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TITLE: How to Kill a Church

TEXT: Revelation 2:1-7
PROPOSITION: Churches can die.
QUESTION: How?
KEY WORD: Actions
SCRIPTURE READING: Revelation 2:4-5

INTRODUCTION:

1. Jesus wrote letters to 7 churches

2. Ephesus – left first love – needed to repent

3. OR ELSE – candlestick will be removed – kill the church

4. Sardis – Revelation 3:1 – “You are dead.”

5. How would you go about killing a church?

False teaching unchecked

1. Titus 1:9-11

2. Galatians 2:5 – not for an hour

Allow gossip and backbiting

1. Gossip – rumor – unproven statements = take heart out of church

2. 2 Thessalonians 3:11-15

3. 1 Peter 4:15-16

Become a brotherhood watchdog

1. Some set themselves as the standard – everyone must match their view

2. We must learn to disagree w/out being disagreeable

3. We can warn, alert – we cannot control others

Low value on unity

1. Unity must be desired

2. Unity can be costly – set aside personal wishes

3. Not compromise truth - doctrine

De-emphasize mission work

1. We have lots to do here

2. Why waste time and money going to other nations?

3. Become navel-gazers – just looking internal

Tolerate sin in the church

1. Revelation 2:20-23

2. Joshua – Achan – “Sin in the camp”

Have a cold, spiritless, uncaring atmosphere

1. Revelation 3:15-16 – lukewarm, no real vitality

2. Many are just going through the motions

Soft-peddle on personal responsibility

1. Elders, preacher, deacons – have areas of responsibility

2. Each individual Christian has personal responsibility

3. Each will stand before God – 2 Corinthians 5:10

Youth – emphasis on recreation

1. Nothing wrong with having fun – I remember having fun one time

2. Young must also learn:

   1. Service – rake leaves, share joy, sing, visit nursing home

   2. Worship – meaningful, personal

   3. Truth – stand for what is right – morals, doctrine, faith

Put programs above people

1. Think a new program will fix problems

2. Programs don’t care – no compassion

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