Acts 27:31 31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” Does staying put matter? Does it matter in the Church anymore? We live in a society that promotes easy access. If you want it you can have it. If it doesn't fit you, you can just find something else that meets your "needs." People are changing jobs all the time, spouses all the time, and unfortunately Churches all the time. But does it matter? "Who cares?" "Who is it affecting?" In the region I live and serve in, there are churches on top of churches. A church for this and a church for that. It often reminds me of a supermarket. As you are driving down the road you can just shop until your hearts content. And as soon as the window display changes you can just "pop" in to try it out. You can flip through the sales catalog (aka bulletin) to see what the store has that fits my want list. Do they have a lot going on? "Because you know if they don't they are not really healthy." We check out the merchandise. Do they have a choir, praise team, pews or chairs. Do they sing what I like; does the preacher say what I like in the TIME FRAME I like it. Did my required amount of people say hello to me and lavish me with edification? If not we just walk down the road and try out another one. Because we can. Too many churches are into marketing than into Jesus. Too many churches are trying to meet the demands of "shoppers" than the damands of Jesus. How has that happened? How has this heresy come to happen in our churches? One word, shoppers. That's right, you heard me. I know that I will get some heat over this, but you know truth is truth. Staying put does not mean anything anymore. Growing where God plants you does not matter to those who say they know Jesus and churches are trying to grow by reaching people that will inevitably leave them too. Kinda like the customers is always right. Does staying put matter? Not to a large majority of church members. But Does staying put matter? Yes, it still matter. The proof of that is in the results of our homes and our churches. Homes that have parents that "stay put," are healthier and stronger. Churches that have "members" that stay put, likewise, are healthier and stronger. Proven fact. I hear church members talk about how sad it is to watch a father or a mother leave their family, and watch that same church member walk out on the faith family they proscribed to. Proven fact. Does staying put matter? Yes, becauses churches are healthier and strong. Why? When church members stay put, they can be trusted. Paul encouraged the soldiers to stay in the boat. The fact is, if they would have jumped ship no one would have been left to protect the others on the boat. The ship would have been with out people who could operate and protect it. Our churches find themselves weak and defenseless because those who "signed on" have jump ship and left her to the power of the wind. Most times crashing on the rocks. And we say, "Ah, that's too bad." I had a guy and his family come and visit our church one time. I was already friends with him and respect him very much. They came and worshipped with us that morning and I got to spend a little time with them afterwards. As we talked he expressed the fact that they were not happy at the church they were attending. As I listened, he shared what bothered him and how he would like to see those things change. After some time, I was able to share a thought with him. I just told him that our churches need people that will stay and be catalyst for change. All that he was saying was good stuff, but if he left who would be the advocate for those changes. Now, let me say, this guy could have brought tons of resources to our church. The temptation to "sell" was there, but God wants people that will stay put because it makes healthier and stronger churches. It also means you can be trusted. The soldiers may have wanted to jump, but they didn't. They stayed and remained in their post. It is ironic that we so easily leave one church for another, yet try to teach our children to finish what they start. We will make them endure things they started to do and "teach" them to suffer through it, but turn and run (jumping ship) the first time church is not up to our standard. Hey, we can just go shopping. Does staying put matter? Yes, it provides much needed strenght and encouragement to the family. Churches that are growing have people that are staying put and refuse to take the easy way out. The added bonus is that they can be trusted. If we all jump ship, we will all be lost. Does staying put matter? Yes, eternally. It is a well known fact that the world is watching the church. We say we know this, but the reality is sometimes lost. As we are "shopping," looking for the place that fits our needs the world is watching us move from place to place. What they see are ships who have no one maning the stations. Ships that are just drifting alone, because the crew is bailing over the sides. Don't think those watching don't see that. How can we expect those outside the church to want to come in if we are leaving the church. We have lost the sense of reality that the world is watching this all take place. Our communities have no respect for the church because they don't see people who are surrendered to it at all cost. When we are shopping around for the next best thing, we are centered on what I need, not on what others need. What others need are people who are staying put. People who are growing where God has planted them. Church has become too easy. We float in one door and out the other. We are not joining churches because it will mean responsibility. We are not asked to join because it might scare someone off. We are not expecting anything from the members because they may go somewhere else. We are not following biblical duty because it maybe unattractive or too hard. I realize that many reading this may not like it or me. But that is only a symptom to the problem. We can dismiss it any way we want to, but we can't avoid it. Church is hard, it gets tough. It requires dedication and surrenderedness. Church is not for the faint of heart. Church is a community of people that are commissioned to duty. The church does not have the biblical understanding of this because very few are staying put. While we are running around shopping, those who are staying put are having to take up the slack created by absence. They are doing things God has not called them to, because the ones who should have, jumped. Does staying put matter? Yes. Is it happening? Yes, there is a small contingency that is maning the ships. There are unreconized heros who are running from one station to the other assuring the ship is safe. There are proven soldiers that stay put when the storms rage and everyone is jumping off. These men and women are the heros that will hear the Lord say "well done, good and faithful servant." Soldiers who are fighting for every testimony. These are the ones we see everytime we pop our heads back into the church to see if anything has changed. These are the ones who are changing the world. These are the ones who are praying for labors who will stay put. They are tired too, they are hurt too, they are stretched too, but are staying put. Thanks to each of who are staying. I understand this is strong, but if we are unwilling to save the ship who is? Do we love church because of what it can do for us or because of who it stands for. If this runs you away from a church, chances are you were leaving anyway. That is unfair those who are staying. The time to stay put is now. The harvest is ripe now. Stop driving down the road and start growing where God has planted you. Start maning the station you have been assigned to, at all cost.