Catch 'Em and Keep 'Em by Brenda Rucker

“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35

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You've heard the expression regarding new people who visit the church, "They come in the front door and go out the back door." And when they don't come again, we wonder why. Though many reasons are possible, we want to make sure that the reason is not us…how we present ourselves, how we represent our God.

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The church is called to be a witness to the world concerning what Jesus Christ has done for us. We preach Christ and Him crucified as we share the Gospel with a lost and seeking world. We no longer live for ourselves but for the glory of God.

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Yet, we still fall short, and one way in particular can be evident to our family and friends that we invite to church—and that is complaining. “We love the Lord, and we're grateful for all He has done, but that preacher (this), or that sister (that)...”.  You get the point. It reminds me of the Israelites who complained to Moses on the way to the Promised Land. God's response was a 40-year sentence in the wilderness because they complained.  Is your church stuck in a wilderness experience?

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How might an attitude of discontentment (complaining) discourage my family and friends from wanting to join my church family? We need to know, this type of behavior affects our witness in a few different ways:

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For one, it lets our guests know we are not walking in unity, as one Body in Christ. When guests come in, they come as observers. One of the things they look for is how the body interacts with one another (Eph 4:3).

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Another way complaining hurts us is the damage to our testimony. Even the world knows that the church is supposed to be a place where love abounds, as we imitate God's love for us (Eph 5:1). When we complain about others in the church family, it not only shows a lack of love but also a lack of grace. The same grace by which we are all saved.

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But most of all, complaining dishonors God. As Christians, we are taught to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matt 22:36-40).

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Our witness to the world, family, friends, and strangers who come through our church doors will be most effective when they see how we love one another (John 13:35). They will know we are God’s children by our love.

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So, when God guides new people to our church, let's welcome them into a loving family unit that truly honors God as our Father. And with the aid of His Holy Spirit, we will catch 'em and keep 'em.  To the glory of God.