Has anyone asked God why so many churches are closing?

All words are my own, zero AI. -David McCalebSeveral churches in our area are struggling to keep doors open. Not one or two. Several. That’s not coincidence. That’s a pattern. A symptom. As God said in Haggai, now is the time to, “Consider your ways.” Read Haggai. It’s shorter than most blog posts. You’ll find that when we labor but receive no increase, “Consider your ways.”It’s like when King David, during the third year of famine, recognized that something wasn’t right spiritually. A spiritual sickness was manifesting in the physical realm in the form of a desperate food shortage. So, he asked God, and God told him about the Gibeonites.Similarly, I asked God regarding our current spiritual famine. His answer? “They have forsaken the sacred assembly.” But WAIT. There is much more than that:First, “they” included His entire church, meaning the entire body of believers in Jesus Christ. Thus, not only am I included, but you are as well, as well as the packed assembly down the street.Next, emphasis was on the word “sacred”. When I’ve heard preached, “do not forsake the assembly of believers,” the emphasis typically lands upon “assembly”. In other words, “Be sure to come to church or else you’re disobedient to God!” But when God spoke, emphasis was instead on the sacredness of that assembly.He showed me an image, a God’s-eye view from above, of an enormous stone chapel with packed pews and more congregants stepping in through the doors at the back. People were facing forward, holding hymnals, and singing. Their eyes were upon the page, or focused forward. However, not one looked up. The image was as if God were there with them, His face the very ceiling of the building, yet no one noticed.Folks, when Christians assemble, each time is a sacred event. God is present in each of us, and He made us for fellowship, not only with each other, but with Him! We can sing the most passionate songs, and our hearts be far from Him. We can listen to the best sermons, and still not acknowledge His presence. We can obey every command, but still worship self-effort.This is not a call to take off our shoes, though the ground upon which we meet is holy. It is not to remind us to look up, though our lives depend upon the radiance of His face. It is not an exhortation to remember, though our spirit lives in His. It is a call to rest. Rest in Him.The sermon was bad. You’re right. Rest. The songs were off key and not your style. Acknowledged. Now, rest. You got cornered chatting for a half hour afterwards by that irritating older believer who spouts fanatical political discourse. Yeah, tact isn’t their strength. Rest.Stop doing. Stop being. Start dying. And rest.God will help you. Just look up. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit davidmccaleb.substack.com