The local church in America gets a bad rap. And in many ways, the negative news is warranted. You’ve seen the dire trends and statistics. You’ve read about the moral failures of many church leaders. We certainly don’t need to have our proverbial head in the sand about the dire state of our churches.

But it’s time to give thanks for the church.

It’s time to look at what is good about the local church. And it’s time to focus on these positive attributes and build upon them. We don’t need to deny the reality of the problems, but we do need to stop wallowing in the negative and move forward.

For These Things I Am Thankful

I am thankful that God’s Word is preached faithfully each week in local churches. Lives are transformed. Sinners are convicted. Christians are encouraged. Disciples are made. God is glorified.

I am thankful that the gospel is shared every day through the ministry of the local church. Millions become followers of Christ each year by the faithful witness of those in the local church. Evangelism is truly the heartbeat of many churches.

I am thankful that countless Christians become more devoted followers of Christ through Bible studies in local churches. Faithful teachers and students prepare lessons and come together each day throughout the week. Their time in the Word brings transformation to their lives.

I am thankful that sacrificial ministry takes place every day through the ministry of local churches. Church members care for the sick, bring food and clothes to the needy, visit those in prison, and offer hope and resources to heal and strengthen families.

I am thankful that local church members give sacrificially, not only for the ministries of the church locally, but for mission work throughout the world. Local churches in America both give to missions and send out missionaries.

For these things, and so much more, I am thankful for the local church.

My Gratitude is Personal

My first grandchild, a boy, is due in two weeks. It seems like yesterday when Nellie Jo was about to give birth to our first son. When I first learned that Nellie Jo was pregnant 30 years ago, I made a decision to attend church.

I was a nominal churchgoer in my early teen years, but I dropped out completely when I turned sixteen. But when I learned that I was going to be a dad, I knew that I needed to make some changes in my life, and one of those changes meant leaving the world of the unchurched.

The local church I eventually joined took me in and loved me. My Sunday school class helped me to understand the Bible. Older and wiser Christians guided me toward becoming a better husband and a better father. And when God called me to vocational ministry, the local church was there to equip me, to encourage me, to support me and, ultimately, to send me.

For these things, and so much more, I am thankful for the local church.

Keeping Perspective, Keeping Balance

There is one viewpoint that refuses to acknowledge any serious problems in the local church. Though all the evidence is overwhelming, reality means little to these people. Protection of the status quo is paramount.

Then there is the perspective that readily sees and acknowledges the problems in the local church, but is too pessimistic to see anything positive. The situation is dire and there is no hope.

The healthy perspective, however, sees both the problems and the possibilities. It recognizes the struggles of the local church, but also sees God still working. It is a perspective of realistic hope. Certainly the church at Corinth had its share of problems, but the Apostle Paul refused to give up on the church. He still saw God at work.

The local church is God’s instrument for His work. Millions of lives are transformed through the work of churches in America and around the world. I am one of those lives.

For these things, and so much more, I am thankful for the local church.

Earlier this week Nellie Jo and I went to visit Billy Graham in his home in Montreat, North Carolina. Though it was not my first time to meet with the famed evangelist, this visit seemed especially poignant. Perhaps the poignancy of the moment related to the visit in his home. I have never been to the mountaintop cabin that he and his family have called home for so many years.

Then again, this was my first visit with Mr. Graham since his beloved Ruth died two years ago. Her photos and keepsakes are visible throughout the home. This visit was certainly different for that reason. Still again, my time with Billy Graham was poignant because he is in his twilight years. He will be ninety-one in November.

Looking to Learn

I am a student of leadership and life. I have so much to learn. I still make so many mistakes. I still have a long way to go.

So in the visit I had with Mr. Graham, I wanted once again to glean from his life, his wisdom, and his experience. My quest was not disappointing. To the contrary, I came away realizing that I had been on the mountaintop in more ways than one.

Lessons Learned

The brevity of this article does not allow me to write a leadership treatise on Billy Graham. Indeed an entire book would not likely be adequate. Allow me then to share some reminders I gleaned from my visit this week.

