09/21/29 AND WHERE ARE THE MEN?

09/21/29 AND WHERE ARE THE MEN?
(this is not a new thought, but it is one that is being faced more frequently than before in our country)

Every local church is only one generation (maybe one faithful servant) from extinction.

It is (and always has been) the time for real men of God to step and answer the call to march in the blood stained path of Jesus.

There are millions of church going folks who have spent thousands of hours listening to the basic, foundational teachings of the Church, and still don't know their soteriology from a hole in their eschatology.

Then there are church folks who sat through thousands of sermons but don't know how many chapters in the book of Hezekiah, much less that the book of Hezekiah is not even in the Old Testament.

There are people who have been around for decades, but can't tell you the name of the present pastor or any of the five before this pastor.

There are churchmen who have not studied God's word, have not been faithful to morning and evening services, have not attended Sunday School Bible class since they were in elementary school.

There are church singers, musicians, associate pastors, teachers, youth workers, board members who are not even as faithful to the ministry services of their church as some other folks.

There are some "church pillars" who have little more grace in their life and little more concern for discipleship and the discipling of others, than the most faithful bar fly in the community's "watering hole."

NOW, you tell me, what happens to those churches when it is time for God's chosen man to step down or step aside? Often the church just fades away into obscurity and the community loses a witness for Christ.

It happens over and over in American churches. Sadly, there is almost no one to come forward, take up the torch, sound the battle cry and lead the church into victory as it charges the gates of hell.

The song says,
Rise up, O men of God!
Have done with lesser things.
Give heart and mind and soul and strength
To serve the King of kings.
Rise up, O men of God!
The kingdom tarries long.
Bring in the day of brotherhood
And end the night of wrong.
Rise up, O men of God!
The church for you doth wait,
Her strength unequal to her task;
Rise up and make her great!
Lift high the cross of Christ!
Tread where His feet have trod.
As brothers of the Son of Man,
Rise up, O men of God!
by... William Pierson Merrill, 1911
Source: Musixmatch