How can I recognize a dead church?

Response

A stagnant church can hinder your spiritual development, so it’s best to avoid one. Church leaders should also be able to identify signs of a declining church and take appropriate action. While Christian fellowship is crucial (Hebrews 10:25), we are urged to exercise discernment as there are deceitful false teachers ready to mislead (Matthew 7:5; 1 John 4:1; 2 Peter 2:1). Unfortunately, some churches lack spiritual vitality and could be considered spiritually lifeless.

One might assume that a dead church is one that has physically closed its doors. However, a congregation can be growing in numbers and active socially yet remain spiritually lifeless. In the book of Revelation, the church of Sardis was rebuked for having “a reputation of being alive but being dead” « And to the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things says he who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars; I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. », (Revelation 3:1).

These are serious words. It’s important not to assess a church’s health based on its membership numbers, the grandeur of its buildings, the success of its members, or other external factors. A dead church faces deeper issues.

Here are some signs of a dead church:

1. The gospel is disregarded or misinterpreted. Scripture emphasizes the person of Jesus Christ and His redemptive work for our sins. This is the essence of the gospel message (Romans 1:3; Romans 3:21-24), and we should not be ashamed of it (Romans 1:16-17). The gospel lies at the heart of Christianity, and those who preach a false gospel are considered accursed «ButThough we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” , (Galatians 1:8). The gospel message distinguishes a dead church from a living one.

A dead church either preaches a false gospel or none at all. False gospels include the prosperity gospel (teaching that Jesus died so you can be rich and healthy), the self-esteem gospel (claiming that Jesus came to boost our confidence in ourselves), and the social justice gospel (suggesting that Jesus came to address social issues).

The true gospel is about how God reconciled us to Himself through the sacrifice of Christ for our sins. The gospel entails an understanding of sin, God’s wrath, Christ’s death, and His resurrection. A church that ignores or downplays this transformative message is dying or already dead.

2. A dead church leans towards legalism or licentiousness. Christians must avoid the two errors of legalism and licentiousness. A dead church has fully leaned to one of these extremes. Legalists believe they are accepted by God for following set rules. Some of these rules are non-biblical, like forbidding playing sports or attending movies. Biblical rules are turned into matters of salvation when they shouldn’t be. For example, legalists might preach that not tithing can lead one to hell. Legalism is what Paul faced with the Galatians (see Galatians 5:2-4).

True Christians can fall into the trap of legalism when they make their convictions a primary issue. Failing to show grace to those who might disagree with them on non-essential doctrines is another symptom of legalism. Having a few legalistic Christians doesn’t necessarily classify a church as dead. The problem arises when the church’s teachings and traditions exhibit these traits.

The other extreme is licentiousness, as explained in Jude 1:3–4: