Struggles that small Wesleyan Churches face in SC

I am living dangerously now.  Yep, you saw the title and know that this is going to be a debatable opinion.  Remember, it is my opinion.  I am not a researcher and I am not a big name.  So read it and know that these are my thoughts.

First, let me acknowledge that we serve a powerful God who can accomplish anything through those whom He desires.  If He is able to work through our small Wesleyan church too. 

Here are some possible problems.

• South Carolina is Baptist and Presbyterian country.  Yes, it is true!  We serve the same God, Jesus Christ.  Can we say it?  There is church competition.  What I mean is that there are other churches who are financially well off that can offer many different ministries to their attendees.  Child care is huge.  Professional musicians.  Great speakers.  Many different specialized ministries.  Unlike our earlier Wesleyans, when these churches build a church, they mean it!  Their facilities are beautiful and useful.  They can accomadate large amounts of people and hold community services.  In other words, they can be of a huge service to the community.  Yes, that is important. 
• There are only 48-50 Wesleyan churches in the entire state.  The good news is that we are working to fix this by planting churches.  Our brothers and sisters in other denominations have understood this for a long time.  They have been able to acheive a partnership with each other that is really awesome and this is how they take care of each other.  This is what we must do too.  Some Wesleyan churches are doing this already.  Yet again, we are small in number and time is what we will also have to work with. 
• We have had bad press in the past.  Some have called us a cult.  Pleeeezze.  People are shocked when we talk about Sanctification and when we acknowledge that we do not believe that once you are saved that you cannot lose your salvation.  Sorry.  Free will overrides that.  Now, listen.  Okay, the last is a non-issue.  Really it is.  Holiness is, and it is in the other denominations too. 
• It seems that some of our churches have hidden themselves away from the communities.  We did not want to be around sin.  Big mistake!  As a result, a lot of people that I talk to have not heard of Wesleyans and do not know where our churches are.  This is tough on advertisement. 
• Most of our facilities are outdated.  This leaves most pastors and laymen to choose between being missional or contemporary.  I would like to be both. 
• A lot of our churches are missing several generations.  This makes it tough to build strong children’s and youth ministries.  When this happens finances tend to go toward building needs and upkeep. 
• I think all churches are facing this next problem.  Because we live in the Bible belt it is a tougher assignment to get people to attend church and serve.  Consider, it is more of a social statement to attend church than to come out of a passion for Christ.  God and Sundays are those things that many take part in only on Sundays and then leave what was heard at church.   People have gotten used to the idea that God has chosen them and gives them finances which confirms that He has chosen them.  People get used to this.  Then there  really isn’t a need for God because we have the resources to take care of whatever problems might arise.  This leads to entitlement.  Yet, those who don’t have anything, anyone, or realize that God cares will come to Jesus.  But, they never hear because we are always entertaining ourselves. 
• The really most frustrating problem that we struggle with is that we cannot hire full-time youth pastors to minister to children and teens.  This is really hard to stomach because here is our future.  Man!  We can have all of the best intentions in the world.  We can dream.  We can talk.  But, nothing is going to happen until we have faith in God and sacrifice.  To get to the next step on the ladder we have to believe in God and give to God.  It has to be a united effort. 
• Southern Wesleyan helps us by being here.  This school helps us to get our name out there and put everyone at ease that we are not a cult. 

Listen, Baptists, Wesleyans, and etc.  We are all in this together.  To my fellow Wesleyans.  We have got to be more involved in our communities.  We especially have to be stepping out into the waters that only God can get us through.  We cannot please Him until we allow God to lead us into waters that we cannot navigate which will cause us to turn to Him by faith.  We must begin giving our resources to the next generations because they do not know Christ yet.  He is pursuing them in a big way.  If we do not join Him in His pursuit, then some might say that we are committing spiritual abortion.

The World’s trouble with the Church

I shared a conversation today with someone who challenged me and caused me to defend what I believe with answers that went beyond “Because the Bible says so!”  Here is what needs to be defended according to those who do not attend church and have family members who go to church.

