THE CHURCH AWAKENING
A WAKE UP CALL FOR THE CHURCH!

Erosion happens quietly...slowly... barely noticed.

PHYSICAL EROSION -slowly our habits of exercise are replaced with more docile patterns of life. Fast-foods meet the demands of fast lives and nutrition gives way to convenience. We don't fall out of shape, we drift there. We become consumed with other things and slowly move out of shape.

SPIRITUAL EROSION - slowly our habits of spiritual formation (prayer, time in the Word, meditation, Scripture memorization) are replaced with other pursuits. We sometimes adopt the attitude that we "already know" these things, so further study isn't necessary.

CHURCH EROSION - The culmination of spiritual erosion in the life of individuals is church erosion! Believers become by-standers, saints become spectators, Christians become consumers! And tragically, church leaders placate this culture religious retail. Sermons move away from foundational doctrinal teaching and bend toward advice for marriage, parenting, or a happy life. We must continually go back to where we started, The New Testament Church, and look closely at where we currently are to recognize the course we're on. My how we've drifted. My how we've become consumed with other things. Otherwise, without close inspection, we wake up and found ourselves off course.

The safest road to hell is the gradual one, the gentle slope soft underfoot without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts. The long, dull monotonous years of middle-aged prosperity or adversity are excellent campaigning weather for the devil...
C.S. Lewis in "The Screwtape Letters"

I want to encourage you to listen to the message series called, "The Church Awakening" on insight for living. The message series has challenged and encouraged me regarding the church! These messages aired beginning on October 22nd with a message entitled, "The Church: Let's Start Here"

There are 9 individual messages in this series:

1. The Church: Let’s Start Here
2. Challenges, Struggles, Solutions, Priorities
3. Distinctives of a Contagious Church
4. Worship: A Commitment . . . Not a War, Part One
5. Worship: A Commitment . . . Not a War, Part Two
6. What Must the Church Realize?
7. How Should the Church React?
8. The Church on a Long Drift
9. It’s Time to “Restore the Years”