099 Is My Picture Printed Here?
- If a faithful member of our congregation quietly disappeared for three weeks, would we even notice — or would we only notice when it was time to print a new directory?
- If you went missing from your church today, how many weeks would pass before someone filed a "spiritual missing persons report”?
- Are we functioning more like a gym or Walmart — serving those who show up — or like the body of Christ that searches for its missing members?
- What’s more tragic: the member who stops attending, or the congregation that waits until someone’s "deleted" from the directory to notice they’re gone?
Steve Cummings led a listening workshop at Hartsville Pike on Saturday, March 7, 2026.
This workshop was designed to help us improve our communication, especially in showing our concern to those who no longer attend services. It’s modeled after the work of Dr. John Savage. He became concerned about people who were no longer attending, who had been consistent, faithful members of his congregation.
Contrary to popular opinion, he found that many had not lost their faith in God; they’d lost their connection with the local church. Here’s his basic philosophy summarized:
1. Personal outreach and listening
Savage found that most inactive members reported no one from their church ever asked why they stopped attending. His approach emphasizes intentional, personal contact—especially visits or calls focused on listening more than talking—so people feel genuinely cared about rather than persuaded or judged.
2. Recognize and respond to pain
People often drift away following hurt, disappointment, conflict, or unmet needs. Savage stresses that ministry to those who’ve left begins by acknowledging that pain and being present with it, not avoiding it. Careful listening helps uncover underlying issues and opens the way for reconciliation.
3. Reconciliation over persuasion
The goal of reaching out isn’t just to get someone back to church attendance, but to minister to them in their struggle. Savage argues reconciliation and healing come when someone feels understood and valued, and if that leads them back to church, that’s a positive outcome.
4. Training caring visitors
He encourages churches to train members with listening skills, empathy, and patient follow-up, so they can effectively reach out to those on the “dropout track.” Even a single well-trained visit can significantly increase the likelihood that someone’ll return to full participation.
Savage’s approach isn’t about statistics or attendance numbers, but about valuing each person, addressing their emotional and spiritual wounds, and helping them feel genuinely included and supported. He underscores that loving presence and understanding are central to encouraging someone to re-engage with their faith community.
If you’d like to contact Steve Cummings for a Listening Workshop, I’ll provide links in the show notes to his email address and phone number.
Email: sdjquad@gmail.com
Phone: (615) 516-1364
While running on Tuesday, February 24th, I thought of a parable and composed a song that illustrates the condition we hope to improve through this workshop. I first gave the parable and sang the song during our staff meeting that day.
The parable
I know a person who’s a faithful, active, caring, and serving member of the church. This person’s been sick for the past few weeks. No one from the church has contacted this person. This person’s received no get-well cards. No one’s brought any food. No one’s called or texted.
I then told the person's name. This person’s been showered with visits, flowers, calls, get-well cards, and food for her husband.
I continue to explain. This sister is a member of another “church.” It’s for people who are “called out” of inactivity and into a practice of regular exercise. She’s an active participant in water aerobics at a local gym. No one from that gym’s called her. No one’s visited. No one’s sent flowers.
There is another parallel. She hasn't been to her local Walmart in more than two weeks. No one from Walmart's called her. No one from Walmart’s visited. No one’s sent flowers.
Neither she nor her family expected that from the gym or from Walmart.
However, brothers and sisters in Christ often experience the same response when they begin to show a change in their interest and involvement in the local church. It’s true they have a responsibility. It’s also true that we have a responsibility to be connected and concerned as much about those people as we are about members of our family who go missing for even a short period of time.
If a member of our family didn’t show up as expected for a meal or by bedtime —
Would we call?
Would we ask others to participate in the search?
After a day or two, would we file a missing person report with the local authorities?
Would we beg and plead with our friends to help in the search until these people could be found and brought home safely?
That’s the purpose of this workshop. What’s a good approach to those who have gone missing?
Here’s the song I wrote during the same run. I want you to know that it is copyrighted; anyone who shares this song and receives a payment, I expect a generous royalty from each sale.
I think I’m safe on using the tune without violating copyright laws. Here’s what I found:
“For new songs (created on or after January 1, 1978), copyright protection on a tune generally lasts for the lifetime of the author plus 70 years.” Barney Warren, who wrote the melody for My Name Is in the Book of Life, died April 21, 1951. I’m safe by four years and 309 days. And besides that, I haven't recorded and distributed it yet. I'm waiting for the best offer from the best recording label.
Is Your Picture Printed Here?
Number 666
Number Six Hundred, Sixty-six
by Jerrie W. Barber
My picture’s in the directory and that means I'm a saint.
I'm a member of the one true church and I'm what others ain’t.
My photo, my photo’s, in the directory, my photo, my photo’s, in the directory,
My photo, my photo’s in the directory, and that means I’m a saint.
I haven't been to church for weeks and no one’s even noticed.
I wish they’d come or even call the sheriff or the police.
My photo, my photo’s, in the directory, my photo, my photo’s, in the directory,
My photo, my photo’s in the directory, and that means I’m a saint.
They’ve printed a new directory, and I have been deleted.
I wonder if I’ve saved or lost, but I know that I’m not needed.
My photo, my photo is gone for good; my photo, my photo is gone for good.
My photo, my photo is gone for good, and where does that leave me — and you?
— Copyright © February 24, 2026, 10:46 a.m.
I sing it to the tune of My Name Is in the Book of Life, written by Daniel Sl Warner, 1893, melody written by Barney E. Warren, 1893
Let’s decide that no one in our congregation'll ever wonder whether they matter, because we’ll notice, we’ll listen, and we’ll go looking before their picture ever disappears from the directory.
