Signs of a Church Hopper

When you are an initiator, by nature you attract those who are initators as well. When you are starting a movement whether it is a church plant, revitalizing a ministry or kicking a youth ministry off, you will need to know very important elements about the groups of people that will come to your aide. Some people are initiators; others are anchors; others are stabilizers and some are plain out church hoppers. Yep. I said it. You have to be able to identify those who are initiators and those who are bonefide church hoppers. Initiators thrive on doing something new. They love the "new car smell." They are excited about a "brand new church," or new youth pastor, or maybe even a new ministry venture. Beware, because their excitement of that new ministry will wain after it is stabilized. You can easily re-direct an initiator to another ministry to start or help revitalize something. Church hoppers are a little different. You have watch a few things in order to spot these people. Here is what I call the seven signs and sayings of a church hopper: 1. Their first conversation with you is how bad their last church was. A church hopper will talk about all the things wrong with the last pastor and last church. I have a friend name Lee Holley from Calvary Chapel PSL. He said their policy is that if someone trashes their last chuch at your church, then you automatically disqualify them. The reason is that it will not be long before they do it to you. When someone leaves a church whether it is positive or negative, the conversation should be, "I was called out." 2. They get involved in "spurts" and go missing for a while. Church hoppers do not have the power to commit. Either they find fault or are scared of committing because they hop around. They will get really excited for a week or two, or even a couple of months, but in the long run they never commit long term. 3. They have a brief history with churches. Church hoppers have "spotty" church resumes. Mentally compile a "resume" in chronological history of how many churches they have been at, for how long and the reason they left. I have families who leave a church and they have been there 4 years, 6 years or 8 years. That is staying power. They have commitment and a ling term history. 4. They have been to EVERY church in town. Ask other pastor friends about "so and so." You can have an understanding of where they have been and why they left from an objective source. And here is the kicker- If those churches could not do it for them, what makes you think yours can? 5. They commit really fast and tell you, "I got your back pastor. I am here for you." The ones who left the quickest were those who committed the quickest and they made this statement over and over again at the beginning, "I got your back pastor. I am here for you." Now listen, I have core team members who are faithful, loving and supportive. They make this statement, but they back it up with actions. They are consistent in their actions. 6. They do not serve and give to any ONE local ministry. A big sign of a church hopper is that they don't give AND serve at any one local ministry. We have Sunday night church so we have people who go other places on Sunday mornings. I can honestly tell you that people who do not financially, regularly back the church AND serve will be hopping. People will stay where their time and money is invested at. If it is no where, then it will not be long before they are somewhere else. My philosophy is this: If you are a mature Christian who loves Jesus, then serve and give. If you are a mature Christian and attend the church because you need another church service, I have plenty of friends with more seats. We need your seats! :) Be planted and rooted somewhere, for the sake of the Kingdom, please. 7. They want to "help" your church by changing it to where they came from. Yes, church hoppers left a church they did not like, but amazingly enough want to change your church into that church. I have had people tell me that because I am not like Rod Parsley or T.D Jakes, then I am not a good preacher. They wanted to have us doing 80's Christian music as well. They were there waiting and hoping that they could change me, when they could not- they left. At the end of the day, the way to identify a church hopper is when they hop from your church to another. The best thing to do is to love them, know that is their gifting and keep moving on. So, can you tell the difference between and initiator and a church hopper? What is the major difference to you? Answer below....