Is your church on life support? Can you imagine a bright future for your church? Look around your church, will the people you worship with every Sunday be in your church or in heaven in 25 years? 10 Years? Does the church have the resources to be viable, warm, inviting, good-neighborly, evangelistic church in ten years? What steps are you taking to make sure the voice, hands and feet of Jesus will still be active for the next generation?

If you honestly admit to the previous questions, “I doubt that my church will be in existence in 10 years.” Here are some immediate action Church CPR steps to be taken:

1) Pray. No explanation needed. Follow the following prayer guide (never fear, it’s not complicated): Calculate how much you are currently praying and double it. That’s it. Pray more. Jesus told us to pray for workers, not the harvest. The harvest is ready. Pray. Pray. Pray. 

2) Don’t demonize those outside of the church, instead, you too, get out of your building. If your church is on life support, you’ve probably noticed that new folks aren’t coming in. If they come once, they don’t come back. Build relationships outside of your building first, so these folks will know at least one person (you) when they come into the church building. 

3) Don’t cater to the older people (exclusively), actively look for young people. Invite young people to coffee, lunch or even to your house (before inviting them to church). Find children and grandchildren that need surrogate grandparents. Love them. Shower them with kindness. Live before them the fruit of the spirit.

4). Don’t promise perfection. Offer relationships. People long for meaningful relationships. Let young people know what to expect when they enter your building. Say something like, “We don’t have a lot of people, but we do have is a church full of loving, kind, warm, friendly, generous grandparents.” (Of course, then be all of the above attributes). Young adults are not afraid to have older friends. Be that older friend that they can confide in.

5) Don’t be desperate. Be hopeful. You are in sales, not management. No gimmicks. No goofiness like in the old days. No “Break-the-Sunday-School-record-and-the pastor-will-swallow-a-gold-fish” tricks. Trust that God Almighty will provide. 

6) Don’t be despondent. Be faithful. It’s Jesus’ church, not yours. Trust Him. God is with you. Your church can turn around. Your church does not have to die. Jesus raised Lazarus. He can raise your church too. God is on your side.

7) Don’t delay. Start today. When is the best time to be concerned about your church’s future? 20 years ago. When’s the next best time to be concerned for the church’s future? Today.

These are strange times for all us. But God is overall. The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against His church. Be busy. Be faithful. Be constant in prayer. The Lord is coming. Let Him find you doing His will at all times.