3-11-26 –
Too many people, too many churches are living in a procrastination type of life. Webster’s dictionary: procrastinate- #1 to put off repeatedly; #2 to keep postponing something supposed to be done.
I have been blest to live 79 years, preached 44 years, pastored three churches, and been on call for pulpit supply since 2017. In my travels to several churches, a lot of them are in trouble, and please don’t get mad, but I hope you realize the condition you have gotten into is a type of procrastination. I have ten churches in my area (50-mile radius) on my prayer list that don’t have pastors. When I ask questions about ,”have you found a new pastor or what are you doing about this?”, I get the same answers from a lot of them. “Well, we have not formed a pulpit committee, or, we are just waiting on the right person to come along, or, some just say simply, we are not doing anything.” And I see their church attendance stagnant or dwindling.
Now I will probably make someone mad, but the main problem is that the church members are procrastinating, go back to the first paragraph, and read it again. They are comfortable just sitting there and waiting for someone else to do something. God didn’t intend for his children to retire! I am reminded of stories of how old farmers used to have large families and as soon as the children got big enough to work they were expected to help with the chores, help cut the firewood in the fall, carry in wood or coal in the winter, go to the well or spring and carry water for the house, help raise crops in the summer and help harvest the crops in the early fall. Now thinking on this we realize that God expects us to help with his churches. We are his children and expected to work in his kingdom.
We hear of famines in foreign countries, about starving children, and it stirs our hearts that some are living in these conditions. Now what about the churches, we have been warned in Amos 8:11-12 Behold the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: V12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it. Friends we are there now!
We are seeing churches closing at an alarming rate because they just can’t keep the bills paid, utilities, church maintenance, pastors’ salary, pastors expenses, etc. My friends one of the main causes is procrastination. We are sitting by and watching our churches die. Now my question to you is, “Why Sit Here Until We Die?” Lets ask God to stir up our hearts and fill them with the Holy Spirit that we might see our efforts help churches out of this situation.
Friends, please put at the top of your prayer list, churches without pastors. It is getting harder all the time to find someone that has been called to the ministry. Please pray that more young men will answer the call. Until next week ,may God bless you and keep you on the firing line for Christ.
If you would like to get in touch with me text/call 606-481-0444.
Bro. Warren Rogers
Baptist preacher
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