Why Churches Die
Sometimes mail is returned with the words, “In-sufficient Postage” or “Addressee Unknown,” stamped on it. I once heard about a piece of mail which was re-turned and stamped “Deceased.” It had been addressed to the church! There is an actual reference in the New Testament to a church which was “deceased.” It is the church at Sardis (Rev. 3:1-6). Sardis had the name that it was alive, but it was a dead church (Rev. 3:1). Sardis was not condemned for preaching false doctrine as was Pergamos. Nor was Sardis rebuked for the practice of immorality as was Thyatira. The problem with Sardis was that she looked good, but she was a spiritual grave-yard. She met regularly and gave the appearance of good work, but Sardis was dead.
Why do churches die? Among other causes is the fact that churches die when they lose their spirituality. Paul wrote, “To be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life…” (Rom. 8:6). The loss of spirituality includes the following:
When a church is more concerned with money than ministry…
When a church is more concerned with programs than people…
When a church is ore concerned with land than love…
When a church is concerned with what is fashionable instead of
what is faithful…
When a church is concerned with fussing and friction instead of for-
giveness and friendliness…
When a church is concerned with picking at one another instead of
praying for one another…
When a church is concerned with the traditions of men instead of
the truth of God…
Sardis died because she lost her spirituality. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 3:6).
-Charles C. Pugh, III
