Responding to a Reader Who "Just Wanted to Come and Go to Church, Without Being Bugged."

I recently received a response to a post about first-time guests (Identifying First-Time Guests) that made me say, "Hmmm ..." It reminded me that we need to "keep on keeping on" when it comes to trying to get people connected to the church, even though many just don't get it. Maybe not even though many don't get it; maybe because many don't get it.

I had to share my response ...

Hmmm. Well, I must say that part of me is very happy to get your e-mail. The fact that you felt “bugged” to get involved the whole time you were attending our church, tells me we’re “doing” what the Bible says we should be doing.

I’ve said it many times … Christianity is a VERB!

There’s no such thing as a Christian that just comes and goes each week and never “does” anything. A Christ follower should serve, give, love others, etc. just as the Bible says.

In fact, if I was being accused of being a Christian and was standing trial in a court of law, it should be easy to convict me. In addition to presenting evidence the places me at church every Sunday, the prosecuting attorney should have no difficulty presenting other "evidence" that would easily convince the jury that I was guilty. I'm in a group. I serve on a regular basis. I give. I serve people in need.

You get the idea.

I continued my response ...

Now, if you aren’t a Christian, I’m saddened by your comments. Our attempts to get you to do something were aimed at getting you across the line of faith if you aren’t a believer. And, if you just felt bugged, we need to work on our methods.

Anyway … I take the mission of our church and my own faith very seriously. I believe to the core of my being that I am to “do” something as a Christ follower. I served at my church every Sunday since the very first service on Sunday, October 1, 2000. I didn’t become a staff member until April of 2004.

I'm no longer on staff at that church, but I'm still at my new church every weekend. I formally volunteer every other weekend now, but even when I'm not "serving," I'm talking to people or helping out in some other way.

Of course, I thanked them for contacting me.

Hmmm ...