Churches that are trying to attract people as there number 1 priority often fall into the trap of competitiveness! When numbers are how you discern the health of your church the groundwork for competitiveness is laid, this is so dangerous! Competition when taken to it's extreme is murderous! The best possible outcome theoretically is the elimination of your rival (see Cain and Abel), so to be at even the beginning of this process is fundamentally unhealthy! Jesus said "without Me you can do nothing" and "In me you can do all things" I believe that the number 1 priority for every church is to cultivate an environment that is attractive to the manifest presence of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! ( Not people ) Those who are lost and seeking will find an environment like that irresistible! And when we make it all about Him HE will draw all men unto HIMSELF! Lets become less entertaining and more transforming, less personality driven and more Spirit led! I have a feeling that there will be no stressing about bills in a church like that!

Jesus is reorganizing the priorities of His body! Jesus said " they will know that you are My disciples because of the love you have for one another" I truly believe that we need to be paying more attention to the widows, single parents, the elderly and all others in between within the household of faith as a priority! When the commission to evangelize becomes our overwhelming priority the loving, caring Spirit lead environment we've been called to cultivate within the house often suffers! We need balance. What good is a great frontline if we have a lousy back room unable to cater to the needs of those flooding through our doors! Jesus said "without Me you can do nothing". Only by creating an environment that attracts the presence of Jesus will we create an environment that attracts those who are seeking life! Only Jesus satisfies! A loving, compassionate, merciful church emanating the very nature and manifest presence of Christ will end up being our greatest evangelistic tool and will result in strong well equipped Christians.