COVID Creates an Epidemic of Church Dropouts

Recently, the Barna Research Group revealed findings from their annual “State of the Church” report. As you might imagine, the results were different from what you might expect because obviously 2020 has been such an upside-down year.

COVID-19 lockdowns hit churches hard. Almost all had to close their doors for a period of time. Most were able to do “virtual church,” live streaming sermons and music over the Internet. Others improvised with “drive-in church,” or began meeting outside under tents and canopies sitting in socially distanced lawn chairs.   

Now that COVID cases appear to be declining in most parts of the country, churches are finally opening up for indoor worship before cold weather sets in.

In the wake of all the COVID craziness, Barna reported that 35% of church-goers are still attending their pre-COVID church, while 14% had switched churches from their pre-COVID church, 18% started viewing multiple church services, and an astounding 32% had stopped attending church during COVID altogether and have not returned yet! Another interesting find was among those who dropped out of church completely reported significantly higher levels of anxiety, fear and emotional burdens in their lives than those who stayed faithful with church.[1]   

What stands out most to me from this data is that about one-third of church-goers have fallen by the wayside. Not only are they not streaming preaching and singing, but they haven’t returned to in-person gatherings either. It makes me wonder if dropouts have stopped reading their Bibles and praying too? In short, most pastors and ministry leaders should expect to lose a third of their people as the church emerges from quarantine. The reality is that COVID has been a great winnowing process which has separated the core believers from the casual ones.

This data also drives home a few vital lessons that we must learn going forward. 

·         Our default position is to drift away from spiritual devotion. The writer of Hebrews warned against this, “1 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it . . . 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?” (Heb. 2:1, 3) COVID closings made it easy for casual Christians to become dropouts because church gatherings were their only source of spiritual nourishment. Unless we are actively pursuing God individually outside of church through personal Bible study and prayer, then it doesn’t take long for spiritual desire to grow cold.  

·         Crisis reveals the true nature of our character. 1 Peter 1:7 reminds us that trials are like a refiner’s fire which tests the genuineness of our faith. COVID has been a testing like we haven’t seen before and it has revealed the hearts of believers—those who are living by fear and those who are living by faith—and which churches were strong enough to endure the trial and those which were not. The fact that many have fallen away from church shows that they were not really serious about serving the Lord anyway and many churches were much weaker than what we initially thought.   

·         Virtual church is a temporary alternative, but should not be mistaken for the real thing. Having the technology to broadcast preaching and singing in order to keep the church going through COVID was a blessing, however it can never take the place of gathering in person to worship, pray, and hear the Word of God preached. Hebrews 10:25 states, “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Church is not about a building—I get that—but it is and always has been about God’s people meeting. The simple truth is that the longer we stay away from physical gatherings the more disconnected from God’s people we become and the more disobedient to God’s Word we are. No more excuses. The time to return to church is now! If we don’t go back soon, there may not be anything to go back to. -DM

---

[1] “State of the Church 2020,” Barna, 29 September 2020 <https://www.barna.com/research/new-sunday-morning-part-2/>

Peace in the Middle East?

On September 15, 2020 President Donald Trump presided over the signing of historic agreements between Israel and two Gulf Arab nations, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. This has been called by media pundits, “The Abraham Accord.” But what exactly does it mean?  

According to Dr. David Regan, founder of Lamb and Lion Ministries, “The Abraham Accord is not a peace agreement. Israel has never been at war with either one of these two states, so therefore, technically the accord should be considered a normalization agreement. What this amounts to is if these states would recognize the legitimate existence of Israel then Israel would gain complete relations with them such as trade relations, tourist relations, and also opening Israel to trading technology with these two states.”[1]    

Neither of these states share a common border with Israel, and both are small in size and population. They are no threat to Israel and they never have been, unlike other nations such as Iran, Turkey, Syria and Lebanon who have sworn to see Israel wiped off the map.

However, many experts believe this accord could open the door for other nations in the Middle East to start recognizing Israel’s national sovereignty and open-up friendly relations. In fact, some seven or so other countries such as Kosovo and possibly Saudi Arabia have indicated that they are changing their mindset towards Israel.

