“For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”
— 2 Timothy 4:3–5
The Pied Piper Problem
The old tale of the Pied Piper is chilling.
A town hired a man to rid them of rats. When they refused to pay him for the work, he retaliated—luring away all their children to their deaths.
It’s a haunting picture of manipulation, deception, and tragic consequence—an apt metaphor for what happens when people reject truth and follow voices that promise good but lead to destruction.
When “Good” Leads People Away from God
Jon Saunders once wrote,
“You must go above and beyond to make sure your ministry funnels students into the church, not away from it.”
That is a needed word of correction for all parachurch ministries and for the churches that support them.
Any organization that draws believers away from deep participation in the local church, no matter how “good” it seems, is working against Christ’s design for His Bride.
At the top of Saunders’ article was an image of empty seats—a haunting symbol of what happens when good intentions replace biblical obedience.
Empty Seats and Empty Theology
Perhaps those empty seats don’t merely symbolize people distracted by outside ministries.
Perhaps they expose a deeper problem: the modern church’s own failure to teach and live out what the Church truly is.
Too often, churches have reduced Christ’s Body to a building or a brand—somewhere to sit for an hour, sip coffee, and consume spiritual goods before heading to lunch.
That’s not the ekklesia Jesus died for.
When was the last time you had a deep, meaningful conversation about the sermon after worship? When was the last time the preached Word provoked repentance, application, and change within your local fellowship?
Parachurch Ministry and Mission Drift
Years ago, while serving on church staff, I noticed a disturbing pattern:
Many members invested enormous time, energy, and money in a “Christian weekend retreat ministry.” Yet those same individuals were absent from service within their own local church.
They believed they were “doing good.” But in reality, they were participating in what Scripture calls mission drift. Christ’s Great Commission isn’t about “doing good” or merely “winning souls.” It’s about making disciples and building His Church—the Body and Bride of Christ.
Any ministry, regardless of fruitfulness or fervor, that fails to strengthen or integrate believers into the local body is a Pied Piper ministry—leading people somewhere Christ never called them to go.
The Pharisee’s Trap
Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for this same kind of misplaced zeal:
“You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.” — Matthew 23:15
Their problem wasn’t passion—it was misdirected purpose.
They worked hard for converts, but their work didn’t glorify God or build His kingdom. It glorified them.
Likewise, Paul declared:
“Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.” — 1 Corinthians 14:26
That is the measuring rod for every ministry: Does it build up the Body of Christ?
If it doesn’t, it may be doing harm under the banner of good.
“Doing Good” Isn’t the Goal—Obedience Is
History is full of examples of sincere people doing “good” that turned disastrous:
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Doctors prescribing thalidomide in the 1950s thought they were helping; it caused birth defects.
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Nutritionists in the 1990s promoted a high-carb diet; it fueled diabetes.
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Governments enforced pandemic restrictions claiming “public good”; the spiritual, social, and psychological toll continues to echo.
“Good intentions” are not a biblical measure of righteousness. God’s Word is.
“To obey is better than sacrifice.” — 1 Samuel 15:22
We must measure our “good” by whether it aligns with God’s revealed purpose: the sanctification and strengthening of His Church.
The Real Commission
The Great Commission isn’t a call to random acts of Christian kindness.
It’s a call to discipleship—to new identity in Christ, teaching obedience, and integrating people into Christ’s Body, and to equipping the saints for ministry (Ephesians 4:11–16).
If what we’re doing doesn’t funnel people into active, functional membership in His Body, we’re not obeying His command.
Anything less is not ministry—it’s mission drift.
The Deception of “Good Enough” Religion
When we insist that our version of good must be right, we expose pride and unbelief.
Paul warned,
“The Spirit expressly says that in later times some will abandon the faith, following deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared.” — 1 Timothy 4:1–2
The deception of our age isn’t the absence of religion—it’s the abundance of counterfeit Christianity.
Satan doesn’t need to get people to hate the Church; he just needs them to think they can follow Christ without her.
Rethinking the Empty Seats
Maybe the empty seats in the sanctuary aren’t a tragedy—they’re a challenge.
What if those seats are empty because the Church is actually active—out in the world, clothed in the armor of God, proclaiming His name in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth?
Now that would be something.
That’s the picture of a living, breathing, working Bride—every ligament connected, every member engaged, every part functioning in love.
Blessings and love,
Kevin M. Kelley
Pastor
BigIslandChristianChurch.com
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