How I Was Wrong About A "Dead" Church

When I returned home from college one year, I was on a spiritual high. I had learned so much from my college Bible classes, my new church, and deep discussions with Christian friends.

Feeling wise beyond my years, I was eager to share my critical observations with others. One afternoon, sitting around the kitchen table, I remarked to my mom that our home church seemed “dead” and needed to be “more active.”

A Different Kind of Active

My mom kindly told me to sit down. She looked at me and said:

Let me tell you about this ‘dead’ church.

She then began to name person after person, from the oldest to the youngest, describing the quiet acts of service they performed for the glory of God:

• She told me about an elderly mother and daughter who had opened their home for church meetings when the congregation first started, despite the great inconvenience.
• She shared how the men of the congregation quietly served the needs of both the church members (brethren) and the local community.
• She described how the women cleaned houses, offered free babysitting, and provided constant, humble care for those in need.
• She highlighted the ongoing Bible studies with those who were searching for truth, and the constant encouragement offered to the struggling and weak.

Humility in Action

My mom explained that she only knew about these things through quiet observation, shared work, or hearing the grateful recipients praise these members.

You wouldn’t know these things just by looking, because these Christians were serving humbly. They had no desire for fanfare, earthly praise, or public recognition.

Then, in her wise and gentle way, my mom asked me a piercing question: What had I been doing to serve others?

At that time, most of my energy was selfishly spent on myself. I hadn’t sent cards or made calls to the sick. While I was willing to help when asked, I wasn’t actively looking for ways to meet the needs of my spiritual family.

My unfair criticism of the church was really just a reflection of my own lack of service. I reacted just like Job in the Old Testament when God corrected him: I put my hand over my mouth in silence, realizing I had spoken foolishly.

Mirroring Our Own Shortcomings

Before we are quick to criticize other Christians for not caring for the poor, we must ask ourselves: what have we done for others?

There are many believers who quietly open their homes to those in need, buy groceries for families, support starving brethren overseas, and repair homes and cars for free.

Similarly, before we condemn others for not sharing the gospel, we must examine our own efforts. I know believers who fill their calendars with Bible studies or volunteer to babysit so others can teach. I know business owners who travel to foreign countries to preach, support local evangelists, and use their office resources to help spread God’s Word. They don’t boast about it; they just do it.

Removing the Log

This lesson perfectly illustrates the warning Jesus gave us: we must first take the log out of our own eye before we try to remove the speck from our brother’s eye.

I am deeply grateful my mother helped me remove that log. It allowed me to see the quiet, beautiful way God was working through the lives of the people in my local congregation, and it inspired me to join them in humble service.