Just A "Warm Body"?

A “leading” brother in a congregation without a full time preacher recently called a preaching school for assistance. It turned out that one of the preachers filling in was moving to a full time work. In his quest for a preacher, the “leading” brother said, “We need another warm body to fill the pulpit.” At first the request seemed ordinary, but then it dawned on the one taking the call, “Did he just mean that all they needed was a warm body”?

Whether or not this was a “Freudian slip” only God knows, but one thing is clear: there is an unfortunately increasing number in the Lord’s church who could really care less about the state of the local churches of which they are members! All they are concerned about is a “warm body” filling the “necessary” roles of preacher, elder, and deacon. Even sadder is when the preacher, elders, and deacons have this attitude. Could this “warm body” mentality be why some churches of Christ remain small and stagnant?

What are the signs of a “warm body” church? From the top, if there are elders, they are mere names on the stationary. They may see that the bills are paid, but they are not spiritual leaders (cf. 1 Pet. 5:1-4). Their attendance may be perfect, but they do not do much beyond that. If there are no elders, the “leading” men and/or the men’s business meeting consists of much talk about paving parking lots, conserving electricity, and how to cut corners, but very little about things that directly affect souls. Preachers in a “warm body” church are only interested in filling the time slots on Sundays and Wednesday nights. They do not study as God wants (2 Tim. 2:15), nor do they get involved with the congregation. Deacons and the rest of the membership in a “warm body” church often do not really know what to do because what they see is a bunch of “warm bodies” who are unconcerned about spiritual things.

Are we a “warm body” church? From top to bottom—elders to members to the preacher—all will give an account to God (2 Cor. 5:10). May we never hear the Heavenly Judge tell us, “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot...So then, because you are lukewarm...I will vomit you out of My mouth” (Rev. 3:15-16, NKJ). Let us truly and spiritually serve God!