Causes of a Dozing Church
The evangelical church is in a state of spiritual sleep, where Christians are morally and spiritually asleep, yet intellectually, mentally, and physically alert.
A.W. Tozer addresses the alarming state of the evangelical church, asserting that many Christians are spiritually asleep despite being active in church affairs. He emphasizes that these 'sleeping' Christians, while intellectually engaged, fail to exhibit moral and spiritual vitality, leading to a detrimental influence on church governance and the spiritual growth of new believers. Tozer warns that their control over church matters and the standards they set for new Christians perpetuates a cycle of spiritual lethargy, ultimately grieving God. He calls for a wake-up call to revive the church and restore genuine spiritual fervor.
Text
What is the present condition of the evangelical church? The bulk of Christians are asleep. I do not mean that the bulk of Christians who come to evangelical churches are not converted, because if I meant that I would say they were dead and never had been born again. But I say they are asleep. It is possible to be morally asleep yet mentally, intellectually, physically and theologically alert. The present condition is that we are asleep. These sleeping Christians do two things that God must grieve over.
One is that they control church affairs. We are democratic, and if we do not like a pastor we give him the bounce or pray that he will get another call. Then when the time comes we vote in whom we want and vote out whom we do not want. Church people control church affairs because they are intellectually, mentally and physically awake, but they may be morally and spiritually asleep. That is, they are so far down in the rut that they do not see up. Many people who are asleep control church affairs.
It gets into whole conferences. Representatives will meet at the expense of the local church people. They will read minutes and pass resolutions, but they are asleep. You know they are asleep by the way they talk as soon as the benediction is pronounced and they have adjourned. You know they are asleep by their conduct, the things they are interested in or lack interest in, yet they control church affairs. The second thing sleeping Christians do is set the standards for new Christians.
When you bring in a newly converted Christian, he or she automatically takes on the coloration, general mood and temperature of the solemn seats around him or her. Pretty soon he or she is where they are, and once again there are no good examples of the Christian life.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Present Condition of the Church
- A. Christians are asleep, not dead or unconverted
- B. They are intellectually, mentally, and physically alert, but morally and spiritually asleep
- II. The Consequences of a Dozing Church
- A. Sleeping Christians control church affairs
- B. They set the standards for new Christians
- III. The Result of a Church Led by Sleeping Christians
- A. New Christians are influenced by the example of sleeping Christians
- B. The church lacks good examples of the Christian life
Key Quotes
“It is possible to be morally asleep yet mentally, intellectually, physically and theologically alert.” — A.W. Tozer
“When you bring in a newly converted Christian, he or she automatically takes on the coloration, general mood and temperature of the solemn seats around him or her.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We must be aware of our own spiritual condition and make sure we are not spiritually asleep.
- We must set a good example for new Christians and lead them in the right path.
- We must seek spiritual awakening and maturity in our church and in our own lives.