I am always encouraged by the gathering of the saints at Grace Bible Church. I know getting up and attending church is not always easy, especially if you have kids. Yet, I've always found that the challenges of making it to worship every week with God's people pale compared to the benefits of gathering with them.

Unfortunately, many today have forsaken this sacred gathering. Recent statistics from a Gallup poll paint a concerning picture: only 20% of Americans attend church weekly. This percentage is down from 32% in the year 2000. The decline is even more stark in mainline churches, with attendance decreasing at an alarming rate, leading to an overall 10-15% attrition annually. However, amidst this bleak trend, there is a bright spot—Millennials between 28 and 43 years old have seen a remarkable rise in church attendance. A recent surge following the COVID lockdowns has seen 39% of Millennials attending church weekly, up from just 21% in 2019. Non-denominational churches are also growing, with 6.5 million more people attending these churches in 2020 compared to 2010.

Yet, even with these promising signs of growth, challenges remain. The older generations, especially among Boomers and Gen X, are leaving the church. This has created a leadership vacuum just as Millennials begin to fill the pews. Coupled with the ongoing moral failures among pastors and the homegoing of faithful men, many churches face a shortage of spiritual leadership and guidance. Now more than ever, the wisdom and leadership of the older generations are desperately needed to shepherd and disciple the younger, growing church body.

Despite these struggles, I am convinced Christ will continue building His church. However, we must understand and address the root causes of the decline in many denominations today. Why have so many from the older generations left the church? I believe part of the issue is an excessive focus on material comfort. Many have been consumed with building their retirement accounts, placing comfort and security above their participation in the church. Additionally, we're seeing a growing shift in core doctrinal beliefs, even among evangelicals.

A recent survey, "The State of Theology," by Ligonier and Lifeway Research, highlights these doctrinal shifts. Alarming statistics reveal that 53% of Americans now believe the Bible contains ancient myths rather than being literally true. Even more concerning, 43% of evangelicals agree with the statement, "Jesus was a great teacher, but he was not God." These numbers show a departure from biblical truth, even within evangelical circles.

At the heart of this issue is a deeper, more troubling reality: the church is losing its reverence for the holiness of God. We no longer stand in awe of His holiness nor recognize the sinfulness of our sin. James 2:10 (LSB) reminds us, "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all." This lack of understanding is underscored by the fact that most Americans do not believe that minor sins deserve damnation. Sadly, a disturbingly large percentage of churchgoers also struggle with God's damnation of sinners. This diminishing sense of God's holiness has led to a loss of repentance within our churches and an increasing conformity to the culture's unbiblical worldviews.

Throughout Scripture, God's holiness is consistently emphasized. In Genesis 6:5 (LSB), we read that before the flood, "Yahweh saw that the evil of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." This wasn't a one-time problem. In Exodus 19, God warns Moses to set boundaries around Mount Sinai because His presence is so holy that touching the mountain would result in death (Exodus 19:12, LSB).

This same reverence for God's holiness is echoed in Isaiah 6, where the prophet Isaiah, upon seeing the Lord seated on His throne, cries out, "Woe is me, for I am ruined!" (Isaiah 6:5, LSB). He instantly becomes aware of his sinfulness in the presence of a holy God. Yet today, we live in a culture that is losing this awareness of God's holiness.

Some may argue that we live in an age of grace and no longer need to fear God's wrath as they did in the Old Testament. Yet Hebrews 10:31 (LSB) warns us, "It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God." We cannot afford to lose sight of His holiness.

This loss of reverence has led to a broader loss of sound doctrine. Churches have stopped proclaiming God's holiness and, as a result, have stopped calling people to repentance and warning them about God's eternal wrath (1 Thess 1:10). The growing acceptance of unbiblical worldviews within the church, including the rejection of biblical truths regarding Jesus Christ and His exclusive claim as the only Savior, is a direct result of our diminished view of God's holiness.

I believe we are witnessing God's judgment beginning with His church. As 1 Peter 4:17 (LSB) says, "For it is time for judgment to begin with the house of God." But this judgment is not something to fear. Instead, we should welcome it as a time of purification and renewal. God's holiness demands reverence, and through this time of testing, He is calling His people back to Himself.

As we face the difficulties, let us remember these truths. Let us be people who return to a high view of God's holiness and model reverence in a world that has lost its sense of awe. May we continue to be a church that exalts God in all we do! May we model an attitude of worship for the world to see!