"HEART ATTACK"
“HEART ATTACK!”
On Sept. 25th I experienced chest pains that were severe. I was standing in church during the singing and was forced into my seat by the pain. Since then I visited the doctor to try to get a better picture of the problem (which I had not taken all that seriously) I explained to the doctor that I thought that it was “no big deal”. His reply went something like this: “Richard, for 63% of heart attack victims the very first warning is death.” His attempt to get my attention was fairly successful; I will sign up for the stress test and all that stuff. (Actually just the bill for that one visit I think was enough of a ‘stress test’ for me, and it don’t look too good on the ol’ wallet for the future neither.
I wonder if we are waiting for the “signs” in our Wesleyan denomination, or ignoring them. I am no Dr. of church … but even my wife thought I should go see the doctor. (in fact she made the appointment) My question is … I guess … just what kind of a person or persons will be required to think in terms of when our Wesleyan “heart attack” is coming. When will we check in with the ol’ md.?
What degree of pretending the pain is not real … what ignoring of the signs … what failures of introspection will we tolerate while the old ticker is just waiting to get our attention with a 911 call. (they always tell heart patients to go ahead and call 911, when the pain starts. That is if you are alive and can push the buttons)
This past week while in conversation with a relative of mine the subject of church health came up. Here is what he said: “In my denomination (a major denomination) in the southern half of the state we have 68 churches, and of those 68, about 5 of them are healthy. The other 63 are stagnant or in serious decline.” Heart Attack! Heart Attack!
I am sure …. Well I suppose …. No … I hope …. That someone somewhere knows the facts about our health or lack thereof on each of our districts.
Do you suppose … do you imagine … do you think that in a district with say 50 or 60 churches that about … or approx. … or nearly … 45 to 55 of them are in survival mode or noticeable …. Decline?
If that were that were the case …. Would anyone know …. If they knew … would they say anything about it … or think about it …. Or talk to others about it … or at least have a meeting about it? Would they pray about it … agonize over it … would they cry about it …. Or would they just ignore the pain and cancel the appointment?
HEART ATTACK !!!!
On Sept. 25th I experienced chest pains that were severe. I was standing in church during the singing and was forced into my seat by the pain. Since then I visited the doctor to try to get a better picture of the problem (which I had not taken all that seriously) I explained to the doctor that I thought that it was “no big deal”. His reply went something like this: “Richard, for 63% of heart attack victims the very first warning is death.” His attempt to get my attention was fairly successful; I will sign up for the stress test and all that stuff. (Actually just the bill for that one visit I think was enough of a ‘stress test’ for me, and it don’t look too good on the ol’ wallet for the future neither.
I wonder if we are waiting for the “signs” in our Wesleyan denomination, or ignoring them. I am no Dr. of church … but even my wife thought I should go see the doctor. (in fact she made the appointment) My question is … I guess … just what kind of a person or persons will be required to think in terms of when our Wesleyan “heart attack” is coming. When will we check in with the ol’ md.?
What degree of pretending the pain is not real … what ignoring of the signs … what failures of introspection will we tolerate while the old ticker is just waiting to get our attention with a 911 call. (they always tell heart patients to go ahead and call 911, when the pain starts. That is if you are alive and can push the buttons)
This past week while in conversation with a relative of mine the subject of church health came up. Here is what he said: “In my denomination (a major denomination) in the southern half of the state we have 68 churches, and of those 68, about 5 of them are healthy. The other 63 are stagnant or in serious decline.” Heart Attack! Heart Attack!
I am sure …. Well I suppose …. No … I hope …. That someone somewhere knows the facts about our health or lack thereof on each of our districts.
Do you suppose … do you imagine … do you think that in a district with say 50 or 60 churches that about … or approx. … or nearly … 45 to 55 of them are in survival mode or noticeable …. Decline?
If that were that were the case …. Would anyone know …. If they knew … would they say anything about it … or think about it …. Or talk to others about it … or at least have a meeting about it? Would they pray about it … agonize over it … would they cry about it …. Or would they just ignore the pain and cancel the appointment?
HEART ATTACK !!!!
posted by Richard Lauby at
7:30:00 AM
2 Comments:
You have identified some symtoms; how about a diagnosis and a remedy?
By
Anonymous, at 5:12 PM
Well, I look at my church and I see the signs of a fatal heart attack. But please, don't make any changes or expect us to do anything different. Yet, if we keep doing what we've been doing, we will keep getting what we've been getting.
By
Anonymous, at 5:44 AM
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