A Shepherd’s Warning: Don’t Drift Away

Church family, I need to speak to you from my heart today. I say this out of love for you, because I have seen it too many times. People come to Ignite, they enjoy the worship, they hear the preaching, but they never truly plug in. They stay on the edges. They don’t join a small group, they don’t serve in ministry, and before long… they begin to drift.

Drifting is dangerous. It rarely happens all at once. It starts when you miss a Sunday, then two. You stop answering texts. You convince yourself you’re “fine” on your own. Before long, you’re spiritually cold, distant from God, and far from His people.

Beloved, the Bible warns us of this. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good works, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (LSB). God didn’t design you to walk alone. Christianity is not a solo sport, it’s life in the body of Christ.

This is why small groups and ministry involvement are essential. In Acts 2:42, the early believers “were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers” (LSB). They didn’t just gather for temple worship; they gathered in homes, shared meals, prayed together, and bore each other’s burdens. That’s what keeps faith strong. That’s what keeps hearts burning for Jesus.

When you serve, you move from spectator to family. When you join a group, you move from stranger to brother or sister. When you invest in others, you protect your own soul from drifting. Ephesians 4:16 reminds us that the body of Christ grows and builds itself up in love “when each part is working properly” (LSB). That means God has a role for you, and the church is weaker without your presence.

So here’s my loving warning: if you are not connected in deeper ways, you are in danger of slipping away. I don’t want to see that happen to you. I want to see you flourish, grow, and thrive in Christ. That only happens when you’re rooted in community and active in serving. And let me say this clearly—as your pastor, when I ask “Where have you been?” or when I tell you “I miss you,” it is not out of judgment. It is out of love. I don’t want to watch you drift. I care about your soul, your walk with Jesus, and your place in this family.

Ignite Church is more than a Sunday service. It’s a family. It’s a movement of disciples. It’s a place where we fight for each other, love each other, and push one another toward Christ.

Don’t drift. Don’t isolate. Get connected. Get involved. For your sake, for your family’s sake, and for the sake of the Kingdom.

Soli Deo Gloria, 
Pastor Jody