| It
happens to all preachers at one time or another. It’s bound to
happen again, eventually. It’s awkward. It’s a little
embarrassing. It can be so discouraging. There’s little we can
do to completely avoid it. What is it? It’s that dreaded
monster called ‘low turnout’ - when the time to begin your
meeting is upon you, and most of the chairs are empty. It’s
when you plan for 100, but 20 show up. It’s when you realize
that those people who said they’d be there aren’t - and won’t
be. What then? What should you do, and what should you not do,
to fight discouragement in yourself and to keep it from
infecting those who did show up? Here are some suggestions:
1. Do keep a smile on your
face, and be thankful for whoever did come. Let the people who
came know how glad you are for their presence. The important
ones are those who came, not those who didn’t.
2. Do focus on the few who
came, reminding yourself how the Lord Jesus loves each one
individually. This keeps you from fretting about the ‘no-shows’
and allows you to better meet the needs of those who came.
3. Do take advantage of the
intimate setting. Continue with your study, discussion, or
lesson, but feel free to be creative. Consider a cosier
atmosphere. Tailor the meeting to the needs of those who came.
4. Do proceed with confidence
and assurance. Your attitude will become infectious.
5. Do expect God to show up no
matter who else doesn’t. His grace and Spirit are not
proportional to the number of people at the gathering.
6. Don’t make excuses for
those who didn’t come. Don’t even mention their absence.
7. Don’t explain that there
are usually more people at your meeting. This will only serve to
discourage yourself and others by emphasizing the small turnout.
More people do not necessarily make a better meeting.
8. Don’t denigrate the
non-shows for their absence. This only creates negative
feelings. Keep a positive atmosphere.
9. Don’t postpone your
starting time, hoping for more people to show up. Start on time.
10. Don’t ever, ever
apologise for low turnout. God can work as powerfully with a few
as with many.
Most of all when the seeds of
discouragement begin to plantthemselves in your mind, remind
yourself again that the Lordwould have died for just one. As
long as you yourself haveshown up, there’s one whom Christ
loves and gave His life tosave. If you are there, so is He, and
that’s enough.
FOOTNOTE:
This is not designed to
encourage complacency. There may be reasons for diminishing
numbers. Desires for greater things should always be developed. Editor
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