No longer in use, Tankard’s Chapel in Beaufort County, NC is a well-maintained reminder of countless small rural church structures that have closed. Some congregations have moved to newer or bigger facilities, but more have simply died along with their aging membership. Each has its own story, but ultimately these churches lost their relevancy in the community.

Churches today, large and small, rural and urban face huge challenges. Attendance is in decline as generations are moving away from God, or at least from organized religion. Why? Many people much more scholarly and learned than me have tackled this question. One possible answer is that we are focused inwardly on members and the facilities; but not so much on the community. If your church closed today, how would it affect the COMMUNITY? For too many churches the answer is not much or virtually not at all.

When Jesus began to build His “church”, He recruited ordinary men to GO with Him. Matthew 4:19 (NIV) says “Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men”. His evangelistic approach was intended to GO to where the people are; an outwardly focus. He said to “go and make disciples of all nations…” Matthew 28:19. Imagine churches moving outside of their walls showing the lost, hungry and hurting what the love of Jesus Christ really means to THEM. I suspect that empty pews will be filled as the church becomes relevant.

I Found Him…in a beautiful historic empty church.