Pastor’s Perspective – October 2024
For the past several years, First Baptist Church has shared our Church home with Garden Park Christian Church. Our meeting was based on a friendship that grew into communal ministry over a period of years. Neither of our congregations could sustain a robust ministry in the dark days of COVID-19, but together we found the energy to sustain missional outreach and give gifts of love to the people of Holland / Springfield and our local schools.
Over the past years the highlight of our times together was when we would join in common worship. We didn’t have complete agreement in theology or praxis, but when we worshipped together, the Holy Spirit showed up. Regardless of who preached or led the music, the people of God showed up and the Spirit led us. No matter how long I am allowed to serve the Lord, I will always covet those times of worship.
Sadly, by the time this is published, Garden Park Christian Church will be no more. While their members will continue to worship in different Churches, and some of them will remain here at First Baptist, another Church that proudly served Jesus in Ohio is closing.
The closing of a Church is barely newsworthy anymore. In early September the Catholic diocese in Buffalo, NY recently announced the closing of 78 local parishes due to financial difficulties. The problems are not all related to Covid-19 as the pace of decline was rising even before 2020’s epidemic. In 2019, 4500 churches permanently closed in the United States. Researchers are projecting that the next decade could lead to as many as 100,000 church closures across the nation.
The crisis is real. The people and the pastors of these Churches have not ceased to love the Lord, nor have they rejected the call of the gospel. The Church is facing the same crisis that has wiped out organizations that were once considered the bedrock of civil society in our communities across the nation.
As communities have become more divided and polarized, Churches have declined in both attendance and influence. Some have found ways to generate interest and maintain attendance, but the most alarming aspect of the decline is that total Church attendance has yet to recover from it Covid based decline. In other words, when the Churches were closed due to Covid, many people simply stopped attending. They found other things to do or began to surf the net to find the best music and preaching that YouTube or Facebook could provide.
While we mourn the loss of these congregations and their leaders, we also wish to maintain our commitments to bind up the wounds of the afflicted and reach out in love to those who have lost their communities of faith. The Church is not just a building or a single fellowship. We are the body of Christ together and we will stand with each other in even the darkest of moments.
To those who are not attending a Church weekly, come and join us at First Baptist Church. Come and worship with a local Church that lifts high the Cross of Christ and worships the triune God of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Worship with real people, join your voices, and add your strength to the people of God in your town. The simple truth is that you need the Church and the Church needs you. Our nation was built by a rugged immigrant community that settled our land. Our ancestors were civilized by the Church who reminded them of their obligations to each other, the land, and God. Like the nation we live in our Churches were not always righteous, but our ongoing work continues to transform lives and express the love of God through our people.
Take part in this transformation. Contribute to the reformation of our nation. Join a Church that loves Jesus, and that seeks to boldly love our neighbors as we love ourselves.
We can’t wait to worship with you!
Pastor Dan
First Baptist Church
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