Choose Who To Lose

    No ministry, no matter how diverse, will reach everyone. A church with a “contemporary” style worship service will not draw many people from a traditional style of worship. A church that is “charismatic” will not appeal to someone from a conservative form of worship. A pastor who preaches expository sermons won’t reach as many as those enjoy exhortation type sermons. 

Since no one church can please everyone, a pastor must decide to “choose who to lose.” That is, if he chooses to use only the King James Bible, he has chosen to lose those who prefer other versions. If a pastor chooses to use multiple Bible translations, he’s chosen to lose those who use only the KJV.

We would like to think everyone will love our church, but that is not reality. As soon as a church decides what it believes and where it stands, it has made a choice who it will reach and who it will lose. It may be an unconscious choice, but a choice nevertheless.

But, that’s OK. We live on a big planet with more people than BBC will ever reach in a lifetime. Therefore, if our church cannot reach one particular kind of person, perhaps another church in Port Orchard can reach them. More power to them if they can.

The Apostle John observed, “Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.” Jesus answered, “Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us” (Luke 9:49-50).  Amen!