MIA AND AWOL

From My Perspective - - - 

Questions regarding the church and how worship services are structured should be addressed: (1) Why do we even have a Worship Service?  (2) Does the Bible mandate that we have one? (3) Or, do we just do it because it is traditional, or (4) because it seems the early church met and we are following their lead in meeting together on the first day of the week?  (5) And those elements of the service that we deem to be important – are they important because the Bible mandates that they be done (in a worship service) or (6) because they sprang out of the Reformation? Another question that could be added would be: (7) Does the commission of the Lord Jesus Christ, or anything in The Book of Acts, include and/or require all of the forms and inclusions of a modern day worship service? It would beg the question to debate formal, or traditional, or contemporary - that is not the issue. All of these forms have become acceptable and, in some instances, required norms. For instance (and regrettably), in some church situations, one would not want to omit The Lord’s Prayer or The Apostle’s Creed, as well as the Gloria Patri or The Doxology from a particular church’s worship service,

The Fuller Institute and The Barna Group have compiled data regarding the state of the church overall. It indicates: “Approximately 85% of churches in America have less than 200 people. 60% of churches are under 100 people. The average size congregation in the U.S. is 89 people. 4,000 new churches begin each year and 7,000 churches close; Over 1,700 pastors left the ministry every month last year; Over 3,500 people a day left the church last year. 50% of pastors feel so discouraged that they would leave the ministry if they could; 45.5% of pastors say that they've experienced depression or burnout to the extent that they needed to take a leave of absence from ministry. Too often, the church that is supposed to be a place that manifests peace, unity, and harmony is more of a war zone marked by disunity, criticism and hostility. 

The analysis of the modern church touches on the subject of weariness on the part of one who believes he was called to be a Pastor.“50% of the ministers starting out will not last five years. 70% felt God called them to pastoral ministry before their ministry began, but after three years of ministry, only 50% still felt called. There are also Frustrations and Disappointments that come in many ways. Because of smaller congregations, the average compensation package for pastors is between $35,000 and $40,000. Many pastors work hard but are missing some kind of X-factor. They are good people, sincere believers, love God, know the Word, have great content in their sermons, but somehow it’s not clicking.” Sometimes a congregation will have some exclusive cliques. An exclusive clique will be critical about the leadership of the church and are hostile toward a Pastor or his efforts. Some of the above paragraphs may be a reason why so many are in the category of MIA (Missing in Action) or AWOL (Absent With Out Leave). People can sense unrest and quickly learn who the management individuals are in a local setting. Rather than allowing themselves to become critical, people choose to go elsewhere or just stop attending altogether. There’s enough hostility and hatred in the world. It definitely is not needed in the Biblical Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. And yet, bitterness, wrath, anger, malice and evil speaking go unchecked and is never dealt with.

What should be the focus and interactional ministry in a local church situation. It would be good to remember a portion of the prayer offered by the Lord Jesus Christ in John 17:11, “And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.” There also needs to be the application of Acts 2:42-44,“And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.And all who believed were together and had all things in common.” We can and should be doing better. Consider these things with me!