Where do we want "nominal" Christians to be? In the world where they will be encouraged to go deeper into the destructive attitudes and behaviors of their sinful nature or in the Church where they will hear God's Word and be objects of the Spirit working through the Means of Grace? The number of inactive members in a typical congregation belies the fact that we are too willing to write off those who aren't as committed as we think they should be. What a contrast to the Shepherd to leaves the 99 "convictional" sheep to seek out the endangered "nominal" sheep. May we find reason to be compassionate toward and concerned for those whom others are willing to dismiss to destruction in the heart of our Savior who "a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory" (Matthew 12:20).