The reformer Martin Luther was known for many things, not the least of which is being a hymn writer.  One of his most noteworthy efforts is the classic “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.”  The first stanza says:

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; our helper he amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.  For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe; his craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate, on earth is not his equal.

I thought of this hymn when contemplating the statistics about the number of churches that have closed their doors or are in danger of closing due to dwindling attendance.

In a spiritual climate awash with spiritual seekers how can this happen?  I am convinced that the primary reason so many once thriving Christian churches have closed is because they confused their faith as a fortress with their church as a fortress.  What do I mean by this?

Simply this – our faith is a fortress that enables us to withstand the most difficult of circumstances without being defeated.  However, our faith is in our great God and not in our own abilities. When Christians believe that their church must be a fortress that stands against a culture in decline then they have made the fatal misstep of substituting the biblical mandate to be salt and light with a theology of self-preservation.

Churches that cease to look at their communities as opportunities to demonstrate the love of God in practical, meaningful ways have sentenced themselves to first irrelevance for the Kingdom, and secondly to slow, painful deaths.

Remember friends, our strength is in God and He has willed that His people will triumph in His Kingdom affairs.  That is a transforming truth!