The Closed Door-
Over the last few weeks we have examined the life and ministry of Nehemiah. How when he received a report of the devastation of Jerusalem was faced with a choice. He chose to get involved and risk his life and go before the king and ask first for permission to go to Jerusalem to rebuild its wall and second for financial resources to make it happen. Once in Jerusalem he saw the despair and the devastation for himself. The Next morning he challenges all the people to dream and again and do the impossible Rebuild the wall. The people responded and together did the impossible; they rebuilt the wall in 52 days. God gave to the people an open door of opportunity- They chose to together walk through it and God was once again honored glorified and lifted up within and throughout the area of Jerusalem.
But what if they people had responded differently what if instead of risking and trusting they murmured and grumbled looking down and the problem instead of up and the answer. What would have happened? Trials, tragedies, crises, and pain fall on all. Problems and situations that seem insurmountable and impossible. When these situations come, how do we respond. Do we trust and walk through the open door or do we shake our heads in despair and simply quit?
This morning, I feel led to do something a little bit different. The remainder of this message is a short story. A story that practically illustrates the choices that each of us have and also the consequences of these choices. As you listen to this story that is purely fiction, try to imagine and picture yourself there- experiencing it all firsthand for yourself.
It was a brisk cool fall day. For some reason, I found myself driving aimlessly down a country road. Being less time conscious, I found myself looking intently at my surroundings. As I drove, I saw stately oak trees with their gray moss hanging low, I saw barns filled to its brim with odds and ends, and I saw bare fields that showed signs of a recent harvest. But as the road curved, I saw something that seemed to draw me like a magnet, a small church.
The church was no longer active. Windows were broken, trees and grass were overgrown, and a once used parking lot was now weed and ant infested. As I walked around the church grounds, I saw its sign, The church’s sign. A sign that had once hung proudly, now laying face down below. As I turned the sign over, I read its words: Elim Baptist Church.
As I walked around the church building, it seem to beckon me to come inside. At first I shook off the notion, but soon my curiosity got the best of me. In the back of the church was a broken window with a break large enough for me to crawl through. Once inside the church, each room and each wall seemed to echo its history A history that once was.
Once inside, I began to walk down a hallway, As I walked, doors were opened into various classrooms. On the walls of these classrooms were posters chronicling many years of Sunday school lessons. In fact some of the tables still contained used Sunday school material. On the door of one of the classrooms was a banner that read High Attendance. One of the rooms must been their nursery. Its floor was littered with toys and in one corner lay a crib mattress with its stuffing mostly gone.
As the hall T- off leading into two different directions. I was drawn to a picture. The picture contained about 60-70 people- all dressed in Sunday clothes. I guessed it must have been taken after a Sunday morning service. Looking a little closer, I dusted off an inscription that read Elim Baptist Church April 1985. As I looked closely at the faces of each of the people, I saw both young and old. I saw many smiles. I saw in the faces of the people a sense of pride saying this is my church. Eyes that seemed to be filled with hope. And yet 15 years later… Where were they? Where was that hope? Where was that pride? Why had they forsaken their church? As I continued to roam, questions abounded. What happened to bring all this about?
After lingering at the picture, I walked toward what appeared to be the church’s sanctuary. Once inside, I was amazed. Other than dust, spider webs, and a occasional mouse, the sanctuary was in relatively good shape. Many of its pews were still in place, as well as its pulpit and communion table.
As I walked through this sanctuary, a sense of not only sadness, but of reverent fear swept over me. This sanctuary had been a place where God had been worshipped, where men and women had been saved, where community weddings and funerals had taken place,- It was God’s house. This fear lead me first to a pew and then to the altar where I knelt before my God praying out loud. “ Lord”, why did this happen? Why is empty? Why is its door closed
A voice from behind startled me when it bellowed the words, It didn’t have to die. It didn’t have to be like this! It Didn’t have to end this way. Startled and a little embarrassed, I quickly apologized for breaking into the church. I told the man I was not a thief, but that something I had drawn me in.
