Growing Servants and High Maintenance People

Churches have a tendency to attract two types of people:

One group is the GROWING SERVANT.  They are dedicated and willingly follow the leadership of their church. When a class needs to be taught, they will teach. When a project needs to be carried out, they will get it done. When a new initiative is being launched, they will get involved. When a change needs to be made, they support it and get on board.  Whatever direction the church takes, these are the early adopters. They buy in and lend their support. They are in for the whole ride, committed through thick and thin. They love their church, will tithe, volunteer and serve sacrificially for no recognition. They live in obedience to God. While they are not perfect and are still working their way through personal issues and spiritual challenges, these are the people who make church work!  God bless them, every one of them.

The other type are HIGH MAINTENANCE PEOPLE. They struggle in their relationships across the board. They rarely hold the same job very long, don’t pay their bills, regularly need assistance from the church, and have conflict with authority.  These congregants generally don’t accept the wisdom of others, don’t adhere to the leadership of the church, are easily offended, and change churches often – which explains why they are in the position they’re in. They feel as if they are fighting the whole world and can’t trust anyone. Granted, they usually have reasons for these feelings, but to be frank, these feelings make them high maintenance people who are very difficult to help. No matter how much you do, it is never enough. Continuous drama surrounds them. They are difficult and stubborn in their ways, argumentative, and very skilled at making others feel responsible for their misery.