Church Hopping

This week a good friend of mine and his wife spent the night. He is a missionary in Brazil and as we were renewing our fellowship he asked me what was different about serving in South Carolina as compared to other places I've been. It only took a moment for me to answer. It is the "church-hopping" mentality of many people here. On any given Sunday, we'll have 5 to 10 people visiting our church who are members of other churches. Those folks are discontent for whatever reason with the church they're in. The sad thing is just the opposite is likely true. It is a fact that most churches grow around here by swapping sheep.

I've never seen so many discontented people in one area, and I've tried to put my finger on why that is true. I'm sure I'll keep working on the answer, but here are some preliminary observations:

• There is the need for a religious experience. Some people need an emotional high all the time. After attending a church for a while the new wears off, the high become more middle, and they're off to some other place.
• There is lack of spiritual maturity. Some people are simply not growing in the Lord and do not have the spiritual maturity to handle any "pot-hole" that inevitably shows up in any church. At the first sign of a problem in the church of when they themselves have a problem with someone else, they're gone.
• There is a general lack of commitment to any institution. This is a sign of the post-modern era in which we live. Some simply do not want to live by any one's rules, including God's.
• There is the need to be entertained. Of course this hits at the lack of knowledge about true worship.
• There is a "me" mentality. Some who hop around are looking only to be served and not to serve.

There may be many other reasons but these are starters. In my opinion, if God leads an individual to a church there are only two reasons why He would lead them out. The first is a theological problem. If the church does not stand on the Word, then there is a need to move. Second is moral. If there is a terrible moral problem that the church will not address, there is the right to move. That's it!

How can a church be strong and accomplish God's will if a good number of the members are wondering whether they should go somewhere else?