Four kinds of church-goers

When it comes to what church people want:

• Some want to be taught what they’ve been taught
• Some want to hear things they’ve never heard before 
• Some want something they can run with
• Some want what is life and Spirit

The first kind are people who already know what they believe. They simply want the pastor to repeat it back to them. This group tends to be sticklers for doctrinal purity, systematized down to the last detail.

They want their doctrine preached. Every Sunday. That's what constitutes a good sermon and good church.

It's even better if the sermon parses and criticizes other doctrines. The reason is, they tend to believe that any other doctrinal position is heresy, and those who believe those doctrines are not saved. Further, the those pastors who teach other doctrinal perspectives are false teachers.

These people have an intellectual, or often, quasi-intellectual approach. They fancy themselves as students of the Bible, searching it through for verses that confirm their doctrine.

They wouldn't leave their church at the first hint of false doctrine, but the radar will be up. They would be quick to pull the pastor aside and correct him. If he doesn't respond properly, or if he makes further doctrinal mistakes, they often will leave the church to go find a good church that teaches the Bible.

For them, the pastor gives them their confirmation bias, as well as a feeling of having the pure, unadulterated, jot and tittle, truth.

The second kind are bored with Bible truths, though they would never admit it. Bible truths are given lip service, but they are old news. Milk for babes.

They think the church is out of touch, out of step, and an impediment to what God wants to do. If it's been done before, it must be done away with. They will float from church to church, never putting down roots or developing relationships. Nor will they submit to authority, for they hear from God.

These people fancy themselves as moving on into the deeper things of the faith. They think they are the envelop pushers, the innovators. They have clever insights and arcane twists on common understandings. They like to spiritualize Bible stories and accounts and apply them to modern circumstances in a way that often stretches credulity. But for them it's spiritual, it's deep, it's a rhema word.

These people, like the first group, want to hear specific things from the sermon. But rather than have the pastor regurgitate correct doctrine, these people want to hear about the latest thing. They want a new "insight" on things, an innovative interpretation, something clever. They have ears to tickle. They are like those who Paul addressed at the Areopagus.

For them, the pastor is a spiritual innovator.

The third kind are faithful attenders of church Sunday after Sunday. They are the trustworthy ones, faithful and stable. They serve, give, and attend for years and decades.

But for some of them, deep down they feel that there's something more. They've experienced the same routine, the same traditions, the same forms for as long as they've been saved. They've had enough teaching. They've grown weary of the same old songs, the same old sermons, the same old thing.

They want something more, they want to be given a go ahead, to be spurred on, given an outlet or an opportunity, and then go out and run with it. They know there's something more to be a Christian than the weekly meeting and potlucks. They want to make a difference, rather than fill a pew.

If they cannot find preaching that speaks to actually doing something in the Kingdom, they might leave the church in discouragement.

For them, the pastor is a motivator, the point man.

The fourth kind are dissatisfied with the western cultural expression of church. They want something real. They want spiritual fellowship, spiritual ministry, and the manifestation of God's Kingdom. They want revival and harvest. These people want God.

These people might leave their church, but it's much more likely they will try to effect change within their church. They will build networks of prayer, worship, fellowship, ministry, and evangelistic outreach within the current structure of the church. They will become servers or leaders in children's church or the worship team, maybe even as deacons or elders. They have command of the Scripture and depth of understanding that challenges the status quo.

Some people, particularly those in leadership, may bristle at these peoples' enthusiasm, passion, and energy, but they will also be enticed by it. There is something different about this group that is attractive, challenging, and beguiling.

They inevitably shake things up, sometimes bringing what appears to be a destructive result, depending on how they're received. Those who like things the way they are will not like what these people do. But their intent is not to destroy, but to build. Those who are truly open to see a move of God will figure out what these people are about.

Form them, the pastor is one of the team.

Conclusion

There is an undercurrent in the Church as more and more Christians gain deeper understanding of what it truly means to be the people of God. It goes so far beyond our traditions and practices as presently constituted. The result will be revival, a move of God as He installs His order.