What motivates people to come to church? I recently had this conversation with someone who attends church whenever the doors are open. We recently began a men’s group for the express purpose of promoting and encouraging men to follow Christ. The conversation began as a response to our men’s discipleship group. I was told, in effect, that the group was useless as it does not give men answers to the problems they face in daily life. Right. It is not meant to. It was designed for the express purpose of encouraging men to be disciples.

But the conversation was very productive. I was asked what my goal for the church was. I explained that I want the church to become a place where people are saved (come to know Jesus as Savior), learn to be disciples (follow Christ), and are sent out as servants with the gospel of Christ. The response I received was very revealing. It began with a sigh, a lowered voice, and a slumping of the shoulders. Considering that non-verbal cues account for 93% of communication, that was a loud expression of disapproval.

Next came the statement, “I was hoping you would understand why people come to church.” Essentially, I was told that people come to church to find answers to their problems. “Everyday life beats people up. They come looking for answers to their addictions, personality disorders, family problems, relational problems, etc., etc.,” I was told. In effect, I was being informed that I was out of touch with people. There was no complaint that I had not addressed an urgent need in one’s life, but the general sense was given that I did not understand people. Hmm.

Immediately after that conversation

I read an article revealing that over 6,000 churches a year are closing their doors. The top reason given for why this is happening was poor leadership in the church. The writer of the article defined poor leadership as failing to lead the church in accomplishing its mission. The mission, he insisted, is to make disciples. I wanted to laugh, but instead I felt sick to my stomach.

I don’t think the problem with our churches is a dearth of poor leadership. I think there is a problem in our churches because there is a dearth of poor followership.  A disciple is one who follows Christ. I was told that others feel the same way that this individual feels. I can foresee a time when I am asked to leave my post as the pastor because I am not “meeting the needs of people.” That may never happen, and I have no fear that it will. But it could, and that’s the real problem.

Our churches are closing at an alarming rate because people fail to understand what the real purpose of the church is. Last night I was reading the thirteenth chapter of Matthew‘s gospel. Jesus was preaching in parables, and He was asked why He did this. He responded by quoting the prophet Isaiah, “Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; for the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed…” (Matt 13:14-15).

Many during the time of Christ came and listened to His teachings. Many of those same people would later cry out, “Crucify Him, Crucify Him!” Jesus revealed that they could not comprehend Him and His teachings because they had closed their eyes. In effect, they had closed their hearts to understanding God, and they had closed off for themselves the possibility of receiving the salvation He was offering. So Jesus said, “Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.” He wanted to heal them, but they would not let Him.

Many people come to church to hear from God. But they come with a preconceived idea of how God will speak to them. When He does not speak as they expected, they declare that God has not spoken to them. But He did! Unfortunately, they put themselves in a position where they would not hear because they already knew what they wanted to hear, and, as a result, did not hear what was actually said. In effect, “their eyes they have closed.”

The problem is that showing them what the Bible says does not change what they want to see. One can stand with a Bible in hand, reading it, and say, “Thus saith the Lord!” And the person who is listening for something else will still walk away and say, “Man, he doesn’t get it.” I now understand why Jesus did not chase after people. Such people cannot be reached. Even if God were speaking to them face to face (as Jesus was doing in Matthew’s gospel), they would still be unable to listen.

The conversation with the person ended cordially. He is my friend, and I love Him. But people will never find the answers they need until they learn to follow Christ. In fact, the answer to their problems will be found only in proportion to their surrender in following Christ.

Notwithstanding that, he told me that people need answers to their daily problems. I agree. Jesus is their answer. I sat and listened; then he walked out, hoping to have accomplished something.  He did. I now have a better understanding of the thirteenth chapter of Matthew, and a greater appreciation for why six thousand churches a year are closing their doors.