Let’s talk about pew warmers.
No, this isn’t a new device to keep you warm during a long sermon. It might just be you.
If you meet any of the following criteria, congratulations—you may be a pew warmer:
- You go to church on Sunday morning, leave, and return the next Sunday.
- You attend Sunday and Wednesday, then disappear until the next week.
- You go to church, smile pretty, shake hands, and sit down.
- You go to church and gossip about the music, the sermon, or Sister Sally.
- You believe church attendance ends at the pew—no serving, no helping, no involvement.
- You only show up when there’s a business meeting, because by golly, your name is written in the membership book of life and your vote matters.
I could go on, but by now you’ve likely caught on.
A pew warmer is a gap filler—someone who makes the church look full without helping it be alive.
The Busybodies
Then there are the busybodies.
2 Thessalonians 3:11
“For we hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies.”
These folks are something else entirely. They often succeed in rallying scripturally weak members—followers instead of leaders. This guarantees they’ll always have enough minions to fight the unnecessary battles they themselves created.
Eventually, the busybody realizes that most people can see through the façade. That’s usually when they leave—after the damage is done. Some of their followers leave too. Others stay behind and attempt to finish the mission. The original busybody still holds influence from afar, issuing quiet instructions about who to “take out” next.
Before long, the church becomes a battlefield instead of a body.
The Constitution Keepers
In any Southern Baptist church, business meetings are inevitable. If you’ve never had the privilege of sitting through one, consider yourself blessed. Laws get passed faster in Washington than in a Baptist church business meeting.
That 18-page church constitution?
It’s often followed more closely than the Bible. That’s a fact.
Enter Constitution Consuela. She will ensure the constitution is followed to the letter. Don’t forget the meeting minutes—they’ll be dissected later with surgical precision. There’s a process for everything, and people will emerge from the shadows to cast confusing votes no one saw coming.
Why Committee-Run Churches Don’t Work
Committee-run churches do not work.
Why?
Because pew warmers, busybodies, and constitution keepers sit on those committees. They position themselves strategically to maintain control of every aspect of church life.
In doing so, they become stumbling blocks—hindrances to the growth of God’s Kingdom.
Romans 14:13
“Let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.”
Now, don’t misunderstand me.
There must be protection for the church—its beliefs and stances should align with biblical truth. Order matters. Accountability matters.
But the mission matters more.
The Mission of the Church
The Body of Christ has been given a clear charge:
Matthew 28:16–20
“Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”
I’ve never read a passage that says:
Come to church. Take a load off. Sit back and relax. Don’t worry about worship or outreach—the Kingdom will grow itself.
If you find yourself clumped into any of these categories, dig into the Word. Learn what the Body of Christ is actually called to do.
Because right now?
We the willing, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful.
We have done so much, with so little, for so long, that we are now qualified to do anything with nothing
Joyless or Joyful 
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