RU Dead?

Anything alive grows.

That's simple enough, right?  If a tree is alive, it grows.  If a tree is dead, you may not notice right away.  But soon enough, leaves wither and the once strong trunk will no longer grow.  It may look like its still ok for a little while, but careful observation will see that it is no longer growing. And on the inside, rot and decay is beginning and soon enough the entire tree will collapse upon itself and become food for alive trees.

If your church is alive, wouldn't the same principle apply?  If it's alive, its growing.  It's a vibrant, energetic organism that feeds and sustains the entire congregation.  In return more people are attracted to the church and thus it begins to grow.

Is there anything sadder in the church world than to see a preacher talk about their church and have no idea its dead?  I heard one preacher say the other day he was excited about the 87 people he had for Easter.  When I asked him how long he'd been at that church, he said, "oh...about 27 years."