TITLE:  Preparing to Shrink
TEXT:  2 Timothy 4:1-4
PROPOSITION:  God warns us that some will depart from the church.
QUESTION:  Why?
KEY WORD:  Warnings
SCRIPTURE READING:  Same

 INTRODUCTION:

1. 2 Timothy 4:1-4 – not endure sound doctrine
2. 1 Timothy 4:1-2 – some shall depart from the faith
3. Hebrews 2:1 – drift away from them
4. These passages warn of a departure, a leaving, a shrinking of the church
5. There are many other texts – warnings of apostasy, alerts that people will leave God, abandon the church, quit serving Christ, and “quench the Holy Spirit”
6. The church is under attack from several directions
   1. New Hermeneutic
   2. Change Agents
   3. Unity in Diversity (fellowship with denominations)
   4. Loss of doctrinal importance (worship, baptism, morals, music, L.S.)
   5. Lack of knowledge, lack of conviction
7. Solution: Sound preaching, sound elders, stand up to those who seek to alter the teaching of Scripture

 Smaller churches / Fewer Congregations

1. In 1906 – non-instrumental Churches of Christ – in government census
   1. 159,658 members
   2. 2,649 churches
2. Mac Lynn, “The numbers are so close, that it is almost too close to call. If there had been a continuing growth factor, I think the numbers we’re picking up would show it. But they’re not. My feeling is that the church has plateaued and perhaps in the last couple of years started downward. I think we’re at least safe in saying that the numbers are plateaued.
   What we know is that the population continues to grow. In the United States, we have grown from 76 million to 281 million in a hundred years. We’ve picked up 200 million people. Churches of Christ have picked up one million. It’s 200-to-1 growth. “
3. We are now at just over 2.5 million members

 Remnant – OT terminology

1. Isaiah 10:20-21
2. Isaiah 11:6
3. Ezekiel 14:22
4. Joel 2:32
5. Zephaniah 3:13

 We must open our eyes

1. We must take a realistic look at the church – 2004 style
2. We are losing men qualified to be elders or deacons
3. More preachers retire (or quit) than are being readied to fill pulpits

 Smaller churches do not mean weaker churches

1. Our strength is NOT in numbers
2. Matthew 7:14 – few enter the narrow way
3. Elders spend most of their time trying to keep the “once a week member” coming and giving.

 Strength is not found in numbers

1. Genesis 6:8 – Noah – 8 people saved
2. Genesis 18:32 – Saved 5 cities if 10 righeous found
3. Gideon – army of 300 vs. Midianites 32,000

 Strong churches are the ones who remain faithful

1. Strong in teaching truth
   1. Philippians 1:17 – set for the defense of the gospel
   2. Jude 3 – contend for the faith
2. Strong in unity, peace and fellowship
   1. John 17:21 – we must be one for the world to believe
3. Strong study of the Bible
   1. John 8:32 – truth shall make you free
   2. Acts 2:42 – continue in apostle’s doctrine

 Conclusion:

1. We must not be discouraged – or it is all over
2. We must be realistic about the current situation
3. We must be optimistic about what God can do through us