Once you're saved, you don't matter anymore

peaceful-forest · 2025-11-06T17:11:55-0600

After I was saved, I attended Baptist churches and non-denominational churches. It seems like at the two Baptist churches, whether it was from leadership or other church members, they had this attitude that once you were saved, you didn't matter anymore. What I mean is that the church has too much of a focus on saving lost people. So if a Christian needs something or wants something, it doesn't matter, because "there are more important things to focus on and there's people going to Hell".

Is this anyone else's experience? Are the pastors and/or leadership being taught something in seminary school/Christian colleges/Bible colleges that is encouraging this kind of behavior? Why is it okay to neglect other parts of the church because "people are going to Hell and need to hear the Gospel"?

rebornfree · 2025-11-06T17:31:46-0600

I have slightly, in a previous church, but the leader was obsessed with activity. It was a loving church and rightly tried to reach the lost through many ministries. In doing so it occasionally missed the needs of the members.

I appreciate that those of us who are saved have had our greatest need met and the first priority must be the lost, but we should be valuing church members too. Apart from not wanting people to suffer unnecessarily we also lose our 'work force' if a Christian has difficulties which lessens their ability to evangelise or to serve the Lord in other ways. Also the way church members care for each other can be a good witness to those outside.

Delvianna · 2025-11-06T17:35:19-0600

Yes because getting unsaved to saved means they get more members which means they get more money. I've seen this A LOT in churches. Pastors aren't pastoring people like they should. That's not to say that all pastors are like that, but I've seen it a lot. There's a focus on bringing people to church, preach on sunday, go home and the church doesn't exist for the next 6 days and that's... it, really.

lismore · 2025-11-06T17:49:11-0600

peaceful-forest said:
Is this anyone else's experience? Are the pastors and/or leadership being taught something in seminary school/Christian colleges/Bible colleges that is encouraging this kind of behavior?

I have heard complaints from students that Campus Ministries are all over them, Christians wanting to be their friend, but then at a certain point ghosting them. It leaves a bad taste in the mouth. I did experience it to a certain extent myself, 'love bombing' it used to be called, but it's obviously shallow and they suddenly drop you. I think it might be certain Evangelism programmes from celebrity authors reducing evangelism to a mechanical process rather than a relationship. And of course when you're in the club then your place in equation is to bring new folks into the club, not to have any needs or individuality yourself. It gives the appearance of a Ponzi scheme. God Bless

2PhiloVoid · 2025-11-06T19:15:52-0600

peaceful-forest said:
After I was saved, I attended Baptist churches and non-denominational churches. It seems like at the two Baptist churches, whether it was from leadership or other church members, they had this attitude that once you were saved, you didn't matter anymore. What I mean is that the church has too much of a focus on saving lost people. So if a Christian needs something or wants something, it doesn't matter, because "there are more important things to focus on and there's people going to Hell".

Is this anyone else's experience? Are the pastors and/or leadership being taught something in seminary school/Christian colleges/Bible colleges that is encouraging this kind of behavior? Why is it okay to neglect other parts of the church because "people are going to Hell and need to hear the Gospel"?

What you describe about your experiences is a not uncommon occurrence, due in part to the fact that some seminaries and other theological schools fail to include a substantive amount of counseling skills and pastoring skills. Some 'pastors' get in the pulpit and are basically just one big box of Bible facts on two legs, only good for shooting out theological answers to the questions no one is really asking. Or, they only have Bible verses to toss at those with deep seated difficulties or other issues, and nothing else.

Pepperdoodle · 2025-11-06T19:30:18-0600

peaceful-forest said:
After I was saved, I attended Baptist churches and non-denominational churches. It seems like at the two Baptist churches, whether it was from leadership or other church members, they had this attitude that once you were saved, you didn't matter anymore. What I mean is that the church has too much of a focus on saving lost people. So if a Christian needs something or wants something, it doesn't matter, because "there are more important things to focus on and there's people going to Hell".

Is this anyone else's experience? Are the pastors and/or leadership being taught something in seminary school/Christian colleges/Bible colleges that is encouraging this kind of behavior? Why is it okay to neglect other parts of the church because "people are going to Hell and need to hear the Gospel"?