Amir Tsarfati, author and founder of Behold Israel, stated, “These Trump-negotiated deals are making Israel stronger in the Middle East. The Arabs are treating Israel less like an illegitimate state. We (Israel) are no longer the red-headed stepchild. Israel is being considered a fair player in the Middle East. The Arab countries are seeing the benefits of siding with Israel.”[2]

One question on the minds of many is “How does the ‘Abraham Accord’ set the stage for Bible prophecy to be fulfilled?” First, we should note that the Bible does predict that the Antichrist will confirm a 7-year peace treaty between Israel and many nations allowing the Jewish people to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem (Dan. 9:27). That peace agreement will touch-off the dreaded Tribulation period—a time when the Antichrist will rule the world and God will unleash unparalleled wrath and judgment. We can say confidently that the “Abraham Accord” is not the peace that Daniel prophesied because 1) the Antichrist has not been revealed and 2) Israel has no temple and 3) Israel’s major enemies (like Iran) are not seeking peace and 4) even though 2020 has been a terrible year, we aren’t in the Tribulation.

What is more likely is that the “Abraham Accord” may have a connection to another end-time event predicted by Ezekiel 38-39, known as the “Invasion of Gog and Magog.” Ezekiel’s prophecy says that a coalition of several nations, including Iran, Turkey, Libya, Ethiopia and Russia will attempt to invade Israel to plunder her riches. However, God will miraculously defend Israel and defeat this overpowering army. Prior to this invasion, Ezekiel describes what the conditions will be like for Israel. As the Anti-Semitic enemies plot, they say, “I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will fall upon the quiet people who dwell securely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having no bars or gates.” (Ez. 38:11).

In other words, the Bible says that Israel will be enjoying a season of peace and safety just before Ezekiel’s war is ignited. This would seem to fit the current scenario we see playing out in the Middle East with more nations promising to sign on with the “Abraham Accord.”  

Tsarfati explains, “I believe it sets the stage for the Ezekiel 38-39 Gog-Magog War. According to Ezekiel 38, Israel must be safe, secure, and prosperous. The Abraham Accord is laying down the peace and safety prerequisite that Israel will be in before the Gog-Magog invasion by Russia, Iran, and Turkey as prophesied.”

One interesting fact about Ezekiel’s war is that the Bible says that in the aftermath of God’s victory that it will take Israel 7 years to clean up the wreckage left behind (Ez. 39:9-10). This seems to suggest that the Gog and Magog invasion will happen sometime before the Tribulation, or at least its beginning. We can only wait to see how it will all play out, but when God does destroy the massive anti-Israel coalition, He will also give a convincing testimony of His power and glory to a watching world. As a result, many may be converted to Christ.

Friends, the puzzle pieces of prophecy are coming together like never before. Signs of the end are converging at a rapid pace. There is only one way to escape the coming storm—Jesus! Do you know him? Today is the day to trust in Him, “and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come” (1 Thess. 1:10).  -DM            

---

[1] David Regan, “Prophetic Perspectives #92: Peace in the Middle East?” Christ in Prophecy Journal, 23 September 2020 <https://christinprophecyblog.org/2020/09/prophetic-perspectives-92-peace-in-the-middle-east/>

[2] Amir Tsarfati & Nathan Jones, “Prophetic Perspectives #91: The Abraham Accord,” Christ in Prophecy Journal, 22 September 2020 <https://christinprophecyblog.org/2020/09/prophetic-perspectives-91-the-abraham-accord/>

BLM is Anti-God and Anti-Family

Colossians 2:8 is a warning we should read carefully, “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” (Col. 2:8).

In our time one of the most pernicious counterfeits that has been accepted by many in the church is the organization Black Lives Matter. At face value the slogan makes total sense to anyone with a moral compass and Biblical background. All Christians would agree, “Of course, black lives matter because every human being is made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26) and loved by Jesus (John 3:16).” Like those forged paintings, we might be tempted to place a BLM sign in our yard or on our social media page, but in reality if we do so, we are being duped.  

