Ask Your Preacher - Archives
“This Little Light Of Mine”
Categories: CHRISTIANS, RELATIONSHIPS, THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCHRecently, I heard a sermon, and the preacher asked, "Who or what is causing your light to dim?" It has caused a lot of us to think. I know who is causing my light to dim but don't know what to do about it. Our church is in turmoil. No one respects the leader or leadership. So, my question is: what do I do about it?Sincerely,
Provoked To Action
Dear Provoked To Action,
If the congregation you are attending is having problems because it is no longer doing what the Lord wishes – your only option may be to leave. However, if the congregation is faithful but floundering, and you have the strength to stick it out – let your light shine (Matt 5:16). There are two reasons why most congregations in today’s society fall apart.
- The congregation isn’t doing what the Bible says – in which case, they have problems because they aren’t following Bible patterns. We recommend you read “Down With Denominationalism”, “Finding A Church”, and “Preacher Interrogation” for further information on what a New Testament congregation looks like. Congregations that have a leadership that doesn’t hold to God’s Word are very difficult to change; most often, the only way to change them is for enough people to leave because they are disgusted with the unbiblical direction of the church.
- The congregation has lost its love for the Lord (Rev 2:4-5). Congregations that no longer have a zeal for the Bible and winning souls to Christ ultimately die off. When we no longer serve Christ as faithful servants (1 Cor 4:2), a congregation loses its way. Rev 2:1-7 tells of the church of Ephesus and the fate that awaited them because they lost their fire for God.
You must compare your congregation to the Bible and decide to stick it out and strengthen your brethren (Lk 22:32) or move on to another congregation where you can properly grow and serve the Lord with a clear conscience. Whatever you do, make sure that you can say that the congregation you attend is “a pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim 3:15). We have helped many others find faithful congregations in their area – if that is the road you believe you must choose, we would be happy to help you, too.