You Probably Won’t Read This.

Less than 50% of our church will read the newsletter. That’s not a guess, that’s just what the data tells us.

I’m not offended, who wants to read another email? Honestly - I get it.  

We recently discovered that our podcast feed, where we post our weekly sermons, gets a little less than 50 downloads a month. This means that when people miss a Sunday that they are rarely catching up by going to listen to the sermon in the week after. And that roughly half of our members are present on any given Sunday.

Listen: There isn’t any shame for this - but it does create some confusion because:

• People say they want to build community, but won’t sign up for events designed to facilitate that very thing.
• Folks will tell us that they “had no idea” something was happening, when we announce it every Sunday and it’s been in the newsletter for a month.
• And that they don’t feel connected, but rarely come to worship.
• They really want their kids to walk with the Lord, but can’t make time for regular family worship in a schedule filled with time for every other activity.
• People believe heaven and hell are real - but are reluctant to share the gospel or invite neighbors to church.

The truth is: You make time for what matters. But it’s easier to make excuses than to make time.

I feel it too. I do it too.

But…

• If you don’t listen to the announcements or read the newsletter, you probably won’t know what’s happening at the church.
• If you don’t regularly come to corporate worship, you probably won’t feel connected.
• If you don’t make meaningful time to disciple your kids during the week, they will be discipled by the world.
• If you don’t make time for community or engage in fellowship, you probably won’t feel like you belong.

Good things take time and sacrifice. You can’t microwave meaning. You can’t rush relationships.

Some people never find what they are looking for, but far more never really do the work of looking.

I love you. I love our church. I want God’s best for you. Which means sometimes I have to say hard things: Too many of us are settling for shallow, for superficial, for hurry, and for shadow.

God is inviting us into more. Let’s follow him there.