Jan 29, 2023
Why Churches Fail
The Seven Churches in Revelation.
- The Church of Ephesus: The Church that Has Abandoned Its Love for Christ and His Teachings (Revelation 2:1-7)
- The Church of Smyrna: The Church that Remains Faithful Amidst Persecution (Revelation 2:8-11)
- The Church of Pergamum: The Church that Compromises Its Beliefs (Revelation 2:12-17)
- The Church of Thyatira: The Church that Follows False Prophets (Revelation 2:18-29)
- The Church of Sardis: The Church that is Spiritually Dead (Revelation 3:1-6)
- The Church of Philadelphia: The Church that Patiently Endured Despite Weaknesses (Revelation 3:7-13)
- The Church of Laodicea: The Church with a Lukewarm Faith (Revelation 3:14-22)
Churches that have their pastor’s face or in the south US, husband and wife teams, about their church, but not the times and contact info.
People are dying out here and the church is called to make a difference. We are not.
Why Most Churches Fail?
A failing church is not by attendance, numbers, money or prestige, a failing church is where no souls are saved, no members are edified, they don’t grow, they don’t become disciples of Christ, they don’t evangelize, there is no passion for praying, maintenance is trumping mission work, volunteering, management is replacing leadership, older people are not supporting younger ones to lead Behind every vibrant church you find leaders with a vibrant faith. We become double minded, there are us vs them predictable services the community doesn’t get served or impacted.
Self exam.
EVALUATE your faith
Tremble and do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.~ Psalm 4:4
Matthew 7:15-20
New King James Version
You Will Know Them by Their Fruits
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
The Fruits of the Spirit in the Bible
The phrase “fruit of the spirit” comes from Galatians 5:22-23:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is
- love,
- joy,
- peace,
- forbearance,
- kindness,
- goodness,
- faithfulness,
- gentleness
- and self-control.
fruit” usually means fruit in the sense of edible fruits and vegetables, but it can also be translated as offspring, deed, action, result, or profit.
John 13:34-35
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
There are a lot of trees and vegetation. Not all are edible. There are a lot of people that go and spend a lot of time in church but they are not disciples of God. They speak and sing, some even preach but they are not of God. They are for themselves mostly. They have been taught wrong. They are ignorant. They are barren, fruitless and prickly.
You ever been stuck by a prickly church person. They hurt you when you were already hurting? They made you wonder if you belonged here?
Church people are the worse.
2 Timothy 3:5
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
2 Timothy 3
3 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with diverse lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as their's also was.
10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Who was Timothy?
Timothy, the recipient of the two New Testament letters bearing
his name, was the son of a Greek father and a Jewish mother. He
joined Paul during one of Paul’s later missionary journeys. Paul
addresses Timothy as "my true son in the faith" (1 Timothy 1:2). He
was probably no older than late teens/early twenties when he joined
Paul but had already distinguished himself as faithful, and the
elders noticed him. He probably heard and responded to the gospel
when Paul came through the area of Derbe and Lystra on
his first missionary journey, but we don’t know for sure. Timothy
served as Paul’s representative to several churches (1 Corinthians
4:17; Philippians 2:19), and he was later a pastor in Ephesus
(1 Timothy 1:3). Timothy is also mentioned as being with Paul when
Paul wrote several New Testament letters—2 Corinthians,
Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, and Philemon.
Paul says Timothy had a “genuine faith,” the same as that which
lived in his mother and grandmother (2 Timothy 1:1–5). Eunice and
Lois prepared Timothy’s heart to accept Christ by teaching Timothy
the Old Testament Scriptures and preparing him “from infancy” to
recognize the Messiah when He appeared (2 Timothy 3:15). When Paul
came preaching Christ, all three accepted his teaching and
committed their lives to the Savior. We, too, must prepare our
children to be ready when Christ moves in their hearts. They must
know how to recognize that pull on their spirits as coming from the
Savior, and the only way to do that is to follow the example of
Eunice and Lois and teach our children the Word of God.
In Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he gave him instructions and
advice for leading the church. He also exhorted Timothy not to let
others look down upon him due to his youth, but to set an example
for other believers "in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and
in purity" (1 Timothy 4:12). Paul told Timothy to be devoted to
reading Scripture, exhorting, and teaching, and to not neglect the
gift that he had been given. Paul also counseled Timothy to keep a
close watch on himself. These instructions remain pertinent to
believers today. We, too, are called to "pursue righteousness,
godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good
fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were
called when you made your good confession in the presence of many
witnesses" (1 Timothy 6:11–12).
It seems that Timothy had a chronic illness that required some
attention (1 Timothy 5:23). Paul counseled him on a change of diet
to aid the relief of his condition. From this example we learn that
it is not always God’s will to heal a person miraculously;
sometimes, healing comes through more “natural” means, if it comes
at all.
In his second letter to Timothy, Paul warned Timothy about the
false teachers that he would encounter and tells him to continue in
the things he has learned because he knows the character of those
he learned them from, namely Paul himself and his mother and
grandmother (2 Timothy 3:14–15). The truths Timothy was taught from
infancy—truths about sin and our need for a Savior—were able to
make him “wise for salvation” (2 Timothy 3:15). As parents, we are
to prepare our children to distinguish truth from error. And as
believers, we are to stand firm in the truth we have learned, not
being surprised or swayed by opposition and false teachers.
Paul also told Timothy, to "do your best to present yourself to God
as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who
correctly handles the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). This advice
is crucial for all Christians. "All Scripture is God-breathed and
is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly
equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Paul counseled
Timothy, his "dear son" (2 Timothy 1:2), from a heart of love,
wanting Timothy to stand firm in his own faith and to lead the
other believers well. Timothy certainly seems to have been
faithful; we should follow his example.
25 Duties of a True Christian
No doubt about it, If one is to be a true christian then there
many responsibilities that come with that title. Christians should
present themselves in a certain way. You may be able to know a real
christian by the way they walk and talk. Let see how many of these
duties reflect our daily lives. Is it only a few or all of
them?
FEAR God
Do not take advantage of each other, but fear your God. I am
the Lord your God.~ Leviticus 25:17
GLORIFY his name
Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I
have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” ~ John
12:28
INVITE others 2 Christ, to worship with you.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God
that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew,
then to the Gentile. ~ Romans 1:16
JUDGE no one
Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ~ Matthew 7:1
ZIP your lips ~ But I tell you
that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for
every empty word they have spoken. For by
your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be
condemned. ~ Matthew 12:36-37
LOVE one another
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so
you must love one another. ~ John 13:34
MEDIATE in silence
Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.~ Psalm
62:5
NEVER deny God
But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my
Father in heaven.~ Matthew 10:33
OBEY God's commandments
It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must
revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to
him.~ Deuteronomy 13:4
PRAY for one another
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other
so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is
powerful and effective.~ James 5:16
READ the Bible
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in righteousness. ~ 2 Timothy 3:16
SANG songs of praise
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.
Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord. ~ Ephesians
5:19
TALK in truth
These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other,
and render true and sound judgment in your courts.~ Zechariah
8:16
UNITE in unity
How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in
unity! ~ Psalm 133:1
VALIDATE your faith
For we live by faith, not by sight. ~ 2 Corinthians 5:7
WORSHIP in spirit & truth
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in
truth. ~ John 4:24
In 2023, I asking you to read the entire bible. To pray at least once a day.
Talk to God. Not jabber religious stuff. Worship God with your
whole self. Return
to the person you were called to be. Watch your language, your
gossiping, your interest in everybody’s business. Take care of your
own.
Giving Links
Zelle -
pastor@SpeakLifeChurch.net
https://www.patreon.com/speaklifechurchpodcast
You can support the ministry by check or money order by sending it
to Speak Life Church, 14713 Kent Drive, Upper Marlboro, MD
20772
Rev. Kenn Blanchard
240-200-0713