I’m part of a large church, and any large church who is aggressively looking to move the kingdom forward is usually asking the following question:
How can we get more?
Now hopefully the question is coming from an optimistic vision for the future instead of a scarcity mentality that many have, but I would be lying if I said we never ask questions like
How come more don’t give financially?
How come more don’t dedicate their time to the mission and ministry that we care about so severely?
How come they have not invested in and invited more people who don’t know who Jesus is?
In the context of these questions I found myself with the rare opportunity to sit with my wife yesterday and listen to one of our leaders and teachers during our weekend service. As I sat there, I realized that the first 10 rows from the front of the stage are all filled with faces of familiarity, very likely the most loyal of individuals. These are the people that show up to listen and learn from buffoons like me day in and day out. Yet, conviction swiftly set in when I realized that I had previously sat down with only 2 of them. Myself, like so many others slip into the mentality that we are from a mega church and our role as pastor, teacher, or director is to simply pour into my leaders since there are way too many people to actually connect with them all.
But is this totally true?
Have I really not had the time to get the names and stories of 20 of the most loyal listeners over the past 5 years?
I mean they actually sit in the same seats week in and week out.
Suddenly thoughts began to bombard my brain
Why have I not heard their stories?
Have I missed opportunities to share my faith and usher people into the kingdom?
Have I side stepped moments to break bread and pray with people?
Have I missed some of the most influential people in the real world as I sink into the shallow comfort of my own influence in my religious la la land?
After all these questions came, I then had to ask myself once again..
How come more don’t give financially?
How come more don’t dedicate their time to the mission and ministry that we care about so severely?
How come they have not invested in and invited more people who don’t know who Jesus is?
I had to wonder if those questions would even be there if every leader in our community knew the thirty people sitting behind them every week, having an established relationship with the loyal listener. In a mad dash to spread the gospel to the thousands we tend to forget those living next door to us, working in the cubicle beside us, and the thirty sitting directly behind us.
Don’t ignore the thirty behind you. They could be the answers to all the questions of leadership you have struggled with over the past season.
