Churches Going Under!

With the statistic of 7 churches closing daily in the US, I made the comment to the congregation this past Sunday, "Debi and I have spent the past 20 years here at the Vine trying to keep the doors open!" lol, of course I was kidding.

What can close the doors of churches?

1. No new converts! Most of the church growth in America is transfer growth! We Pastors pat ourselves on the back and shout church growth forgetting that our church grew at the expense of another church losing members. We need to get back to the basics and win souls!

2. Bad financial decisions. Debt! Our desire to build bigger and better is killing us. Read below:

‘It's happening to virtually every church,’ says Rev. Grainger Browning, senior pastor at Ebenezer AME Church. He is not talking about conversions to Christ or acts of kindness. He is talking about church foreclosures. A growing number of churches in the US are facing foreclosure, particularly as the economic depression continues and donations have decreased. Many churches, like individuals and families, took advantage of cheap loans, gambling on a good real estate market. Statistics indicate that the number of churches facing foreclosure has tripled since December 2007 and more than 100 churches have declared bankruptcy in the last twelve months.

3. Immorality of the Pastor! Need I say more?

Don't become a casualty and statistic!