"For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." (Luke 19:10 KJV)
Over the years, I have watched many things change in the church. Some changes have been good. Some have not. But one change concerns me more than any other. It is the gradual loss of a burden for lost souls.
There was a time when prayer meetings were filled with requests for sons, daughters, husbands, wives, neighbors, and friends who needed Christ. Mothers would weep at the altar for children who had wandered from God. Fathers would call out names before the Lord. Grandparents carried lists of lost loved ones in their Bibles and prayed over them daily.
The church understood that eternity was real.
The church believed Heaven was real.
The church believed Hell was real.
And because they believed those things, they prayed with urgency for the salvation of souls.
Today, many prayer meetings sound different. Most of the requests involve health concerns, financial needs, surgeries, doctor appointments, travel mercies, and personal difficulties. There is nothing wrong with praying for these needs. God cares about every burden His children carry.
"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." (1 Peter 5:7 KJV)
But when twenty requests are made for physical needs, and none are made for the salvation of lost family members, something is missing.
Somewhere along the way, we have become more concerned about keeping people comfortable than seeing them converted.
The Church's Mission Has Not Changed
Jesus did not come primarily to improve men's circumstances. He came to save their souls.
"For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." (Luke 19:10 KJV)
The early church understood this. The Apostle Paul carried a burden that consumed him.
"Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved." (Romans 10:1 KJV)
Notice Paul's prayer. He did not pray that Israel would become prosperous. He did not pray that Israel would gain political power. He prayed that they would be saved.
That burden seems to be growing weaker in many churches today.
Could This Be One Reason Churches Are Declining?
I believe it is.
When a church loses its burden for the lost, it begins to lose its purpose.
A church that no longer seeks the lost eventually turns inward. The focus shifts from reaching others to satisfying ourselves. Programs replace evangelism. Activities replace prayer. Entertainment replaces conviction.
The church becomes occupied with keeping current members happy rather than reaching those outside its walls.
The result is predictable.
No conversions.
No transformed lives
No new believers.
No spiritual growth.
And eventually, no future.
Many churches are wondering why attendance is declining. They invest in buildings, technology, programs, and promotions. Yet they seldom ask a simple question:
"When was the last time we wept over lost souls?"
Tears Have Become Rare
The old saints knew something we have forgotten.
Jeremiah cried,
"Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears." (Jeremiah 9:1 KJV)
Jesus wept over Jerusalem.
Paul warned believers night and day with tears.
There was a time when church altars were stained with tears shed for lost sons and daughters.
Today, many churches rarely even give an invitation because there are no unsaved in the service.
Some have become so afraid of offending people that they no longer speak of sin, repentance, judgment, or eternity.
But if there is no conviction, why would anyone seek salvation?
The Great Commission Still Stands
Jesus never told the church to entertain the world.
He never commanded us to become popular.
He never instructed us to blend in with the culture.
He told us:
"Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." (Mark 16:15 KJV)
That mission has never changed.
The church exists to glorify God, proclaim the Gospel, and make disciples of Jesus Christ.
Everything else is secondary.
A Country Preacher's Closing Thought
After nearly six decades of ministry, I have come to believe that the greatest need in many churches is not a new program, a larger building, or a better marketing strategy.
We need our burden back.
We need fathers praying again.
We need mothers weeping again.
We need grandparents calling the names of their grandchildren before God again.
We need pastors who are more concerned about souls than statistics.
We need churches that remember eternity is only one heartbeat away.
If the church ever regains its burden for the lost, we may once again see the fires of revival burn across our land.
Until then, many churches will continue asking why they are declining while ignoring the very mission Christ gave them.
May God break our hearts for what breaks His.
May He give us eyes to see the lost, ears to hear their cries, and a renewed passion to tell them about Jesus before it is eternally too late.
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