Let me tell you an inside secret. When preachers are speaking with other preachers privately, we describe losing some people as blessed subtractions. Every pastor has a few people who leave the Church they lead, and they actually thank God for their absence.

This might sound shocking, but let me describe a few of them.

1. The Troublemaker. Some people strive to stir up division in the Church. That way, they attract attention (albeit negative) and are never ignored.

2. The Constant Complainer. They liked the last preacher better. They prefer a different style of music. They do not like the volume of things. They want more of this and less of that. Every conversation is a complaint about something in the Church.

3. The “My Last Church” Christian. They are currently attending the Church I lead, but their last Church did this, and their previous Church did that. They are working hard to make this Church just like their last Church.

4. The Deep Thinker and Not Doer. The person who attends every Bible study but will not serve anyone else in any way. They have all the Biblical answers but none of the fruit.

5. The Space Filler. They come to Church, sit there for one hour every week, and leave. They don’t connect to anyone, serve, join a small group, or do anything besides fill a seat each week.

These are a few of the people who walk out of Church, and secretly, the preacher is not offended. In fact, it opens doors for those who are growing in the Lord to serve without hindrance.

One goal for a Christian is to be such a vital part of the Church that no one is ever happy to see you leave, especially the pastor.