Churches throughout have experienced decline in the past 10 to 15 years and not just during covid 19 crisis. There are more excuses and several legitimate reason why Christians are leaving the church. The laundry list is long on excuses and some legitimate reasons people have not returned. Of course hypocrites is always on top of the list! A few observations:
• People are not getting fed with spiritual nourishment. No meat or substance just junk food and shallow topical sermons. No biblical balanced diet.
They don’t need or want a show or loud concert on stage when it comes to worshipping Christ.
The church has become corporate like any business using slick marketing techniques.
Leadership does not practice what it preaches and teaches. Lack of mentors and role models when following Christ.
If you are attending a church and God is not glorified and Christ is not exalted, run! If God’s presence m, the Holy Spirit is not there, it is nothing but the old carnal machinery and the flesh. Men women, and personalizes are exalted and idolized. “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly”. John 10:10
I realize there are some good solid churches so I’m not generalizing here. Those following Christ with sincerity and authenticity your rewards will be plenty. Its all about servanthood and our motives.
If I were to plant a new church which is possible. I may name it: “The Church of the Disgruntled!”
I have faith that the church will turn it around and the thief (devil) will not win.
Jesus promised and said: “Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.” Matthew 16:18-19 NLT
My friend may we humble ourselves even for own own excuses under God’s mighty hand so His joy, love, and peace will flow in our lives this season.
Greetings! My name is Andy Provitola and I live in New England on the south shore between Boston and the beautiful Cape Cod region.
The purpose of my blogging and writing is to encourage you in your journey here on planet earth. Life is full of pressing issues and problems and my desire is to discover a place for peace, hope, healing, and contentment. I am a follower of Jesus Christ – God’s one and only Son of God and discovered these truths along my own personal journey.
Having discovered a personal relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ does not mean I have to be religious to attain the rewards of heaven. The fact is God provides grace for us and accepts us as we are in His image. In other words, we cannot attain heaven or life eternal on our own, but by God’s loving grace and no merit of our own.
My goal is to continue to find a balance of life from a spiritual and practical perspective with a purpose to please and glorify God in all that I do because of His ‘Gift of Grace’.
God is not transcendent and so far away that he is out of reach with humanity. God desires that His presence lives within us and not just in the galaxies and the universe. Experiencing the unconditional love of God has been so rewarding and while discovering the truth and purpose for my life. Moving forward in this life is not a sprint, but a marathon when it comes to this race here on earth.
I am blogging because I find it is a good way to connect in a much more effective and efficient way when it comes to communicating and interacting with with people that I do not know. Blogging and writing challenges me and also stretches me specifically in my thoughts, my mind, my emotions, and my spiritual life to live a vertical relation with God and a horizontal relationship with others.
There will be a variety of topics and subjects to address including youth, young adults, family, singles, seniors, relationships, etc. Some of the topics will include God’s creation and power, depression, loneliness, suicide, hope, healing, setbacks, financial matters, business, stress, anxiety, care, encouragement, and so much more
I would like to connect with all walks of life, ethnicity, culturally, other religions, socio-economics, and more
I am currently writing a book and several memoirs about my own life and journey . The journey begins at a young age growing up in Malden, Massachusetts, specifically Maplewood Square to where I am today. I became paralyzed from the waist down as a senior in high school and I share how my life changed for the better!
“But I do not consider my life as something of value or dear to me, so that I may [with joy] finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus. To testify faithfully of the good news of God’s [precious undeserved] grace [which makes us free of guilt of sin and grants us eternal life]. Acts 20:24 Amplified Version
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The Watering Hole Journey 