A BONEYARD + A BREATH = A BATTALION (7 OF 9)
Scripture: Ezekiel 37:1-14
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A Boneyard + A Breath = A Battalion (7 of 9)
Series: Missions
J. Gerald Harris
Ezekiel 37:1-14
Here are eight clues indicating that a church is dead:
1. Have lost their sense of mission to those who have not heard about Jesus Christ and do not pant after the Great Commission
2. Exist primarily to provide fellowship for the "members of the club"
3. Expect their pastors to focus primarily on ministering to the members' personal spiritual needs
4. Design ministry to meet the needs of their members
5. Have no idea about the needs of the "stranger outside the gates"
6. Are focused more on the past than the future
7. Often experience major forms of conflict.
8. And watch the bottom line of the financial statement more than the number of professions of faith 16
Bill Easum
To ever experience a genuine life changing, spiritual revival would be difficult for the average suburban church-going American family. The American family of the 21st century is maxed out commitment wise. Every ounce of energy, every moment of time, every dollar of income, and every modicum of ability is basically committed to the hilt.
The typical suburbanite is an industrious person. Many suburban Americans leave home at six o'clock in the morning, drive for an hour to get downtown to work, and come dragging in at six or seven o'clock in the evening. The workload being carried by those engaged by corporate America is tremendously demanding. The philosophy is: "get all you can, can all you get, sit on the lid and poison the rest." 'Work' is the word inscribed upon every rung on the ladder to success.
The work habits of the average American are inspired by a materialistic view of life. The quest for things is becoming a matter of increasing importance. Most folks in our society spend the first half of their lives trying to accumulate "things" and the last half of their lives trying to keep people from taking those "things" away. Even in the Sunday worship experi ...
Series: Missions
J. Gerald Harris
Ezekiel 37:1-14
Here are eight clues indicating that a church is dead:
1. Have lost their sense of mission to those who have not heard about Jesus Christ and do not pant after the Great Commission
2. Exist primarily to provide fellowship for the "members of the club"
3. Expect their pastors to focus primarily on ministering to the members' personal spiritual needs
4. Design ministry to meet the needs of their members
5. Have no idea about the needs of the "stranger outside the gates"
6. Are focused more on the past than the future
7. Often experience major forms of conflict.
8. And watch the bottom line of the financial statement more than the number of professions of faith 16
Bill Easum
To ever experience a genuine life changing, spiritual revival would be difficult for the average suburban church-going American family. The American family of the 21st century is maxed out commitment wise. Every ounce of energy, every moment of time, every dollar of income, and every modicum of ability is basically committed to the hilt.
The typical suburbanite is an industrious person. Many suburban Americans leave home at six o'clock in the morning, drive for an hour to get downtown to work, and come dragging in at six or seven o'clock in the evening. The workload being carried by those engaged by corporate America is tremendously demanding. The philosophy is: "get all you can, can all you get, sit on the lid and poison the rest." 'Work' is the word inscribed upon every rung on the ladder to success.
The work habits of the average American are inspired by a materialistic view of life. The quest for things is becoming a matter of increasing importance. Most folks in our society spend the first half of their lives trying to accumulate "things" and the last half of their lives trying to keep people from taking those "things" away. Even in the Sunday worship experi ...
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