is that it will make four churches I have seen close in a year. It seems to be a trend.
It is not surprising. We are living in a different world than the one we lived in when I was young. In this world, church is not part of the lives of the majority of people. The social Christianity that sustained a plethora of churches across the country is passing away, In its place is a hard, secular world that is hostile to institutional Christianity.
The only good thing I can say about all this is that maybe it will cause us as Christians to rethink what church is supposed to be. it was never intended to be an institution. It is a life, a way of living. That is why Christians were originally called the Way. We have been building buildings. We should have been building people.
As for the Good Shepherd church, it will never end. It will go on, because the people in it are alive.
Take a fire and spread its' sparks. The weak ones will go out, but the strong ones will start new fires. Scatter a church and the same things happens. Those who were insincere will stay away from organized religion or sink into the background. but when we are on fire for Christ, we will share that fire everywhere we go.
Good Shepherd is gone, but Good shepherd people are just beginning to spread the love of Christ. What a fire they will start wherever they go!
The reason for the closing comes down ultimately to money and people. The church had been living under a tremendous overhead--more than four thousand a month. When I arrived, the numbers had dwindled to about twenty-five. the lease runs out at the end of the month. We had found a place to go, but when it came close to the time to make a move, many of the original people decided that they were either unable or just too tired to make another move. So next Sunday will be their last.
There has been a steady stream of trucks coming up to the church, picking up items that will go to many other churches. My old church got new choir chairs. A Liberian Christian church will get a piano. A half dozen churches will profit financially from what this church had.
I thank God for Good Shepherd church and all its members. Even till the very end, it never became a depressed, self-absorbed fellowship. the people genuinely love others. They genuinely love Christ. They are wonderful prayers and lovers. they have embraced all kinds of people, from the mayor of the town to the homeless people on the street. They have nothing to be ashamed of as a group.
The really sad part about this closing is that it will make four churches I have seen close in a year. It seems to be a trend.
It is not surprising. We are living in a different world than the one we lived in when I was young. In this world, church is not part of the lives of the majority of people. The social Christianity that sustained a plethora of churches across the country is passing away, In its place is a hard, secular world that is hostile to institutional Christianity.
The only good thing I can say about all this is that maybe it will cause us as Christians to rethink what church is supposed to be. it was never intended to be an institution. It is a life, a way of living. That is why Christians were originally called the Way. We have been building buildings. We should have been building people.
As for the Good Shepherd church, it will never end. It will go on, because the people in it are alive.
Take a fire and spread its' sparks. The weak ones will go out, but the strong ones will start new fires. Scatter a church and the same things happens. Those who were insincere will stay away from organized religion or sink into the background. but when we are on fire for Christ, we will share that fire everywhere we go.
Good Shepherd is gone, but Good shepherd people are just beginning to spread the love of Christ. What a fire they will start wherever they go!
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