Why Should I Care?
Apathy. Behind this short little word is undoubtedly one of the most destructive attitudes a person can have. All things crumble with neglect and time. We have all seen a house that has been abandoned, with the lawn overgrown, gutters falling off, broken windows, and roof caving in. But how does this happen? Surely there was a time when someone built the house. The builder cleared the land, laid a foundation, framed the walls, installed the windows, etc. There was a time when the dilapidated house was once whole and new. Someone had devoted their time, money, and hard work into constructing a home, but now this home lies in ruins. What happened?
What happened to the home is simple entropy. Somewhere down the line, the house was no longer being cared for. There may not have been any singular event that led to the sorry state of the home, but a general lack of upkeep. One problem become another, and another, and it was not long until the house became unrecognizable from what it once was.
So, what's the big deal? Why should I care about some run down house? If we are not careful, the house of God might fall into the same state of disrepair; some have already. The following are some thoughts on how to keep apathy from encroaching into our churches.
Understand the value of the church.
Appreciate the work of your predecessors.
Have a vision for the future.
The value of the church transcends any single person or congregation. It's the vehicle for salvation (Eph. 1:3-14). It was established through the blood of Christ (Acts 20:28). The price of such a thing cannot be overstated.
The church is made up of imperfect people. It is easy to dismiss the good that was done in the past because of imperfection elsewhere. When you look at the church you cannot help but to be awed by the men and women who helped to build it. People have devoted their lives, their property, their money, and have even given their lives for the church that we may now take for granted. Even the smallest church in middle of nowhere has a history. Someone cared enough to build a church and pursue souls in a lost world. We need to appreciate those who have gone before us.
The Church must know where they came from, but also where they are going. Having goals to work towards, people to reach, and missions to accomplish will give a church purpose and guidance. We cannot look back and expect to move forward. We need to have a vision for the future.
Apathy is a disease. It eats at the heart of people. We need to combat apathy within ourselves and learn to care for the church that God established and that many have built it up. It has been handed down generation to generation. Someday we will return the favor to the next generation.
