"Empty Pews"

Hello, thanks for listening to the testing the spirits podcast today different setting those on Spotify. You're not gonna see it doesn't matter though. Anyways, the title of this podcast is empty pews.

That's right empty pews. Those who follow the channel, you know, I am no fan of Benny Hinn. But there have been believe it or not one or two occasions where I heard Benny Hinn say something. And I actually agreed with it.

So Here's one thing Benny Hinn said that I agreed with he said nothing discourages Christians more than empty pews and nothing discourages a pastor more than Empty pews and I can testify to that not just because I'm a pastor and when the church is full, you know people are Just they're happier if there's like an electricity in the air people just it has a positive effect on everybody, but when the church is like half empty and half the congregation for whatever reason just doesn't show up and of course, you know, you realize that sometimes there are people that are sick or they're away and you know, They're the fact that they're not there.

There's a legitimate reason. But let's face it Often sometimes just often a lot of people don't this don't feel like going and yeah that has a discouraging Effect not just on the pastor, which it does has a discouraging effect on everybody and Here's the thing is and I don't say that just because I'm a pastor and I've dealt with that.

I Controversially true. I've talked to pastors and they they said why why do I even Study all week and put in all this work To preach a sermon when nobody'd bother showing up or you know, a lot of pastors do quit.

They're in the ministry. They feel called to the ministry. They deal with things year after year, but at a certain point when People just don't seem to care and yeah, they don't go to church and the pews are empty and they they feel like quitting.

I've heard this From I don't know about every pastor I've ever talked to but it's probably one of the most consistent things I've heard and you probably you're probably aware of some of the statistics that within the first five years.

The dropout rate among men who enter the ministry and end up quitting within the first five years very high very high numbers, so Path pastors are reluctant. I think to bring this up because It seems like if you bring it up, it makes it worse.

Like if you say, okay empty pews are the problem discouragement is the problem it makes people want to stay home even more and it Causes even more discouragement. It's like a snowball effect. But you know, I want to maybe strike a more positive Tone here and just say this is something that we have control over.

There is actually something you can do. Somebody asked me one time. They said pastor. What can I do for you? You know you serve us you do this for all this for us. What can I do for you? And I said just just be faithful.

Just just come to church on Sunday and be faithful like really we don't have that high of expectations. Maybe we should I don't know but really this is something that anyone can do just show up on Sunday morning and Be faithful.

That's it. Here's the thing if every crit and I realize it's not gonna happen as far as Every Christian, but if the majority of Christians just did this we're committed to Sunday morning Attendance and being faithful to God in that area.

Unless faces there's a lot of people who are okay. There's there's a lot of a lot of believers. They are there every Sunday no matter what and these are the people that Do keep a pastor encouraged. These are the faithful Saints they're the ones who keep the church going and God bless those people.

But yeah, this is something that we can all Do we have the ability to make choices to where if the majority of Christians? We're all in church on Sunday morning. Here's what would happen that would end instead of discouraging Pastors and other church members because let's face it.

I I'm in New England. This is just the way it is with nearly all of the churches on Sunday morning 90 whatever percent of the churches are half-empty if people just made a commitment. Every Sunday morning, I'll be there even if well one of the kids is sick.

Okay, do you have a kid who's not sick is one parent not sick then the parent and the child who's not sick you go. Okay. Oh, well, you know, we're going on vacation schedule your vacation Around Sunday morning so that you're on vacation Monday through Saturday.

Like if people just did whatever they have to do to make church worshiping God the priority. Which is something we all say we believe that God is number one. And any Christian we say that if we actually put that into practice and the majority of believers did that.

Here's what would happen instead of discouraging The pastor the pastor would be encouraged if the pastor is encouraged and he's that that effect is on here. It's gonna be on everyone else and that would actually cause the church to grow.

Here's the thing if you go to a church and you look around and people are discouraged and the place is half-empty. You're probably not gonna go back if you go to a church and it's full and everyone has a smile on their face.

That's a place you want to be we have the ability to change that. But it's a commitment. It's a commitment that you need to make. It's a commitment that I need to make I'm gonna be there. Anyways, I'm the pastor.

Okay, but This is on the conga. I'll just say it. This is on the congregation. This is something you can do if you want your church to grow. It's really up to you, so if you're there every Sunday keep doing what you're doing if you're not This is something you can do that will Grow your church.

It will impact your church. You want to encourage others you want to encourage your pastor. This is something you can do. The only question is Are people gonna do it? Thanks for listening. And until next time may the Lord be with you.

Have a great day.