Entertaining Sheep, Attracting Goats

I recently heard a local pastor criticize other churches by saying that they were "entertaining sheep and attracting goats." The "sheep" term is used in the Bible to refer to believers, followers of God who are true Christians. The "goat" term is used to refer to those who might be among the sheep, for now, but will eventually be separated from them by God, because the "goats" are non-believers. So, the pastor's critical comment was that some churches are just trying to entertain the believers and attract non-believers by the methods they use in worship, rather than building up believers and honoring God in their worship.

I have heard critical remarks like this before, and they are usually used of churches that are growing, not from transfers from other like churches, but from people in the community, people that are spiritually searching, and are finding the truth they are looking for being communicated in an up to date, fresh, loving way. Usually, a co-criticism of churches like this is that the preaching is not "deep" enough.

Certainly there are churches that have a lot of people, are just a social type of church, and are not preaching truth. But, these criticisms, from other good, Christian pastors, are not aimed at the doctrinally deviant churches, but at churches that hold to pretty much the same doctrine. It is just that they have chosen a different method to communicate the same truth to the people they are trying to reach.

When I hear criticisms like this, I wonder what they would have thought or said about Jesus Christ, when He was here on Earth. We have recorded for us many of His messages and teaching methods. Would they consider Jesus' teaching "deep"? Certainly, He could have been accused of "entertaining the sheep" or "attracting goats" when He performed some of His incredible miracles. People were amazed and "entertained" as the Bible even tells us that some people were following Him only because of His miracles. Was He "entertaining the sheep" and attracting goats" when He told stories instead of going verse by verse through an Old Testament book? He told stories that today, we would say were entertaining, keeping our interest, and strongly making His point. Believers and non-believers alike were drawn to what Jesus did and taught. He would often use object lessons, using the water or mountains and hills, or fish and bread. Instead of answering some of the questions He was asked directly, He would make His point (and I'm sure caused many of the hearers to laugh) by answering the question with a question.

There is another way to look at this, you know. What if Jesus was not trying to "entertain" the sheep as much as He was trying to "engage" them in truth and have them consider what it really takes to be His follower? What if Jesus was, indeed, attracting "goats" because He wanted to introduce them to Himself, to the truth that would lead to God? And at the right time, after the "sheep were entertained" and the "goats were attracted", Jesus would then lay it out for them: this is what is required to be my follower...this is the truth. It was at moments like that, that most people, including His closest followers, would walk away from Him.

If by "entertaining the sheep" we mean engaging believers through effective teaching methods, bringing all of their senses into play, regarding God's truth, then I say: "let the sheep be entertained!" And if by "attracting the goats" we mean that non-believers are willing to hear the life changing message of the gospel because we are willing to do what the Apostle Paul was willing to do: "be all things to all men, so that I might save some"; then by all means: bring in the goats!

The only people that Jesus was really rough with and called names, were those religious leaders who pretended to know and follow God, but were actually causing damage to the testimony of God and the gospel of Christ. They were the ones who were very rigid and would never have been accused of entertaining anybody. They not only condemned the goats (ironically they were actually goats, non-believers, themselves), but they condemned true Christians. They were all about rules and keeping their man-made standards and laws.

Let's have the heart of Jesus as we minister to people, and remember why He was here: "to seek and to save that which was lost (goats)". We have been called by God to "make disciples", followers of Jesus; and if those followers, through engagement of the truth, are also laughing and enjoying their journey with Jesus (being entertained), then praise God! Perhaps God was right when He said we as believers are to be constantly rejoicing.

So, this week, my prayer for you churches is this: may your sheep be entertained, and may you attract many goats!