Church Obituary

I continue to hear mature believers say, “If we don’t get some young families the church, the church will die.” Or, “Without telling our friends about Jesus the church will die.” Certainly, we can all agree the church may not grow as rapidly if we don’t bring in younger families, or if we fail to tell our friends about Jesus. However, the church is not on life-support as some would have us believe. Paul said, “According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together   with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words” (1 Thess 4:16-18 NIV).