EMPTY PEWS

THE DAY CHRISTIANS WILL STOP PRACTICING THEIR FAITH

Exclusive: Jake McCandless relates church-attendance stats to Jesus' words in Matt. 24

Jesus warned in Matthew 24:10 that many would turn away from the faith. In my latest book, “Spiritual Prepper,” I argue that although we may or may not be at the turning away – we are definitely living in time where there is a turning away.

This evidence is expressed in Barna’s 2016 research that only 41 percent of professed Christians in America practice their faith – 

along with author David Sanford’s assertion that 42 million professed Christians who once attended church no longer do. These numbers are staggering.

Now, church attendance is not the epitome of our faith, but as the Barna Group concluded in its research, along with others, it does seem to indicate if one is practicing his or her faith.

In the Barna Group’s research, one of they ways they classified practicing one’s faith was by regular church attendance. The findings should not be surprising, since American church attendance has been on the decline. 

Though ABC News reported through a study the network conducted that 83 percent of Americans claimed to be Christian, 

David Olson’s extensive study through the American Church Research Project concluded that only 17.5 percent of Americans are in attendance on any given weekend (“The American Church in Crisis,” p. 28). Yet this Sunday, according to CNN, we can expect around 51 percent of Americans in church for Easter services. Lifeway Research concludes its possible for attendance to be as high as 61 percent.

So, this Sunday 51-61 percent of Americans will be in church. The next Sunday there will be roughly 17.5 percent of Americans.

What happens?

What significant challenge to the faith will American Christians face the following week?

In Matthew 24, Jesus warns that persecution will be the leading cause of those who turn away. Yet, the missing 33-43 percent will not face persecution. What is going on here?

I know the Easter Sunday attendance spike is old hat. In my 20 years of ministry, it is just what happens. We prepare for it. Easter Sunday is treated as the proverbial Super Bowl for churches. 

But this is only “old hat” at this point in history and in America. 

This was surely not the case for the early church. 

It has rarely been the case in the history of Christianity, and is not the case in other parts of the world – especially the places where it is dangerous for Christians to gather for worship.

This should at least make us wonder, are we doing things right?

And if we do even just a little soul searching, it will become apparent that we have created a unique brand of Christianity – one where Jesus is a helpful sidekick rather than the one we follow daily.

I know this column will be written off as another attempt of a pastor to raise attendance at his church, and many will say, “it’s just the way it is.” Or some might even argue how much of a blessing it is that there is such high attendance on Easter Sunday – but what if we put it in context to the truth that “many will turn away?”

Maybe it’s not just that we will get busy the next weekend. 

Maybe it’s a symptom of unfaithfulness. 

And if we can’t remain faithful when life is easy, what happens when difficult events prophesied for the end times come upon us?

A fresh perspective on forgotten prophecies that can help believers persevere in troubled times — order Jake McCandless’ new book “Spiritual Prepper: Tapping into Overlooked Prophecies to Prepare You for Doomsday”

Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2017/04/the-day-christians-will-stop-practicing-their-faith/#6l7lSwM3mBLlo2pC.99

My comments: For those who belong to Chrsit Jesus, He is their entire Life. They are Born Again, Born of the Spirit of God and are walking in the Light of Chrsit and His Word. And they are Not Forsaking the Gathering together of the Saints.