A life pleasing to the Lord is a life of integrity. The name of Billy Graham inevitably reminds us integrity. His is a life that did not compromise morally. It is a life that has been above reproach financially. And his is a life of incredible honesty. Leadership at any level cannot begin to function well unless the leader has integrity.

Our first ministry is to our family. The home of Billy Graham is a home of love. It is the place where Billy and Ruth Graham raised children and welcomed grandchildren. At one point in my visit with Mr. Graham, he pointed to a portrait of his late wife Ruth. With tears in his eyes he said, “I can’t wait to see her in heaven.” Thank you, sir, for reminding me again of the priority of family.

Listen to critics, but don’t dwell on them. In my position, I am subject to criticisms more often than I like. Indeed I am pretty thin-skinned, so it is an area in which I constantly struggle. So I asked Mr. Graham how, in a lifetime of international ministry and scrutiny, he dealt with the constant stream of criticisms. He smiled at me and simply said, “I ignored most of them.” While he never implied that he was blameless, he knew that dwelling on criticisms would distract and harm his ministry. So he simply moved on.

Humility is one of the greatest virtues of leaders. He has counseled presidents and kings. He has preached to millions. Volumes have been written about his life and ministry. Some have seen him to be the world’s most influential person of the second half of the twentieth century. Yet in each of the times I have been with him, I have witnessed one of the most humble men I’ve ever known. Billy Graham never thinks too highly of himself. What an incredible example he is.

All that really matters is Jesus. Mr. Graham preached about Him for most of his life. The message of the gospel is the heart of his ministry. He understands the brevity of life. And he knows, when it is all said and done, our relationship with Jesus Christ is all that really matters.

Thank You Billy Graham

I left his home reluctantly. I did not want to impose on his hospitality and generous spirit, but I did not want to leave.

So as I departed, I reflected on my time with Billy Graham. And I reflected on his life and ministry. I know I will never come close to becoming the man he is. Still, I can learn. I can learn so much.

I can learn to love my family and others with a greater love. I can learn to have a greater humility, understanding that I am nothing without Christ. I can learn that the simple things in life are those that really matter. And I can learn that this life is not about me. It’s all about Jesus.

That is the life of Billy Graham. That is the type of life I desire to have.

Thank you, Mr. Graham.

Thank you for your time. Thank you for your ministry. Thank you for your integrity. Thank you for your humility.

Thank you for your life.

Like many, many others, I am blessed to know you.

December 17, 2004, should have been a day of celebration.

Nellie Jo and I had been married 27 years on that date. We were in Naples, Florida, enjoying the sunshine and each other. 

Then the phone call came.

We had been given a great deal of confidence that the biopsy would likely prove negative. Proceed with our anniversary celebration, we were told. In the unlikely event that the report was not good, they would let us know.

The report was not good. Nellie Jo had cancer. The next two years would prove to be some of the most challenging years of our lives and marriage.

When an Unhealthy Body Looks Healthy 

Looking back, it is amazing to recall how healthy Nellie Jo looked. She showed no signs of fatigue or sickness. Had she not seen a couple of warning signs, she might have found out too late about her cancer. She might not be alive today. 

I’ve seen it countless times. My team would go into a church for a consultation, and we would begin interviewing church members. We would hear from many of the congregants that their church was healthy and thriving. Then we would see the warning signs. And we would begin to fear that the apparently healthy body was not really healthy at all.

The church was sick. Some of the churches were really sick. 

Five Warning Signs 

What were some of the warning signs my team saw? Though the list is not exhaustive, these five issues were common. Some of the churches had a one or two on the list; some had all five. 

1. The church has few outwardly focused ministries. Most of the budget dollars in the church are spent on the desires and comforts of church members. The ministry staff spends most of its time taking care of members, with little time to reach out and minister to the community the church is supposed to serve. 

2. The dropout rate is increasing. Members are leaving for other churches in the community, or they are leaving the local church completely. A common exit interview theme we heard was a lack of deep biblical teaching and preaching in the church. 

3. The church is experiencing conflict over issues of budgets and building. When the focus of church members becomes how the facilities and money can meet their preferences, church health is clearly on the wane. 

