Why is the life of the church so feeble?

[sundari]

Why are spirituality of mind, and heavenliness
of affection so low? Why have we such a race
of worldly-minded professors? Why?

The private reading and study of the Scriptures are
sadly neglected! Men are strangers to their Bibles!
The Bible was never more widely circulated—but at
the same time, never less devoutly read. Where are
the men and the women to whom the Bible is a book
of daily study and delight in the closet—to whom its
words are "sweeter than honey or the honeycomb,
and more desired than their necessary food?" The
magazine, the review, and the newspaper, and the
last new novel or tale, have so far pushed out the
Bible!

[Amisk]

Why is the life of the church so feeble?

Have you checked of late, the numbers of folks at prayer meeting? In most churches it is less than 10% of the congregation.

[mouse1203]

Some spend their time arguing over what changes to make, and fighting with each other.

[Timuchin]

Why is the life of the church so feeble?

Have you checked of late, the numbers of folks at prayer meeting? In most churches it is less than 10% of the congregation.
Here's a sure way for your church to catch fire; http://24-7prayer.com (http://24-7prayer.com/)

[Concetta]

People have become focused on the *me-ness* instead of on the Oneness.

[Redheadedstepchild]

Off topic but Timuchin's link gave me a reason to post...

Every summer the UMC in this state sets up mission camps for teens. These kids pay $200.00 to go into squalid living conditions for a week and do intense labor in the hot SC sun repairing homes that are otherwise unlivable. Today in church instead of a sermon I listened to about 25 youth witness about prayers answered, miracles worked, and seeing Jesus in the faces of the people they helped. There was nothing feeble about it, and I was humbled by what I heard.

[Bunnaroo]

It's easy to get frustrated by the overall bleak picture of the statistics. I'm a statistician by trade, I know our power to manipulate those that would rely on the sound bite and serious sounding number. I submit to you a small thought:

The big picture is made up of many, many, many small pictures.

:preach:As individuals, we can only change one person: ourself. We don't need to care about why all other Christians are not doing what they should, we need to care about what we, ourselves, should be doing. (Eventually, that does lead us to care what others are doing, but remove the plank from your own eye...)

[Concetta]

It would be nice if there were easy solutions and if more people were like those helpful youths or those who try improving themselves. It certainly does the heart good to hear of youths who experience hands-on reconstruction. The SC project was undoubtedly blessed by them.

[cbailey]

It starts with each of us, right now...