"When Churches Close Their Doors"

I read this blog today at Monday Morning Insight. Read it first and then check out the comments. I thought the comment by bishopdave was right on...

Churches die for various reasons. Community demographics are a big player in urban/suburban areas--it's very difficult to accept the reality of people not like us are needing to become part of our fellowship/club. We lose the vision of why we are here. Sometimes, though sad, a church needs to die. Sell the property to another group (ethnic) that can reach that community.

Here's a thought--maybe dying is natural. If we're a body, then bodies eventually die. Maybe they need to. Someday, the church at Antioch, despite it's missionary zeal, died. So did the megachurch in Jerusalem. But when it dies it is reborn somewhere else, cause the Holy Spirit is going to continue. Maybe it's dying as a whole here in the USA, but in other places in the (third) world it is prospering like we've never seen it in this country. It's ok if we are no longer the world capitol of Christ. It doesn't mean God is dead. Jesus'Church won't die. Saddleback & Willow Creek eventually will, as will my church. The key is to reinvest those resources in the kingdom, as that's what the Holy Spirit seems to be doing in the world today.

Great comment. I've been thinking about this a lot over the past couple of years (having experienced a church's death). I think a lot of our negative emotional reaction is predicated on the premise that a particular local body is supposed to continue forever. But the reality is, how many 100 year old churches do you know of?

I really think the biggest sign of a healthy church is its desire and ability to reproduce. Birth, reproduction, death. That's life.

Anyway, I'll try and share some thoughts on this stuff later.