A Smell Of Death In The Air

Leann from the Madison church called me on Thursday. A lady from a small congregation between Lebanon and Murfressboro, TN had called. There preacher left and they need someone to fill in. I said I would help on a limited basis and called the lady. Here is what I learned. They are less than fifty in number. Only two men left and one of them is the song leader. She said they wanted to keep the church there alive, but just not sure how long they can go on. Have you ever stood beside the bed of someone who was about to take their last breath? There is a smell of death in the air. I smelled it again on Thursday while on the phone. This time it was a rural congregation and not a person. I have comforted families many times before and after the death of a loved one, but what do you say to a church that is on its death bed? I don’t want to sound all doom and gloom, but reality is what it is. This situation is becoming more and more frequent. (See yesterdays post for some of the reasons.) I will be preaching for them this Sunday. It won't be a funeral lesson, but that lesson is not far away.