How long has it been since you visited a graveyard? We go there on occasion for a funeral or to visit the grave sight of a parent, yet we never go there to have something to do or just out of curiosity. The same reason some do not visit the graveyard may be the same reason some do not visit our churches. It may be too much like a graveyard – FULL OF THE DEAD.

Have we been “holding services?” Is the church active? Are we engrossed in helping the needy? Are we involved in getting the gospel out to our community?

One preacher asked a question. “How long would a business continue to operate who advertised in the following fashion:

Company not doing much business anymore.
Our goods may no longer be in style.
Our goods are not as effective as they once were.
But come on in and trade with us and we’ll do the best we can.

How many would go to a doctor who said, “I’m not as effective as I once was, I’ve lost a lot of patients recently.”

When we preach the funeral of the church we make it a graveyard and people do not visit graveyards.

Larry Acuff Lithia Springs Church of Christ