There is something that happened to me (True story!) a few years ago that brought home the real need of the church:

I was getting dressed one Sunday morning to speak at old First Church a high-steeple church with a rich history. The radio was on. The early morning service from a fast growing Pentecostal church was being broadcast. I knew the pastor. He is not a great preacher, a little too emotional for my liking. But he knows how to reach people no one else can reach.

As I straightened my tie, I heard him say, "Before we begin this morning, I want to say a couple of things to you. First of all, I want to say that there is far too much moving around in the service while I am preaching. It's distracting." I thought that was a rather amusing thing for him to say on radio. Then he added, "And another thing. I would appreciate it if you would wait till after the service is over to go out to the restroom."

I thought to myself, "Is he really saying this on radio?" Then, to make matters worse, he added, "I have to wait till the service is over to go to the restroom and so can you!" I let out a hearty laugh. That's not the sort of thing most of us would broadcast as part of a worship service.

Smugly, I finished tying my tie and laughed inwardly about this unsophisticated messenger of the Gospel.

Then the voice of God spoke to my heart. "King," God said, "the reason that pastor has to tell his people how to behave in church is that a year ago many of them were not in a church. Some of them were having serious problems with alcohol and drugs. Some of them were going through painful divorces. A few were even in jail. That's why they don't know how to act in church. They haven't been in church very long."

Then God said, "Don't worry, King, you won't have that difficulty at old First Church."

And I thought to myself, "God help us, we won't. Everybody at old First church will know how to behave in church." And I couldn't help thinking that might be the most tragic thing that can be said about any congregation.