HI! My name is Tammy Springer and I am one of the founders of Listening Ears. I want to take an opportunity to introduce myself and explain a bit about our organization.
We are a new start-up nonprofit group that has a heart for the family and small churches across America. You read the news. You know what is happening in our country. If you are like me, it is frustrating because there are so many problems but nobody seems to have solutions.
Did you know America was built on the backs of small churches? Yup, that's right! The early
settlers came from across the ocean seeking religious freedom. They wanted a place where they could worship the God the way they wanted, not the way the King or Government Church told them to.
These early pilgrims brought sermons along with them from the old country. They would meet
together and pray, sing hymns and read the sermons they brought along. That was church for them. When a baby was born, they dedicated it to the Lord. When someone died, they dug a hole, read the Bible, prayed, sang and buried their loved ones. Pastors and priests came along, but they were few and far between so the people took charge and worshipped on their own. Did God listen? You bet He did!!
Today our country is seeing the demise of the small church. Why? Well, maybe because we are experiencing the demise of the family. The home is no longer the central hub for the family - it is just a "passing through" point. Family members "pass through" to eat and sleep but their lives are torn in many directions outside the home. The church has become a mirror image of the family. People "pass through" on a Sunday morning to catch a sermon or a cup of coffee and then they go back out into the million and one things on their schedules that cause so much stress and anxiety.
Many, many small churches across America are closing or ready to close. The people aren't there and the pastors definitely aren't there. Pastors are quitting the ministry and leaving like crazy.....and no one is replacing them. Maybe you are part of a church like that. A small church is like an extended family and has been throughout history. But that may be coming to an end for so many.
What is the answer? Listening Ears has the answer! We want to encourage, equip and empower small churches to keep going and growing. If we can slowly build the small churches back up - build the families back up - then we can do our small part to restoring America to its core values and strength. To do it we will need a lot of prayer and people to make it happen. But I believe God is calling us to do this. This is something we all can do....it is a solution when all we hear is problems. God will give us the strength, knowledge and resources to get the job done. All we have to do is seek Him with our whole heart.....will you join me on this journey to empower people to take back our small churches? You won't regret it!
Someone told me there is no one out there who cares about the small churches. But I think they are wrong. I think a lot of people care, they just don't know what to do. If you are one of those people, let me know. I want to hear your stories, your thoughts and your ideas on how we can build up the family and the small churches.
Til next time.......Keep looking up to Jesus!
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