Some of you know that we are continuing to have computer problems with the Ministry Assistant’s computer.  We have lost a great deal of our data base info and thus many of you may get the newsletter at the wrong address or there may be people who are not getting it who should.  Please be patient with us as we hope to have the data base up to date at some point in the near future.  The Ministry Assistant (Alisa) has been extremely patient in all of the difficulties.  Please give her an encouraging word when you get an opportunity.  We are blessed to have her as our Ministry Assistant!

               Thom Ranier, President of Lifeway, shared in an article online that I copied on 10/21/2009 “Five Warning Signs of Declining Church Health.” 

1        The church has few outwardly focused ministries.  Most of the budget dollars are spent on the desires and comforts of church members.  The ministry staff spends most of its time taking care of members.

2.      The dropout rate is increasing.  Members are leaving for other churches or they are leaving the local church completely.

3.     The church is experiencing conflict over issues of budgets and building.   When the focus of church members becomes how the facilities and money can meet their preferences, church health is clearly on the wane.

4       Corporate prayer is minimized.  If the church makes prayer a low priority, it makes God a low priority.

5.         The pastor has become a chaplain.  The church members view the pastor as their personal chaplain, expecting him to be on call for their needs and preferences. 

I would ask whether any of these describes your church.  What is the answer if your church is sick?  I believe that a return to God through prayer is the ONLY answer.  I am convinced that our nation is sick because our churches are sick and our churches are sick because we members are sick.  We must return to God as 2 Chronicles 7 :14 says, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”  Have you gotten desperate enough yet to follow that admonition?  Please let us as an association of 51 churches humble ourselves, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from our wicked ways so that God can heal our land.

Would you join us on December 14 at noon at the Mallary Office for the MBA Prayer Time to put into practice the above instructions?  God is waiting for us!  

                                                             -Tom