4. Corporate prayer is minimized. If the church makes prayer a low priority, it makes God a low priority. 

5. The pastor has become a chaplain. The church members view the pastor as their personal chaplain, expecting him to be on call for their needs and preferences. When he doesn’t make a visit at the expected time, or when he doesn’t show up for the Bible class fellowship, he receives criticism. In not a few cases, the pastor has lost his job at that church because he was not omnipresent for the church members. 

Where Do We Go from Here?

The bad news is that few churches recover if the patterns above become normative. The church is a church in name only. It is self-gratifying rather than missional. It is more concerned about great comfort than the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. 

The good news is that a few churches have moved from sickness to health. The path was not easy. It first required that the congregants be brutally honest with themselves and God. It does no good to speak glowingly of a church that is unhealthy and getting worse. 

Many of the turnaround churches we consulted then moved to a time of corporate confession and repentance. They confessed to God their lack of obedience and their selfish desire for their own comfort.

And still other churches made an intentional effort to shift the ministries and the money of the church to a greater outward focus. This step can be particularly painful since a number of church members often protest with vigor that their needs are no longer being met. 

To Become a Healthy Church 

Indeed we could focus on the reality that the great majority of sick churches do not recover. But that focus provides little value.

We should look at the admittedly few churches that have moved from sickness to health. We should learn how they turned from an inward focus to an outward focus. We should follow their examples of moving from selfish desires to radical obedience to God. 

In His power the unhealthy church can become healthy.

Heed the warning signs.

It could be the difference between life and death. 

Some of you are older like me. So you remember the envelope check-off system. Each week at church you would turn in your offering in an envelope. On the outside of the envelope was a place for your name, the amount you were giving, and a series of boxes to check if you were diligent in several spiritual activities for the week.

So you would check the box that indicated you were attending worship service. Another box said you were going to a Sunday School class. Still another communicated that you were tithing.

And then there was that other box. I can almost remember my hands shaking as my pen approached the minute cube: “Read Bible daily.”

Ouch. I read the Bible five days the previous week, but not all seven days. Wasn’t that sufficient for the inquisitive box? I would be tempted to check the box but, alas, I couldn’t tell the lie.

After all, I had read Acts 5 and the story about Ananias and Sapphira.

I was taking no chances.

Lots of Bible, Few Readers

I wonder how many Bibles each American Christian owns. I wouldn’t be surprised if the number was five or more. But I don’t have to wonder how often those Bibles get read. I could give you a mountain of data, but I’ll keep it simple. Most Bibles in the homes of Christians never get read.

But they look great on our coffee tables.

And you have undoubtedly read some of the studies that bemoan the growing biblical illiteracy in America. But the problem is almost as pervasive among Christians as non-Christians.

Somehow, in the midst of church activities and busyness, many church leaders fail to emphasize one of the greatest needs of the church. Simply stated, Christians need to be reading the Bible every day.

When Christians Read the Bible

What happens when Christians read the Bible? The evidence is clear and the correlations are amazing. In the healthiest churches in America, the members read and study their Bibles an average of four times a week. The president of the American Bible Society just shared that information with me.

Brad Waggoner, president of B&H Publishing, did a study of spiritual maturation. His research found that one of the highest correlative factors to spiritual growth is simply reading the Bible.

It’s not rocket science.

When our church members read the Bible on their own, they become spiritually healthier and our churches become healthier.

If I Were a Pastor Again . . .

If I were a pastor again, I would lead the way in encouraging and exhorting the church members to read and study the Bible daily. I would let them know that a 30-minute sermon and one hour in Sunday School or small group would not be sufficient time in the Word. I might even encourage some type of accountability process where one member shares with another his or her time in the Bible.

And I am convinced that, as Christians spend more time in the Bible, they would be more faithful in attendance in worship and group Bible study. They would be compelled to give more sacrificially. They would be more eager to get involved in missions and ministry. And they would practice Acts 4:20 faithfully. They would be evangelistic without hesitation.

We evangelicals rightly say that the Bible is the Word of God.

We believe it. We preach it. We teach it.

Maybe now we need to put a greater emphasis on all Christians reading it daily.

Who knows? Maybe even the envelope check-off system will make a comeback.