Criticism

I have to admit I was initially mad then defensive when I received some harsh words from an occasional visitor at our church about our style of worship... not enough hymns for her taste.
My initial reaction was to fight back.  Doesn't she know it's not about the form as much as about the substance and heart?  As I carefully crafted a genius response - in my mind - God laid it on my heart to say nothing.  That's right, nothing.  To simply let it go.
Let it go.
That's not my style to let it go.  I love to debate and defend my positions.  No doubt that's my pride coming out at times.
As I wrestled with this thought of letting it go, I randomly picked up a book that I had started reading a couple months ago but it had lost my attention.   There it was, God speaking just as if he was in physical form in the room speaking in an audible voice.  In the book, a pastor outlining his difficulty with some members and how he handled it.  He loved them. 
No harsh immediate rebuke.
He valued them.  Cared for them.  Listened.  He loved.
Wow, what a word.  This lady will probably never know that her words hurt me.  But my response will be love.  Not because it's what I want to do but because it's what God has shown me. 
Anyone can love when it's things are going well but our true test of character is to love others even when they are un-lovable.
May God be glorified in our responses. 

My answer to a question of how are visitors drawn to a church?

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In answer to your last question, prayer… God is drawing people to [church name] through his sovereignty.  We’ve had several visitors say similar things, paraphrasing here, “we just saw the church and felt like we had to come and check it out.”  We have done no advertising or promotion.  When men and women get on their knees and a church takes prayer seriously I strongly believe God uses that church for His glory.

Please take time to read this link…

http://www.evanwiggs.com/revival/portrait/spurgeon.html

James MacDonald has said numerous times when asked how his church flourished so much both in number and in spiritual depth, now 16,000 over 6 campuses in Chicago alone, and more importantly sending Pastors all across the country and the world.  He says, again paraphrasing, “we struggled as a church for a number of years until we started taking prayer seriously, it was only when we wept before God in agonizing prayer that he chose to use us for the glory of His name.”

And when I say Harvest takes it seriously, you have no idea the lengths they go to in fervent prayer – here’s a clue, it’s not a Wed night “prayer meeting”.

If you think about it, doesn’t it make sense?  Imagine a church who has not first fully committed to prayer and starts to grow and flourish.  The temptation is then, “look what we’ve done.”  But if a church is first on their knees, humbling themselves before God, confessing sin and calling out for His favor, then it’s “look what God has done.”

It’s not structure, form of government (although bad church polity will hinder ministry), organization, location, advertising or programs.  Just prayer.  Too simple isn’t it?