The Dying Church

The Sound of Death

What’s that when it’s at home? Many of us have heard the so-called ‘death rattle’ that occurs as someone approaches death and their breathing takes on a different dimension. That is not the sound of death to which I refer. I refer to the silence in a church when a great speaker delivers a great sermon – and still the congregation is unmoved, or rather they are moved to silence.

Our own dear pastor said recently that he enjoys interaction with the congregation such as a loud “Amen”, or cries of “Yeah” usually followed by applause. Everyone sagely nodded and appeared to agree with him. Until, that is, he next preached. He preached up a storm and almost the entire congregation sat in stony silence with just the very occasional and quiet, “Amen”.

I once heard another preacher say, “When I preach, if you agree with me, encourage me with a loud amen. If you don’t agree, just remember I am 6ft 5 tall and I will be on the door as you leave.” Humour apart, have we grown so indoctrinated with the historic view of church that we cannot give expression to our feelings when the preacher is speaking? In Britain, it appears, we still believe it to be ill-mannered to make any kind of noise while someone is speaking – we must listen politely. In America, Africa, and elsewhere in the world, however, it seems much more unusual to listen silently. Rather it appears to be the norm to give a hearty “Amen” when we agree with the speaker.

I think it is encouraging, as a preacher, to get feedback even as you are speaking but the church in general stays strangely silent. To me, this silence is the sound of death, creeping slowly through the Church. Or at least, it’s the sound of a dying church. Did not Jesus say that, if the people didn’t shout out praises to God, then even the stones and trees would do so. So why does the church not more readily shout its own praises out to the Lord and to encourage the speakers and themselves at the same time?