Word Count: 427 – Est Read Time: ~2 Minutes
What’s Up
Pastors hear it all the time: “I’m not being fed.” Spoiler alert: That complaint has almost nothing to do with your preaching.
So What
You could be setting out a five-course biblical feast every week, but if folks don’t sit down and eat, that’s on them, not you.
The Point Is
You’re Their Chef, Not Their Mama
Your job isn’t to spoon-feed your people. It’s to prepare and present solid, nourishing spiritual meals. They can eat … or they can starve. That’s their call.
Feed Yourself First
The only person you’re responsible to feed spiritually is you. You can’t serve anyone well on an empty tank. Stay fed, stay grounded, and for God’s sake (and for the sake of the church) stay focused.
Serve Real Food
Not everyone likes the same menu. Some folks want dessert every week (bless their hearts). But your call is to deliver truth that strengthens, sustains, and solves their real-world spiritual problems – and every problem they have is a spiritual problem.
Make It Relevant
Sermons that answer “What’s in it for me?” are sermons that get heard AND applied. Practical obedience that leads to an abundant life beats theological tiramisu every time.
And … ?
Let’s quit pretending that “I’m not being fed” is some deeply spiritual concern. More often than not, it’s church code for “You changed the status quo and I don’t like it.” Maybe you changed up the music. Maybe you challenged their world view. Maybe you dared to call them to accountability. Whatever the trigger, their appetite isn’t the problem … their entitlement is.
Still, that doesn’t let you off the hook, Pastor. You’re not called to entertain or coddle, but you are called to serve a meal worth sitting down for. That means biblically faithful, practically relevant, spiritually challenging sermons. No more comfort food week after week. No more theological Pop-Tarts. I’m talking lentils, kale, and turnips … spiritual meals that build soul muscle. (Yeah, they’re not popular on the potluck table, but they keep people healthy.)
When your congregation learns that Sunday morning is the one place where real answers for real life get served hot, they’ll show up hungry and they’ll come back for more. Just don’t expect them all to clean their plates. Some will nibble. Some will whine. A few will leave looking for a dessert bar. Let them. You’re feeding the ones who are ready to grow.