The reason is because the political organization BLM is much more sinister than it appears. In 2012 BLM was created in response to the Trayvon Martin incident, who was killed by a neighborhood patrol in FL. BLM gained steam again in 2014 when Michael Brown was killed by a police officer in Ferguson, MO after resisting arrest. Recently, BLM exploded again onto the world scene in 2020 when George Floyd was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis, MN after resisting arrest.

Under the guise of combating “systematic racism” and “social injustice,” BLM has sparked countless protests across the U.S. BLM has merged with other revolutionary factions like ANTIFA and morphed into angry mobs who incite riots and violence. At the heart of BLM is a radical Marxist philosophy which seeks to undermine everything in American life, including the family.

 In fact, if you check out the BLM website you will find the following purpose statement in their own words, “We make space for transgender brothers and sisters . . . We build a space that is free from sexism, misogyny, and environments in which men are centered . . . We disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure . . . and we foster a queer‐affirming network.”

At it’s core, BLM seeks to destabilize the basic building block of civilization—the family. The recognition of one man and one woman, wedded in monogamous marriage, with the intent of producing children was God’s idea for human society from the Garden of Eden (Gen. 1:27-28).

As the family goes, so goes civilization. The Greek philosopher, Plato said, “The saga of a nation is that saga of its nations writ large.” Gender confusion, fatherlessness, rampant divorce and the LBGT agenda have severely weakened the institution of marriage and family over the years. BLM is just another Satanic weapon to further the family’s demise. The reason I use the term “satanic” is because this was the Serpent’s first attack against man and woman after soon being married (Gen. 3). The Enemy always seeks to divide what God had established, thus Jesus’ words, “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matt. 19:6).

If BLM really cared for black lives then they would champion the family, because it has been proven that the crumbling of the family is what has led to nearly every social ill. Even President Obama stated, “more than half of all black children live in single-parent households, making them 5 times more likely to live in poverty and 20 times more likely to end up in prison.”[2] So if violence, drugs, poverty and fatherlessness was destroying your community, why would you throw more gas on the fire by seeking to further dismantle the institution meant to give you stability?

Again and again and again, BLM stands for the destruction of what God has instituted. For this simple reason alone, Christians cannot support this radical movement. Christians should speak out for equality and racial reconciliation through the Gospel, but BLM is a far cry from the Gospel. It’s time for God’s people to open our eyes to the deception and stand for what is right. -DM

---

[1]  Christy Kuesel, ”The Prolific Forger Whose Fake ‘Old Masters’ Fooled the Art World,” CNN, October 24, 2019 <https://www.cnn.com/style/article/artsy-eric-hebborn-forger/index.html>

[2] John Hendren, “Obama Tells Black Dads: Have the Courage to Be a Father,” 16 June 2008 <https://abcnews.go.com/WN/Vote2008/story?id=5172580&page=1>

Broken to Be a Blessing

            In 1949 John and Elaine Beekman headed into the jungles of Mexico to reach the Chol Indians with the Gospel. The Chol were a primitive tribe that had no written language, so part of the Beekman’s challenge was creating a written alphabet and teaching the Chol to read and write, in addition to translating the Bible.

            Less than a year into their assignment tragedy struck the Beekmans. Elaine became pregnant with a baby girl, whom they named Sharon. Sadly, little Sharon died soon after birth when her body took on a mysterious fever. The Beekman’s took a furlough back to the US to mourn. At the funeral, baby Sharon lay in a short casket wearing an elegant white dress. As family and friends passed by giving their sympathy, one retired missionary gave the Beekman’s a word they would never forget. The veteran said:

            “The death of your baby will probably mean much in your ministry among the Chols. The Indian woman lose a lot of babies. Elaine, I expect that God will use you to comfort them with the testimony of this experience.”

