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Why Some Churches Never See Conversions All Year
Shane Idleman
0:00
0:00 5:10
Shane Idleman

Why Some Churches Never See Conversions All Year

Shane Idleman · 5:10

Shane Idleman's sermon explores the reasons why some churches fail to see conversions, emphasizing the need for spiritual vitality and community engagement.
Shane Idleman emphasizes the stark contrast between vibrant, God-inspired churches and those that are spiritually dead, noting that many churches report no conversions in a year despite delivering countless sermons. He laments that dead theology and rigid traditions stifle the Holy Spirit's work, preventing churches from producing spiritual fruit. Idleman calls for a return to a living faith that actively engages with the community and embodies the power of the Holy Spirit, urging churches to be vibrant and impactful rather than merely existing on past legacies.

Full Transcript

More can happen at one God-inspired event than what may happen in 10 years at a dead church. You need to hear that again. More can happen at one God-inspired event than what may happen in 10 years at a dead church.

I see statistics sometimes and I have to double or triple check them. Did you know, I guess some denominations report salvations and different things, that in thousands of churches, thousands of churches, they have not reported one convert in the last year. Just wrap your head around that one.

Why? Because when the pulpit is dead, so is the pew. Dead churches do not produce living children. I mean, I triple check, are you kidding me? Thousands, now think about that.

Thousands of churches, how many sermons is that in a year? Say 50 times 5,000 churches. Somebody do the math for me quick. Is that 250,000 or 25,000? A lot, there we go.

Let's just say 25,000. I'm trying to still add it up, I can't. Okay, I'm just going to say a number.

250,000 sermons a year. 250,000 sermons a year in thousands of churches and not one convert. Does anybody else just say, wow? What is going on? Because dead theology does not bring life.

They're so worried. Churches, the dead churches. Do you see that girl not dressed right? You better rebuke her, she's not allowed here.

And we only do 15 minutes of songs and it has to be from hymnal 42 on page 48, 62 and this. Don't let it, did you raise your hand? We don't raise our hands here. We don't get carried away.

We've got it structured and I've got a wonderful sermon out of Romans. It's expository. The Greek in this is incredible.

I actually use an inductive, immediate and deductive approach to my sermon preparation. And my homiletic and hermeneutic books were these. And what we're going to do is we're going to grasp the nature of God and we're going to begin back where God began.

And well, but see if you could see my heart. I'm not making fun. I'm sad.

I'm broken that a living, vibrant church. When Jesus said, my true church, the church filled with God's spirit doing great exploits for God. When the kingdom suffered violent, the violent take it by force, meaning the power of the Holy Spirit.

When that church preaches, when that church goes out and does things in the community, they will storm the gates of hell. But a dead church cannot storm the gates of hell. The devil doesn't care if we have church.

He's long. He just wants to make sure the church does not get inside of us. That really bothered me that many sermons.

No conversions, no baptisms. And it's sad because they can't close up shop. Probably an elderly couple from 40 years ago left the church a lot of money in their grant or in their trust.

And the church just, I've talked to churches. How you, well, we've got a lot of money in the bank. Praise God for that.

Well, what are you doing with it? You're not just to exist. You're supposed to be that vibrant church that's on fire for God. You're supposed to be that vibrant church that's on fire for God.

Sermon Outline

  1. I
    • The impact of God-inspired events
    • Statistics on church conversions
    • The correlation between dead pulpits and dead pews
  2. II
    • The consequences of dead theology
    • The rigidity of church practices
    • The importance of a vibrant worship experience
  3. III
    • The true nature of the church
    • The power of the Holy Spirit in action
    • The mission of the church in the community
  4. IV
    • The issue of church sustainability
    • The role of finances in church vitality
    • The need for active engagement in faith

Key Quotes

“More can happen at one God-inspired event than what may happen in 10 years at a dead church.” — Shane Idleman
“Dead churches do not produce living children.” — Shane Idleman
“The devil doesn't care if we have church. He just wants to make sure the church does not get inside of us.” — Shane Idleman

Application Points

  • Churches should prioritize spiritual vitality over rigid traditions to foster growth.
  • Engaging with the community is essential for a church to fulfill its mission.
  • Financial resources should be used actively to support vibrant ministry rather than just maintaining the status quo.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do some churches not see conversions?
Many churches fail to see conversions due to a lack of spiritual vitality and engagement with the community.
What is the significance of a God-inspired event?
A God-inspired event can lead to significant spiritual breakthroughs that far exceed the impact of routine church activities.
How does dead theology affect a church?
Dead theology fails to bring life and transformation, resulting in a stagnant church environment.
What role does the Holy Spirit play in church growth?
The Holy Spirit empowers the church to engage in meaningful ministry and outreach, leading to conversions.

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