Kirkby La Thorpe Church: Closed, but Prayer Walked

This summer, I called at the Church of St Denys, Kirkby la Thorpe, Lincolnshire. An attractive little church, but alas, it was all locked up. This was a shame, because I called there twelve months’ previous, and it was closed then, as well. I was keen to enter as the church is of an early age. As usual, I took my photographs and then my leave, taking a few cheeky shots through the dirty panes.

In the porch, I espied a little card. Left by 'Dale and Ade', the message read:

Today we prayer walked this town/village praying the favour of God on you and your community.

And well might they pray, for I can find no online evidence that St Denys’ church even opens on Sundays, never mind mid-week. Church-going in Lincolnshire is weak, and how many of those who do attend are committed, converted believers, one cannot say. It might be that there is too small a Christian community in that parish to justify opening the doors. So to what extent should we pray for a church to remain open, or be opened, and to receive God’s blessing? And to what extent should we give up on a lost cause and start afresh?

Churches which fail to preach the gospel should be allowed to close. Indeed, their survival hinders real gospel churches, because they divert resources and give the wrong impression regarding the faith once delivered to the saints. Sometimes, God allows even faithful churches to close, as the Spirit blows where He will. Nevertheless, for as much as it is in our power, we should support and strengthen that which remains, and pray the Lord will raise again a gospel work in our benighted towns and villages.

The picture below might as well have been the front door:

I know thy works: behold I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my Name. Revelation 3:8, Geneva Bible