            That man’s words proved to be prophetic. When the Beekman’s returned to the mission field an epidemic of dysentery and cholera broken out among the Chols. John was able to administer modern medicine and saved many from death, however four babies perished in the outbreak. Having just been through the valley of death with their own heartache, the Beekman’s were thoroughly equipped to minister to these hurting mothers. John wrote, “When I told those mothers about Sharon and our loss, their faces brightened. The Lord knew what we needed to help the people with sympathy and hope.”[1]

          

Often times when we go through adversity, pain and grief we wonder, “Why me, Lord?” But what we don’t realize is that God uses our hard times as a boot camp of preparation for a greater ministry down the road. This is what Paul had in mind when we wrote at the beginning of 2^nd Corinthians, “All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us” (1:3-4, MSG).

            If we allow it, God can take our brokenness and use it as a means of blessings for someone else. The common ground of suffering breaks down barriers of wealth, education, vocation and age. Shared suffering gives us a clear and open door of ministry into the lives of other hurting people. What this means is that the trials you face may not be just for you, they may be for someone else who will need the strength, compassion and wisdom you are able to give them having gone through the same fire. When we allow brokenness to be a blessing to others, that gives them hope because we can confidently say, “I know what you are going through. God got me through it and here’s what I learned along the way. What He did for me, He will do for you.” -DM

---

[1] John Beekman, Peril by Choice (Hendersonville, TN: Accelerated Christian Education, 1968), 95-98.

Work While There's Still Daylight

Have you been searching for a ministry niche of you own? Feeling like you could be doing more for the Gospel? Has your church life become stale, routine and well, just kind of ho-hum?

I recently read of a retired couple, Louie and Phyllis Grizzle, who wanted to start an outreach ministry for their church in Georgia. Not knowing exactly what to do, they came up with the idea of taking fresh baked brownies to community newcomers.

They started small in 1991, but each year they saw God opening all kinds of ministry doors. Over the years Phyllis baked more than 150,000 brownies that arrived at over 25,000 homes!

And was the effort worth it? Not long ago, when the pastor of their church asked how many people in the congregation had first heard about the church through the ministry of brownies, 75% of the crowd raised their hands! Phyllis said, “Through the years I have worn out four stoves and three mixers, but that’s a small price to pay to see God work in our lives and our church.”[1]

Then there is Velvet. She wrote in her testimony, “I grew up in an abusive, alcoholic and drug-infested home. My mom insisted that my siblings and I go to church so that she was free to go and do as she pleased. My safe haven quickly became the church and I valued every service I was able to attend. As a young woman I gave my life to Christ, because a youth pastor, who had also grown up in the bus ministry, began picking us up for church. I’ve grown so much in the Lord, and am now a bus worker in the same church. I work with the children’s ministries and wouldn’t trade my Sundays or Wednesdays for anything in the world. I am so grateful for the bus ministry and all those people who continue to run the buses.”[2]

In John 9:4, just before healing a man born blind, Jesus said, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.” Note the urgency in that statement—we have only been given a finite amount of time to be productive for the Lord.

Adrian Rogers commented, “All the soul-winning you're ever going to do, you're going to do while you are here on this earth. And it may be later in that day of opportunity than you realize.”[3]

One reason we’re left here on earth and not taken to heaven immediately after trusting in Christ for salvation is that God has work for us to do. “Man is immortal,” Augustine said, “until his work is done.” When we have done all that God has in mind for us to do, then and only then will He take us home—and not one second before. As long as we have the light of day, we must work—not to conquer, acquire, accumulate, and retire, but to make visible the invisible Christ by touching people with His love. We can then be confident that our “labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58). It’s time to put our hands to the plow and do something for the Lord. You don’t have to be a preacher, a teacher, a singer or a wealthy giver. But I assure you there is a ministry where God can use you. Open your eyes to the possibilities and your heart to others and God will take care of the rest. -DM

---

[1] David Jeremiah, “Looking for God in Creativity” Turning Points, September 2020, p. 15.

[2] <http://busministryworks.com/velvet/>

[3] Adrian Rogers, “The Wake Up Call, Love Worth Finding 

<https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/love-worth-finding/read/articles/wake-up-call-9609.html>