Why do people leave the church? And abandon the very thing they embraced with such enthusiasm? Are we so busy trying to add conversions to our numbers that we forget about keeping the people we converted? Do we put so much time and energy into evangelism that we neglect giving new Christians a foundation? Is there a happy medium?
I talked with two people this weekend who used to attend our church. Is it more important to convert new Christians than it is to extend a “welcome back” to those who have left? Why did they leave? I don’t know. Why do I stay? I do know that. It has to do with relationships. A relationship with Christ and relationships with the people I love as my church family. Why didn’t these two people feel the same love? When my relationship with Christ wasn’t what it should be (and isn’t what it should be), I have the support of my church family. And when my love for them isn’t what it should be, I have strength in a relationship with Christ.
While it seems everyone else is scrambling to increase numbers, is it OK that I feel I need to scramble to keep the people we have ?
July 31, 2007 at 4:29 am
Great comment, Lisa. I think it has to do with our lonely culture … always busy … always on the rush … never time to sit down and get to know someone. Churches can be ultra-busy places also … with little emphasis on finding ways to express love for one another. What is the purpose of the assembly? To provoke one another to love and good works … but is that what happens most of the time? Hospitality is a lost art in many corners. I think your interest in connecting with the disconnected is a marvelous work of the Spirit showing forth in your life. Keep it up!
July 31, 2007 at 4:28 pm
[...] Lisa thinks thinks about retention being as important as evangelism. [...]
August 7, 2007 at 10:02 pm
Not only is it ok, it is essential that we look after new believers. Our attitude towards evangelism is the same attitude that many couples have about weddings and marriage: Once the “main event” has passed, the hard part is over.