Steve Mathewson is the Senior Pastor of the Evangelical Free Church of Libertyville, Illinois and the author of The Art of Preaching Old Testament Narrative (2002). He wrote “What ‘I’m Not Being Fed’ Really Means” for the March/April edition of Collide. In the article he suggests five possible meanings people may intend when offering this remark:
- I really am not being fed
- The church is not meeting my needs
- You are not addressing my struggles and challenges
- I do not like your style
- I want you to entertain me
So What?
For those who pastor
- How often do you hear the “I am not being fed” line directly from parishioners? Indirectly through others?
- When you hear this, how do you seek to learn what the person making the declaration really means?
- When you hear of other concerns or complaints stated by those in the congregation how do you typically respond?
For all involved in congregational leadership
- What formal structures and scheduled opportunities does your faith community offer to solicit input from active participants?
- Do you have clear expectations regarding what person or group(s) is tasked with being responsive to concerns? If so, do you empower that person or group(s) to address real concerns and dismiss those that are unfounded?
- Do you engage in exit interviews with those who choose to leave your church? If so, what questions do you ask and how is that data utilized?