By Shannon Marshall

A little boy was waiting to catch a bus one Sunday evening, when a man sat down beside
him, asking the little boy where he was headed. The boy said, “I’m headed to church!” “Where”
the man asked . The little boy told him the name of a church located on the other side of the
city. The man asked the little boy why he went so far to church when numerous churches in the
city were closer. The little boy said, “I go there because little boys like me matter over there.”
People matter. If a church is any kind of church it will be people focused.

A church put in big letters on the front of their church, “You Are Wanted Here.” We
need to focus on being a family, which focuses on brothers and sisters that aren’t here yet in
our churches. People matter because without people the Kingdom of God doesn’t grow at all.
God get’s glory in the life of people. We need to be all about people. People matter to Jesus.
People matter to the Kingdom of God. And people should matter to our churches.

Paul told the Romans “For whoever calls on the name of the Lord…” (Romans 10:13).
Jesus said, “that whoever believes in Him…” (John 3:15). The “whoever’s” are some of the
people that matter. Three main reasons “whoever’s” matter. First, people have a choice. We
need to help people make the right choice. I personally believe people are free to choose. Jesus
convicts and draws but choosing to follow Jesus involves freewill. Second, people need to hear.
People matter and need to hear how much he or she matters to God. Also, they need to hear
how much he or she needs God. “Faith comes by hearing” (Romans 10: 17). Third, people can
be saved. “The Lord, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
(2 Peter 3:9). People matter.