Are We Trying to Take People from Their Churches?

Often I have heard my soul-winning partners tell the people to whom they are witnessing (and, ok... I've said it myself), "Well, we aren't trying to take people from their churches..." I've often thought to myself, as I hear it come from their mouths (or hear it come from mine), "Are we lying to these people?"  The truth is, I DO ultimately want people to come to our church and become a part of the work; and if the people to whom I am speaking are going to a bad church that teaches poor doctrine, I DO want them to stop going there.

So here are some points that I think we should clarify:

1.  What we really mean is, "We are here with the sole purpose of giving you the gospel.  Though we would love for you to come check out our church, let's get to the heart of why we are here."

2.  If a person hears the gospel and chooses to put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation (contrary to what they have been taught in their church), it should be pointed out that their church is probably not teaching the same thing.  Whereas it is not our goal to "take people from their churches," we don't want people to go where false doctrine is taught.

3.  If a person is saved, and their church is teaching the right gospel, I still want them to know about our church and what it teaches:

• We use the KJV Bible.
• We are big on soul-winning.
• We love preaching/teaching and are less focused on "programs."
• We encourage the family to worship together with the whole church, and though we have a "mother/baby room," we don't provide nurseries and children's classes.
  
  

Now, to some this might sound like we don't want people to come to our church at all.  However, we want to be very up front about our church and what they can expect if they visit.  It could be that some are in a church that is not a good fit for them and they are looking for a church more like ours.

I personally have no problem with someone finding another church if we aren't meeting their needs and they can serve the Lord better elsewhere.  It isn't usually a good feeling to know someone doesn't "like" our services, but it is a reality.


So, are we trying to take people from their churches?  I would have to say...no.  That isn't our goal.  If it happens, it happens; but that isn't why we go out door to door and talk to people.  We are not in competition with other churches.  We don't figure out what they are doing and try to do it better.  We don't base our programs and special events with the mindset of drawing church goers from their churches.

The Bible says "go into all the world and preach the gospel."  So, they don't have to come to us, we are going to go to them.  And if anyone is interested in joining up with us, and if they can grow and serve the Lord better with our assembly than they can were they are... come on!