Every Church is Dying

From the archives:

It struck me this week that every church is a dying church in some sense:

• Some churches are literally dying. They are slowly losing people and will likely shut down.
• Some churches are glitzy and successful. They look vibrant and alive, but they’re really only alive to themselves and their institution. They look alive, but they’re dying and they don’t know it.
• Then there’s the church that could be big or small, glitzy or drab, that dies to itself daily – that has taken up the cross and is more concerned with following Christ, no matter what it costs, than its survival.

All churches are dying. Only the third type of church will experience a resurrection.