Church problems have sadly become newsworthy
Churches and pastors are getting unwanted attention from the news media for wrong reasons. News media reports about the failures of churches and their leaders are now too common. Collectively, such failures of the church and its leaders serve as a negative witness against our Lord Jesus Christ and His church. This should not be the case. Where could churches go for answers?
The question is: How can churches and their leaders prevent problems of their own making and serve as a positive witness for Jesus Christ?
The Bible clearly commends many churches in the Book of Revelation. Failing and fumbling churches and their leaders today can find practical and timely lessons from the churches commended in the book of Revelation; the many reasons for those commendations can be employed today to revitalize and reorient contemporary churches.
Lessons for churches from the Book of Revelation
The enemy of the church, who earlier deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden created by God the Father, is now working overtime to bring down the worldwide Church, and he is smiling at the news of churches’ or pastors’ failures reported frequently in our news media.
What can churches learn today from the churches commended in the Book of Revelation:
- Hard work (Ephesus, Rev. 2: 1-3): Enduring hard work and toil were commended at the church in Ephesus. It implies churches can fail for lack of hard work and toil among its pastors, leaders and church members.
- Patient endurance: Five of the seven churches in Revelation were commended for:
- patient endurance (Ephesus, (Rev. 2: 2), Thyatira (Rev. 2: 19), and Philadelphia (Rev. 3: 8, 10)),
- for not growing weary (Ephesus and Smyrna), and
- for holding fast (Pergamum, Rev. 2: 13).
- These churches show that patient endurance without growing weary is possible in the face of various tribulations.
- Avoiding false apostles or teachers (Ephesus, Rev. 2: 2): Satan was the original false teacher when he strayed into the Garden of Eden, and lied to Eve, when he said to the woman, “You will not surely die” if you eat the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden (Gen. 3: 1b-4, ESV). Thus, the warnings about false apostles/teachers stretch from the early chapters of Genesis to Revelation. Churches cannot take this warning lightly.
- Holding fast to God’s name during extreme trials (Pergamum, Rev. 2: 13): The church at Pergamum was commended for not denying God or faith in God during extreme trials including death of the faithful. The enemy’s intent in bringing on trials including death to believers is to push them until they deny God and faith in God. The church at Pergamum was victorious in this regard.
- Unsoiled by sin and sinfulness (Sardis, Rev. 3: 4-5): Some in the church at Sardis were commended for “not soiling their garments” with sin or sinfulness. The enemy’s goal is to soak the church in sin and sinfulness with consequences as we witnessed at the Garden of Eden and as exemplified by frequent news of church/leader failures today. The encouraging news here is the fact that some in the church at Sardis succeeded in being unsoiled; this should be the goal of every church today.
- Missional work and toil displaying love, faith and service (Thyatira, Rev. 2: 19): The church at Thyatira was commended for its love, faith and service. Love, faith and service require hard work and toil (Ephesus, 2: 1-3) by church pastors, leaders and members. Today, the missional efforts of the church from its front door to the ends of the Earth (Matt. 28: 18-20) will serve as an expression of the church’s abundance of love, faith and service.
- improved church (Thyatira, Rev. 2: 19): The church at Thyatira was not satisfied with holding on to the status quo without slippage. This church was commended for improving beyond what they used to be. This church was able to overcome the perennial adversary and improve beyond the status quo. In other words, the church was victorious and improved.
A message from Revelation churches
If the churches in the book of Revelation were to send a collective message to churches today, the message may be, “Hey churches, work hard and toil tirelessly (Ephesus) to take the gospel of Jesus Christ through love, faith and service (Thyatira) from your front door to the ends of the Earth (Matt. 28: 18-20). Expect and endure hardship without getting weary (Ephesus, Thyatira, Philadelphia and Smyrna), but go victoriously beyond the status quo (Thyatira) with improved love, faith and service in the face of the enemy. Hold fast to the Name of God (Pergamum) and do not get soiled or destroyed by sin and sinfulness (Sardis) or by false apostles and teachers (Ephesus).”
If modern churches adopt and practice the above message from churches in Revelation, they can be a positive witness for Jesus Christ and His church, and no longer be in the news for their failures. Further, if churches were commended for the above in Revelation, they will be commended for the same today.
Paul Swamidass, PhD, is Professor Emeritus, Harbert College of Business, Auburn University,
Auburn, AL, USA. His posts on Biblical leadership have appeared on The Christian Post, Christian Leadership Alliance, Lead Like Jesus, and other websites. He is author of the book, Greater Things: Qualifications of a Biblical Leader, Leadership Books/Video Books, 2020.
