Book Review: Disappearing Church by Mark Sayers

If you look at the 21st century church, one might get discouraged. Churches are shutting their doors while other keep growing only because they put on a show. We still have churches that preach the gospel faithfully while we have others that seek to be cool and relevant without promoting holiness.

We are seeing the effects of the post-Christian society infiltrating our churches. We are seeing a gospel of self where man in inherently good and churches preach that. Mark Sayers addresses these issues and more in his latest book, Disappearing Church.

Sayers addresses how the church came to the state of where it is today. How did this issue of relevance crept into the church and the plague of Gnosticism, which is the gospel of self. Sayers says the church has faced many challenges over the centuries and is still here. The gates of hell cannot prevail as Jesus promised in Matthew 16:18.

Sayers says believers in Jesus are not seekers, they are slaves. Yes, there are verses in the Bible to back it up. Romans tells us that no one seeks God and we are slaves to righteousness. 2 Corinthians says the gospel is veiled to those who are perishing. One thing Sayers mentions the church needs to do is stop catering to public opinion. Jesus said the world will hate you because it hated me. 1 John tells us don't be surprise if the world hates you.

Finally, Sayers says the church needs to get into the business of being the church. Why is the church here? The church is to make disciples and minister to the community. The church was never meant to be a place of entertainment. The church is meant to preach truth. We are not called to be culturally relevant. We are called proclaim the gospel.

This is a much needed book for our day and time. I hope everyone in the church takes time and read it. Don't bother with books that seek your church to become a night club. Those books are a waste of time and money.

Thanks Moody Publishers for letting me review this book.