Sorry you've experienced that.
I've never had that experience in the Churches we've attended.
We've moved through the years due to job situations being the reason, so have had to find a new Church in each place.

Mark Quayle · 2025-11-06T23:01:55-0600

peaceful-forest said:
After I was saved, I attended Baptist churches and non-denominational churches. It seems like at the two Baptist churches, whether it was from leadership or other church members, they had this attitude that once you were saved, you didn't matter anymore. What I mean is that the church has too much of a focus on saving lost people. So if a Christian needs something or wants something, it doesn't matter, because "there are more important things to focus on and there's people going to Hell".

Is this anyone else's experience? Are the pastors and/or leadership being taught something in seminary school/Christian colleges/Bible colleges that is encouraging this kind of behavior? Why is it okay to neglect other parts of the church because "people are going to Hell and need to hear the Gospel"?

Whether one attributes it to "gifts of the Spirit", or whatever else, there are people I think of as Evangelists, who's whole mindset seems to be about preaching the gospel, reaching the lost, etc etc. These often even think that is the reason we are here on earth—to add random souls to the fold. It's almost like a club whose charter is to add members to the club. One I know promised God to bring one person a day to the Lord, has developed a method, seems to even think in terms of "closing the sale".

When these people become the leadership of a church, it can get out of hand. Just saying.

Tom8907 · 2025-11-07T00:08:36-0600

That is not good shepherding of the flock from those pastors.

It reminds me of another concept- some churches get do obsessed with serving the community, they forget the Gospel- and partner with secular charities which they shouldn't.

Gregory Thompson · 2025-11-07T00:27:41-0600

peaceful-forest said:
After I was saved, I attended Baptist churches and non-denominational churches. It seems like at the two Baptist churches, whether it was from leadership or other church members, they had this attitude that once you were saved, you didn't matter anymore. What I mean is that the church has too much of a focus on saving lost people. So if a Christian needs something or wants something, it doesn't matter, because "there are more important things to focus on and there's people going to Hell".

Is this anyone else's experience? Are the pastors and/or leadership being taught something in seminary school/Christian colleges/Bible colleges that is encouraging this kind of behavior? Why is it okay to neglect other parts of the church because "people are going to Hell and need to hear the Gospel"?

Yes, this is a thing.

It is one reason why churches are having issues.

but it's deeper than that.

David Lamb · 2025-11-07T00:40:57-0600

peaceful-forest said:
After I was saved, I attended Baptist churches and non-denominational churches. It seems like at the two Baptist churches, whether it was from leadership or other church members, they had this attitude that once you were saved, you didn't matter anymore. What I mean is that the church has too much of a focus on saving lost people. So if a Christian needs something or wants something, it doesn't matter, because "there are more important things to focus on and there's people going to Hell".

Is this anyone else's experience? Are the pastors and/or leadership being taught something in seminary school/Christian colleges/Bible colleges that is encouraging this kind of behavior? Why is it okay to neglect other parts of the church because "people are going to Hell and need to hear the Gospel"?

What a strange attitude on the part of the church! I have been a Baptist ever since I became a Christian, and have not come across such a thing. Of course a church should be concerned with unsaved people, but church members (including the leaders) should be concerned for their fellow church members. Perhaps you need to discuss how you feel with the leaders.

JustaPewFiller · 2025-11-07T07:57:07-0600

Honestly, I have seen both.

I've seen churches that were too "inward focused". The members were taken care of. It felt like one big family. The downside was there was little to no outreach. Visitors didn't really feel welcome. Etc. So, the church didn't grow very much (if at all), in fact it started decreasing in membership as people moved or passed away.

I've seen churches that were too "outward focused". It leads to what has been described in the OP and other posts here..

I think to be healthy, a church as to do both.. It has to take care of its members, but it also has to do outreach. There is a balance there..

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Once you're saved, you don't matter anymore

peaceful-forest

Still Waiting

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rebornfree

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Delvianna

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lismore

Maranatha

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2PhiloVoid

Critically cutting wicked webs!

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Pepperdoodle

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Mark Quayle

Monergist; and by reputation, Reformed Calvinist

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Tom8907

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Gregory Thompson

Change is inevitable, feel free to spare some.

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David Lamb

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JustaPewFiller

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