1 Chronicles 12:32 from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do—200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command;
The statistics are alarming today. Churches are closing all over the country. Sociologists are trying to figure this out. It is the thing that is driving denominational leaders crazy.
Here are a few facts:
* 4,000 churches close their doors every year in the United States, that is well over 300 per month.
* 3,500 people leave the church every single day.
* Since 1950 there are 1/3 fewer churches in the U.S.
This is far different from the advent of television around that time which closed 5,000 movie theaters in America, yet there are similarities
There is a rise of spectacular new churches popping up. We give thanks to the LORD for the people coming to know Christ through them, or returning to the faith. Kenny in Peter Pan last Sunday evening when Pastor Mark Kiesel and I prayed.
Yet the bottom line is 50% of the people in those churches have left other churches. I have chased some back in recently to where they left from.
Why do I share these things?
1. We need to be aware of what is going on in our nation.
2. We need to understand what is happening in our church here.
3. We need to change some things and keep some things just as they are.
Look at this verse again in I Chronicles 12.32 The men of Issachar understood the times and knew what Israel should do.
We need to be like them!
We need to understand the times. The End of the World as we know it...
The word understand means knowledge, meaning, wisdom
What is going on:
The end of the world as we know it.
What is happening here... a brief history lesson is in order of our church.
1946
1970 I was attracted to this church because of the large youth group.
1984 Not a single young person here!
31 years ago chosen to become pastor here
2015
More people on our board born outside the US than in it.
People have moved. People have died. We are all getting older.
On July 15, 1960 while I was sleeping after my fourth birthday celebration, on the other side of the country in the Los Angeles Coliseum, a young 43 year old American by he name of John F. Kennedy was giving his acceptance speech for the nomination of his party for President of the United States. In it he said: Today our concern must be with that future. For the world is changing. The old era is ending. The old ways will not do.
What is up ahead: challenges we must address.
What aill not change:
The LORD.
His Word and our commitment to it.
Sunday and Bible Studies.
Praying church.
The love we share.
Our work in Haiti.
What will change:
.
We need to make room for the technology. I know some of you hate it. I am not asking you to love it, just allow it and do not complain about it.
Example Haiti would not be happening if it were not for our Group on FB. Theresas idea... we need to listen to Kevin and Joseph more.
Crude example: Target Self Serve
We must do some changes.
Minor having the Christmas Dinner on December 11th in the evening.
Cafe look downstairs.
We need to add to what we are doing.
We need to know what must be done.
Learning...
Youth and children
Alternatives... Connection Cafe in Maryland
My moms church
Bridge Church in Malverne
Bud Reedy in York
We need to understand the times and what we as the people of God, the Church of Christ should do.
Story of Mission Revolutions
Paul, the apostle
Hudson Taylor
Bob Pierce
Our existence can be traced to Paul, the church at Rome.
Haiti is what Hudson Taylor did.
We are sending out shoe boxes put together with our hands.
All of these people were thought to be out of their minds and made fun of by their contemporaries.
We need to keep our eyes fixed upon Jesus as well as our hearts open to the Holy Spirit. He will lead us and guide us. The past few years have brought great financial challenge. Now God is answering prayers, not the way we had envisoned He would but in a completely different way.
The focus has been on survival monetarily speaking. We talked way too much about this. It has nearly consumed us. As we began to pray God answered.
The Hand of God was upon Ezra. You read it this week:
Ezra 7
The Hand of God:
* A Providing Hand 7.6; 8.18
* A Protecting Hand 8.22; 31
* An Encouraging Hand 7.28
* A Guiding Hand 7.9
His Hand is upon us today. It has been upon us in Haiti.
Now we need turn our attention to ministry and mission here...
With His Hand upon us we need to turn our hands to the spiritual work before us.
John F Kennedy concluded his speech with these words:
As we face the coming challenge, we too shall wait upon the LORD, and ask that He renew our strength. Then shall we be equal to the test. Then we shall not be weary. And we shall prevail.
Luke 5:37-39 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’”
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