Sometimes what we need is NOT what we WANT and what we WANT is not what we NEED.
We may NEED to exercise and change our diet, but that is not what we WANT to do.
We may WANT a brand new car, but we may not NEED a brand new car.
We may WANT to stop working, but we NEED to pay our bills.
In churches today, do we focus more on what people WANT rather than what they NEED?
Studies show and surveys reveal what people WANT in a church.
There are books and lectures, and proven methods to build your congregation in today’s culture.
Step by step, based on careful research and popular opinion, they will show you how your church can give people what they WANT.
From the parking lot, to the carpet, to the curriculum, the music, and length of the sermon, these books can tell any church how to give the people what they WANT. A church consultant will come in and show you what you NEED to do in your church to give people what they WANT.
People WANT to be entertained, so play this kind of music.
People do not WANT to feel uncomfortable, so don’t speak about certain things in the message or sermon especially money.
People do not WANT to be offended or judged about their behavior, so do not teach or preach about lying, adultery, sexual immorality, drunkenness, selfishness, or greed.
People do not WANT to hear about the hell or damnation because it might frighten their children, so don’t bring that up until they are old enough to make their own decisions.
We are giving people what they WANT, but are we giving them what they NEED?
Because people don’t WANT to hear, we have deceived ourselves into believing, they don’t NEED to hear.
Because we don’t WANT to offend them, we tell ourselves that they don’t NEED to know the truth. We have forgotten that the gospel is offensive! Jesus did not tell people what they WANTED to hear and they killed Him!
Because we WANT numbers and large crowds, we think we NEED to change the gospel.
We NEED to rely on the Master to draw people to Himself, but instead we are depending on Methods.
We NEED to remain firm on the Rock and yet we are tossed about with every fad and new book that comes out.
We don’t WANT to wait on the LORD; we feel we NEED to move forward with the times.
We NEED to lift up the name of the LORD, but more and more I see churches lifting up the names of men.
People don’t WANT to hear the truth, but they NEED to.
Jesus did not WANT to drink the cup of the sin of the whole world into His Holy body, but we NEEDed salvation.
People NEED Jesus to get what they WANT.
And we NEED to tell them.
They may not WANT to hear about Jesus, but we still NEED to tell them.
In the church and without.
Read more articles by Ethelyn Martin or search for articles on the same topic or others.