Don’t be afraid, the man replied, It is good that you are here. There is a story here that needs to be told and needs to be heard.
What story? Were you a member here? Do you know what happened here? Please tell me Why did this church close its doors? Why is it empty?
Sitting down on the frayed carpet, I looked up at this man, as he told me his story. You see, He said, it, This church, Elim, died simply because it forgot, and by it I mean its members, its family, It forgot why it existed? What its purpose was? In the late 80’s the church bustled with life. Although never large, it was not unusual for the church to have 50-80 in Sunday School and over 100 people in worship.
But something happened, A event that seemed sudden but probably happened gradually over a period of time. Monies given by the people to the church dropped significantly. At first the pastor was blamed citing his poor leadership, but after the pastor resigned, the blame shifted to the deacons, and then to other committees. This finger pointing and blame casting spread throughout the church like a cancer.
Financial stress eased up a bit without a salary to pay, but still things remained tight. At one business meeting all mission giving was stopped until finances improved. This move further divided the church when one group accused the church of not paying its tithe by giving to missions. With the finances in a mess no one was eager to find a pastor and the pastor search committee was put on indefinite hold. In order to save money, services were led by those within the church. A few years of this followed and when the clamoring grew loud enough the church called a pastor.
This pastor had many new ideas, but because the church had stretched everything they had to somehow provide a salary for its pastor, its cash flow was all but gone. Leaving no money for any other ministry. With the arrival of this new pastor giving at first went up, but after years of divided bickering, the congregation was still deeply divided. The pastor soon discovered that finger pointing and blame casting was still apart of this church’s life. Within 2 years this pastor was gone and most of the congregation as well. Some of the people left because of the pastor, either because they liked him or because they disliked him, others because of church conflicts, some because there were no children or youth programs , and still others left simply because they were just too tired to fight or care anymore.
A church whose congregation once numbered 80 strong was now reduced to 15 members, and although many had left, guess what, the finger pointing and the blame casting still continued. Unable to pay utilities they met only on Sunday morning for worship, no Sunday school or other services. Over the years 15 dwindled to 10, then to 8, and then to 5. And it was here that they voted to close their doors, to disban- to let their church this church die.
As I listened to this story, my heart ached within me, tears streamed down my face. Literally speechless I sat before this man. After a few moments, I finally mustered the words, Is there anything that could have been done so this did not happen? Anything that could have stopped this church from closing.
Yes, he replied, everyone, especially God’s church will undergo testing times hard times. Elim was faced with a choice to put their trust and faith in God. Knowing that sense this was God’s church he could fix any problem even one that seemed impossible. Or the choice to try to fix it themselves. To trust in themselves. This church chose the latter. They responded to the crisis with finger pointing and blame casting and not with prayer. They failed to submit Instead they assumed that this was their church not God’s. If only when that first series of trials hit, they had turned to God. If only they had looked up and not around. If only…. .
Elim Baptist Church would be alive and well reaching into this community for Jesus Christ.
As quickly as this man appeared, he soon disappeared. Whether he was an angel or a man I do not know, but one thing I do know, is that my heart was stirred to the point that it seemed to be breaking. It felt almost like God had for a split second let me feel his heart. His grief over the state of His church. Urging me to never take my own church and church family for granted
When I returned back to my car, I found myself now driving with direction and purpose. I found myself driving to my own church. Once inside my own church, I soon found myself on my knees asking God to forgive me for taking my own church for granted. At the altar I told my Lord to use me and that wherever he lead I would follow. I would go.
My friends while this is just a story. We too are faced everyday with the choice to stand back and take our church for granted or to get actively involved. This is God’s church, but he has invited each of you to be a part of it. A part of his team called His church.
All throughout America churches are closing its doors simply because they have forgotten their mission and their purpose. They have forgotten why they exist?
Nehemiah challenged the people to claim hope and not despair- to get involved to make their city great again. And they responded by working together to do the impossible.
This morning it is time you join the Sandridge Baptist team. It is time that you allowed God to use you here in his church.- It is time we work together. It is time we walk through the open door.
