Again and again I have heard people explain their departure from a congregation by saying, “We just weren’t getting fed there.” Although there may be some situations when this is true or perhaps a valid concern, I have come to hate the expression.
The first reason I object to the declaration is that it centers on us and our needs—not the church or the purposes of God. In this consumer age it is tempting to shop for churches that meet our needs or taste. A more biblical approach is to find a place of worship that gives us opportunities to serve God and our brothers and sisters in Christ. Unfortunately, I seldom hear folks say, “We stopped attending that church because we just couldn’t find enough opportunities to serve others.”
Another reason I object to this complaint of not being fed is that getting fed isn’t that hard if you are hungry. Yes, some preachers and teachers are more eloquent and insightful than others; but if they are presenting the word of God and trying to live it out, we can be fed. Too often we are just picky eaters. As a terrible student in high schools, I failed to learn for two reasons: occasionally teachers would not teach, but more often I refused to learn. Feeding the sheep doesn’t guarantee the sheep will eat.
Additionally, over the years I have realized that “We were not being fed” often means something else. It often means, “I am mad at the pastor and refuse to listen to anything he says.” It may mean, “This church and pastor have not made me feel as important as I truly am.” If the pastor has instituted some changes, the complaint may mean, “I don’t like the new style of worship.” And the worst scenario is when our complaint about not being fed is the result of the pastor feeding us so effectively that the Holy Spirit is convicting us of sin. Of course, all these concerns have little to do with whether the pastor is actually feeding his flock with the Word of God.
God does call people to other congregations because He has new opportunities for them to serve and minister. I also recognize that when the shepherd turns out to be a wolf or the teaching departs from basic orthodoxy, it is time to go elsewhere. However, when we approach church with the heart of a servant instead of a consumer, our reasons for going and staying stop being about us. At the end of his ministry, Paul was conflicted about whether to depart and be with the Lord or stay and continue to minister. His conclusion was to declare, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” It is always about the Lord, not us.
