How To Fix A Church

There are numerous negative opinions about churches, including that they don’t care about people, are old-fashioned, and are too judgmental, among other criticisms. Because of this, many people, including those who profess Christianity, no longer attend a church.

Here is where this column hits a crossroad. I could go on about how Christians are commanded not to forsake “the assembling of ourselves together,” and Jesus said that if we love Him, we would keep His commandments (Hebrews 10:25; John 14:15). Or we can look at what Christ says about fixing the church.

In the second and third chapters of Revelation are letters to seven churches. Jesus points out both good and bad aspects of four churches, shows no ridicule towards two of them, and has nothing positive to say about one. With each church, He tells them how to fix what is wrong, even with the two churches where God has nothing but praise, He tells them how to keep it going that way.

I do believe that every church can point to one of the seven and say, “There we are!” Every church will fit the characteristics of at least one of the seven churches.

First up, Ephesus. God praises them three times for their work, using the word labor twice. These people were not afraid of doing the work. He praises them for their knowledge of the Scripture and their hatred of sin. He comments on their ability to have the patience and perseverance to get through the most difficult of times. Yet Jesus finds an enormous flaw. They had “left thy first love.”

Ephesus was doing what a church should do, yet their heart wasn’t in it anymore. An example would be a Sunday School teacher who is teaching her class because she has to. No longer going into the classroom with the desire to see kids saved and grow in the Lord, the motivating factor may be “it has to be done and there is no one else to do it.”

God tells them how to fix it in Revelation 2:5, “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works…”

In the example of our Sunday School teacher, she needs to remember when she first started teaching and the excitement she had about her students. She needs to confess to God that her enthusiasm has waned; her love for the kids and her passion for God are no longer as strong as they once were. Then she needs to ask God to give her the love back.

This illustration is suitable for anyone, from the pastor to the janitor, to the greater, including those who start the coffee pot before church, everyone in the church. The remedy is the same for everyone. See how your heart has changed and repent.

The next church is Smyrna. Smyrna is one of the two churches Christ had no complaints about. He does tell them that they will suffer from great persecution. Prison time and even death are coming for many in the congregation because they believe in Jesus Christ.

God’s advice to them is, “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer…be thou faithful unto death” (Revelation 2:10).

We do not have this level of persecution in the United States, and these are harsh words to swallow. Yet, we must remember that God sometimes will pick us up out of the mire of life, and at other times, He will drag us through it. Regardless of the level of difficulty in our lives, God’s command is the same – remain faithful.

Church number three is Pergamos. False doctrine reigned in Pergamos. Jesus used the word “hate” in describing how He felt toward “the doctrine of Balaam” and “the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes.”

Christ gives a one-word description on how to fix the problem of false doctrine: “repent” (Revelation 2:16). This repentance of false doctrine is difficult in modern churches. Usually, false doctrine is something that has been taught for decades, if not centuries; therefore, the church must recognize the problem. Then they must be willing to correct something that for years has been woven into the fabric of the church. Not an easy task, but a church can accomplish it with hearts open to a nonprejudicial study of God’s Word and a willingness to acknowledge and change from their mistakes.

Thyatira is the last church of Revelation chapter two. There is mixing of religions (religions other than Christianity) within the church and sexual immorality throughout the church. Jesus explains that He has already given Thyatira the opportunity to repent, and they refused (Revelation 2:21). He pronounces judgment upon the church, but also tells those who have not yielded to other religions or have fallen into sexual immorality to “hold fast till I come” (Revelation 2:25).

God is telling us here that sometimes you may find yourself in a church with problems that are not going to be fixed. The people’s hearts are so hard to God that, for them, repentance is not an option. Stick with it until the rapture, don’t quit, don’t stop, don’t give up. God does give several promises to those who stick with it, that they will not receive until after they reach eternity (Revelation 2:26-28).

Sardis is a dying church. Often, when a church seems to be dying, the congregation attempts to do new things to inject life into its veins. However, this is not what God tells them to do. He tells them, “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God” (Revelation 3:2).

Don’t go dragging new people into a dying church; strengthen those that remain. The additions will come after the current situation is fixed.

In the following verse (v3), God does not give the specifics, but He does tell them to repent. Also in verse three, like Ephesus, He tells them to remember what it was like at the beginning.

Verse two tells them to be watchful. Verse three tells them what to be looking for. They should keep their eyes on the Lord’s return. The rapture is our blessed hope (Titus 2:13). Excitement rises when there is something to look forward to. Looking for Christ’s return should bring excitement. This excitement should, in turn, revive the church (but don’t forget the repentance).

Two churches left.

Philadelphia is one of the two churches where God has no complaints. He tells them to “hold fast” and look for His coming.

Lastly, there is the church of Laodicea. God had nothing good to say about this church. He said the church makes him vomit.

The church of the Laodiceans didn’t think about sin, because everything was okay. They had no faith; they were confident they could do everything themselves. In God’s words, they did not realize that spiritually they were “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:17).

But even a church that has nothing, in God’s eyes, going for it, He still tells them how to fix the problem.

They were to learn and grow through their trials, strive toward sinlessness, a pure life, get into the Word of God, and see things spiritually, not materially (Revelation 3:18).

Jesus tells them, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent” (Revelation 3:19).

There it is, God tells us how to fix the churches. Even with the one church that passed their window for repentance, He tells those who haven’t fallen into the wickedness of what was going on, to “hold fast.” In the descriptions of the seven churches, He never tells individual Christians to leave and never attend church again. Even with Laodicea, a church that makes God sick to His stomach, He gave instructions on what to do to fix the situation within the church.

Lastly, I want to say that this does not mean a person should not move from one church to another. When that happens, it should be a matter of great prayer, and based on where God wants you to serve, as opposed to “these people aren’t doing it right.”