VIEW FROM THE PEW: Go Ahead and Criticize

Church leaders correctly see their role as changing hearts and changing lives. Perhaps their methods sometimes get in the way of achieving the desired results. Perhaps, formats, activities, and attitudes need to change. But how would the church leaders know?

While no church could possibly be all things to all people, most churches could be more things to more people if there were less members sitting on the sidelines and fewer people searching for a better church. In business, it is generally believed, for every customer who complains, seven customers will never complain and just quit doing business with a company that has not met their expectations. People attending church are very similar to customers. Even though complainers are perceived as a thorn in the side of church leaders, most dissatisfied people will just quit attending a church without ever complaining, and never give the leaders a chance to address their dissatisfaction.