“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way” (Isaiah 53:6).
A discouraged preacher emailed me recently: “Bob, I just wanted to ask for your prayers. It’s been very discouraging dealing with all the Covid issues. As a pastor, I feel like much of my life’s work is slipping away. I know we can never please everyone, but I am so disappointed in our people’s lack of love and commitment.”
A couple of paragraphs later, he added this statement, “I’m concerned that those who haven’t resumed attending services have made a permanent decision, and we will never see them again. It’s so sad.”
It is demoralizing to church leaders when people they thought were loyal to Jesus Christ and supportive of the church’s ministry do not return. Pastors are instructed to “go after the lost sheep until he finds it”(Luke 15:4). But the problem is (as the video above reveals), sheep are not very smart; they are often rebellious and run from the shepherd at their own peril.
If horse-racing fans can return to the Kentucky Derby next Saturday and if customers can now eat in restaurants, it is time for genuine believers to return to church. Admittedly regular church attendance is not the only measure of a person’s commitment to Christ, but it is a significant indicator. Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for it. If we love Christ, we are going to love His bride and long to fellowship with His family.
Of course, I am not talking about people who are still vulnerable to Covid. Some feeble, elderly saints and some who are infirmed and unvaccinated need to continue to watch online. But the rest of us should not pretend that watching at home is an acceptable substitute for actual participation in worship.
The parable of the sower in Matthew 13 helps prepare church leaders for the sad reality that not all Christians will remain faithful. While it is heartbreaking, we should not be surprised when some believers drop out along the way. Jesus said that some seed planted in shallow soil would spring up quickly, “But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root” (Matthew 13:6).
When church members mysteriously vanish, Christian friends are bewildered and often blame themselves. Like a rejected lover who struggles with self-esteem, the church asks, “What is wrong with us that so many don’t stick with us for the long haul?” We enjoyed the company of those who left, and we depended on them for their service. Now it is a bit awkward when we see them at community functions, and we do not know what to say. ‘Miss seeing you at church!’ is about all we can manage to say. We go home and wonder again what happened. They seemed so committed at one time. Why aren’t they attending services anymore?
Jesus explained it like this: “The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful” (Matthew 13:20-22).
Some drop out because they cannot take the heat that comes from believing in the basics of God’s Word. They crave the respect of the intellectual community, and they can’t handle the ridicule their more “progressive” peers dish out. Others get so caught up in the pursuit of success and pleasure they just don’t have time for church anymore. They are too busy traveling and are too involved in worldly affairs to make it to worship services.
When church elders or friends muster up enough courage to confront, the defectors never say, “To be honest, I’m a shallow person, and the worries of this life have choked God’s word in my heart.” They never confess, “I’m so consumed with making money and advancing my child’s athletic career that I’ve got my priorities inverted.”
No. Almost always, they blame the church for their own backslidden condition. The preacher offended them. The church didn’t respond to the pandemic correctly. They weren’t being fed. The music wasn’t what they wanted it to be. Their children didn’t like the youth program, and they use the pandemic as an excuse to drop out.
As a result, the church becomes the target of unjust criticism and becomes defensive. Some members conclude, “The preacher has to quit offending people.” “The elders need to develop a better shepherding program.” “We need to soften the church’s stance on controversial issues.”
We would do well to remember not even Jesus managed to keep every sheep in the fold. The Scripture reports, “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him” (John 6:66). Even one of His twelve closest disciples, Judas Iscariot, got trapped in the world’s pitfalls. Judas’ defection wasn’t Jesus’ fault. The Lord predicted that in the last days, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12).
Shepherds need to do their best to reclaim the strays and strengthen believers. But church leaders need to be realistic…we will never have 100% retention no matter how effective our worship services or how meaningful our sermons.
So keep the big picture. Encourage the strays to return, but do not be disheartened if they don’t. Be thankful for those who are loyal. Faithfully sow the seed of the gospel and rejoice over the harvest God gives. Follow the example of the Apostle Paul who was often disappointed in believers, yet wrote, “…Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).
.
Follow BobRussellKY on Twitter and LIKE the Bob Russell page on Facebook
