Ichabod!
What comes to mind when you see this word? Biblically
speaking this is not the term that Christians desire and it is not the term
that we seek in our church advertisement pieces. At face value the term is a
male given name that comes from the hebrew to mean without honor.[1] Biblically
the term occurs in 1 Samuel 4:21; “And
she named the child Ichabod, saying, the glory has departed from Israel!
Because the ark of God has been captured and because of her father-n-law and
her husband.” The essence of this term focuses upon the glory departing.
I would ask us to pause and reflect upon certain present
realities[2]:
- Six thousand churches close their doors every year
- Thirty-five hundred Americans leave the church daily
- Only one pastor in ten retires while still in the ministry
- Less than 20% of Americans attend church regularly
- Only 15% of churches in America are growing numerically
- Only 2% of growing churches are effectively sinning converts to Christ
- Only 9% of evangelicals tithe to their churches
- Eight hundred new church plants survive each year
- Ten thousand new church plants would be needed annually to keep up with the population growth
Consider a mother that dies after the birth of her son and
yet the name of that son is Ichabod – the glory has departed. This level of
angst is not due to loosing “cultural relevance” or “market share.” The glory
of God leaving was much deeper and far more serious.
What does this mean to the modern church? With trending
being what it is there is one question that demands a response from every
church leader and worshipper, “How long do we keep doing “business as usual
church” before we realize the glory of heaven has departed?” The desire to
reach for a transcendent experience requires more than “horizontal programs”
doesn’t it? To experience the “glory of God” in church is a game changer in
your life.
[2] James McDonald Vertical
Church, [David C. Cook, 2012 electronic ed.] Referencing Philip Brenner
University of Michigan Sociologist as reported in USA Today “God Knows, We Lie
about Going To Church” by Cathy Lynn Grossman
No comments:
Post a Comment