I have noticed a trend in churches and Church growth material recently. There seems to be a growing theory or hypothesis that unchurched people are attracted to churches who reach out in the community, feed the poor, care for others, get involved in issues of justice, etc. I don’t disagree with this hypothesis at all and, in fact, think it is quite accurate. However, it is the result of this assessment that bothers me.
There have been a rash of churches who are getting involved in the community, helping the poor, and engaging the needs of our culture because of the belief that it will grow their church. I am not arguing that churches shouldn’t be involved in these virtuous activities but want to ask the question: “Does our motivation matter?” In other words, is it right to get involved in the community and engage the needs of others out of the motivation to the grow the church?
I am not against feeding the poor, being involved in areas of injustice or meeting the needs of the community we are called to serve (I fully support them and argue we don’t do enough), but shouldn’t we do them simply because they are good and because we are called to do them? I would argue that even if they didn’t produce an evangelistic response or if the church didn’t grow, we are still called to participate in them. This is part of what the Church is called to be and what the Church is called to do. What would happen if your church would decrease in size if it cared for the poor or issues of justice? Would it still do it with the same passion and fervency?
Does our motivation matter? I think so. If we become the Church we are called to be, people will be attracted to it, but we need to be the Church simply because we are called to be the Church that radically loves people and shows it through everything it does, regardless of the results.