• Why won’t some churches allow people to serve in leadership if they have had a divorce, but will gladly receive their money and allow these people to work themselves to death?  I don’t care if you are a Bible scholar; this looks bad!  I have known people who have been damaged because of this.  If the Church is supposed to be the corporate character of Christ, then how can this happen? 
• Why does the Church spend a great amount of time screaming and complaining about what they are against instead of doing something to help those who are lost to find Jesus?  Isn’t this simply about control?  Is control an attribute that Christ bestowed upon the Church?  Or, did He bestow love as the main attribute of the Body?
• Why do small churches spend so much time condemning other churches and denominations?  Does this come from jealousy?  The most frustrating accusations from these churches who try to keep what little people they have scared straight is that Billy Graham is going to hell (a preacher in Phoenix has this video on youtube).  Wow!  If this is true, we are in serious trouble. 
• Why are so many churches and ministers trying to escape from the run-down neighborhoods instead of staying to minister (serve) in them?  I listen to some church planters and get excited to dream with them.  Yet, some want to plant in the affluent areas instead of the places that are surviving on government help.  This is a whole new type of “Left Behind.” 
• Another question in our conversation that was asked, “Why doesn’t the Church like to talk about Jesus in casual conversations?”  It does seem that we Christians try to keep our faith quiet instead of shouting about what God has done for us recently.  As a matter of fact, this person said that most of the time sermons come from the OT or Paul’s letters to the churches.  There needs to be a good balance of the Word of God in light of the Gospels people!
• My favorite.  Why do Christians get stuck in debates over alcohol or cigarettes?  Shouldn’t God be allowed to be God by letting Him help these people to quit for their health and not eternal damnation?  Could it be that God might be more concerned with children who are starving in Africa?  Isn’t gossip more damaging to the Body of Christ than someone drinking a glass of wine?
• My last favorite.  Why is it that those Christians that God has blessed financially give less than those who do not have much?  This trend seems to be true even in the secular world. 

Well these are some good discussion starters that should get those of us who care about the Church being Christ thinking.  If you comment and use Scripture, remember not to take special verses out of context.    And please limit yourself to what the Bible actually says about this stuff; nothing more and nothing less.

Living by faith in the Lord

Here is a post from my friend Austin Porter who is planting a church by faith.  I hope that if you are reading this post that you understand what it is to live by faith.  Many Christians really don’t know what it is to live by faith; yet we say we do.  Petra sang about faith this way in Beyond Belief, “Leap of faith without a net, makes us want to hedge our bets, but waters never part ’til our feet get wet!”  Planting a church means that you have to find money to survive as a church, and for yourself. 

Austin is one that I am watching.  Why?  Because there is no savings account that is going to cover for him when money runs low.  On his blog, he talks different than others.  what I mean is that he is not letting some past experience, living by faith, to guide him and comfort him.  He is stepping into the unknown.  God called Abram to travel to an unknown land too.  Austin has a degree in religion, but, he is learning about God in the school of faith now. 

So, when he writes about tithing, I think it is worthy to take notice and listen.  I assure you that money is the one thing that he desparately needs right now.  I hope he doesn’t mind me saying that.  You see, most want to quit tithing because they think the church has not done enough for them.  Some think that the church only cares about getting money from you.  Well the church doesn’t rely on man’s money, we rely upon God.  Some get frustrated with a decision that was made, and then they send their tithe elsewhere to teach a church a lesson.  Others get stressed out over their bills, because we tend to spend more than what we need, and decide to that tithing just doesn’t fit into the family budget.    I assure you that you reveal your love and trust in the Lord through willingness to tithe.  Why?  Because we are supposed to give secretly, and not sound the bells about it. 

Another reason I wanted to direct you to his blog is because sometimes people look for a good ministry to give to; well here it is!  Again, it is good to listen to someone who we know that is living our struggles teach us about tithing.