SIGNS OF DEAD CHURCH

By Odon Bulamba

1. Have lost their sense of mission to those who have not heard about Jesus Christ and do not pant after the Great Commission – (care less for the lost souls and want to see the church full of physical representation members) 

2. They are concerned about social change than they are about seeing people changed by the power of God.

3. Exist primarily to provide fellowship for the "members of the club" – preach what pleases to members than telling them the truth

4. Expect their pastors to focus primarily on ministering to the members' personal spiritual needs (formalities, rituals) than God’s recommendation;

5. Design ministry to meet the needs of their members than the need of God;

6. Have no idea about the needs of the "stranger outside the gates;"

7. Are focused more on the past accomplishment than the future and satisfied with its present state;

8. Often experience major forms of conflict;

9. Is more concerned with material growth than it is with spiritual growth (church is more concerned with pleasing men than pleasing God)

10. A dying church is one that loses its conviction that the Bible is the Word of God. They accept some parts and reject others. Policies, point of views and rules have replaced the Bible

11.  The often use corrupted Bibles to cover their nakedness

RESURRECTING A CHURCH

1. The church turns outward in its focus.
2. Jesus, not the institution, will become the object of our affection.
3. The Great Commission will become our mandate, and we will measure everything we do by how many new converts we make rather than whether we have a black bottom line.
4. Membership in the Kingdom will replace membership in the church.
5. Pastors will cease being chaplains of pastoral care and will become modern-day apostles of Jesus Christ.
6. And those who try to control the church with an iron fist or intimidate the church at every turn of the road will be shown the door.

N.B. Jesus’ advice to Sardis is on top of the list (Revelation 3:1-6)

More Signs of a Dead Church:

1. Don’t start on time
2. No opening or closing prayer
3. Leaders are unprepared
4. A loud minority runs the church
5. Slogans in church to praise the leader(s) rather than God
6. What they say, more than what is right or wrong
7. Complain about what’s wrong, but never how to fix it God’s way
8. Tell what to do but not how to do it
9. No order/silence in church (Habakkuk 2:20)
10. Act like they are perfect and others are not
11. Take credit for others work
12. Always looking for glory and honor
13. Members aren’t allowed to make final decision in any matter including personal life
14. Want the praise too much (anything done in your life, you have to testify in front of the church that they prayed for you)
15. No appreciation given for those that do serve the Lord
16. Censure of all preaching
17. No effort to bring anyone
18. All messages are about physical church projects
19. Discipline without love
20. Uncomfortable talking about the things of God
21. Most of them don’t carry bibles to church programmes
22. Little or no spiritual activities
23. Before praying you have to ask for leaders permission
24. Preacher not given a raise in pay
25. Not aware of other servants needs
26. No goals, programmes or church objectives for the coming season
27. Working without understanding for whom they are working
28. They have lost their first love
29. Lukewarm
30. Afraid and unfaithful
31. Tolerate sin and name it error or mistake
32. False teaching and no repentance
33. Asleep
34. Respect for the wealthy more than others
35. Not aware of God’s plan
36. Minimal knowledge of the Bible
37. No calling out or crying out to God
38. Division
39. Cliques
40. Emphasis on social rather than spiritual
41. Rejection of spiritual ideas (‘this belong to old time’)
42. Resistance to change
43. It won’t work here syndrome
44. Everything seems too much of an effort
45. Not willing to give any time
46. They are birds of same color
47. Sacrifice is out of the question
48. Not familiar with the danger of apostasy (backsliding)
49. Don’t know how to fix it
50. Blame each other
51. Not willing to take a stand for anything
52. Isolation from other churches
53. Against new ministers
54. Against revelation and the work of the Holy Ghost among them
55. Dislike new songs
56. Not against sin                        
57. Sunday school is socialization
58. Pastor(s) dominated by leadership - often wealthy people/elders
59. Problems poorly handled, ignored or magnified unless you are wealthy
60. No plans for growth
61. Little or no show of love for new comers
62. Curious to know your life – if rich you’re warmly welcomed. If poor no fellowship
63. Competition in ministering
64. Threats to kick believers out of the system
65. Forget the purpose of the church
66. Church priorities are unclear and confused
67. Lose touch with God
68. Fail to seek God’s advice and direction
69. Bitterness, hatred and a lack of forgiveness
70. Critical with a focus on people mistakes
71. Holy Ghost is not accepted to act
72. The joy of salvation and serving Jesus is lost
73. Routine, rut, ritual and action without meaning
74. Problems are not looked at as opportunities to learn from
75. Things are thrown together and done second class with God getting the leftovers
76. Confusion
77. Disorganization
78. Signs of end of time are not known or recognized by most of their members                       
79. No soul winning
80. Power struggle among the leaders
81. Preachers expect salary that eternal crown
82. Worship team likes to be glorified than God
83. Some worship team members don’t know Christ – they’re unsaved
84. Life is taken for granted
85. There’s no testimony of what God is doing in lives
86. Visitors feel that the church is cold and dead
87. Lack of unity
88. Birthday are loudly celebrated in church that a worship song
89. Long prayers for wealthy members and short ones for poor
90. Not meeting the needs of the church or the community
91. No equipping of Christians for ministry
92. No discernment
93. Pastors and elders are not teachers
94. Sermons lack power
95. No Biblical application to everyday life
96. No fear of God
97. Giving is minimal, few tithers
98. No missions or constant struggle against any giving outside the local congregation         The Biblical purposes of the church are lost
99. Church becomes family property or business entity
100. Canceling services
101. Much gossip and backbiting