We invite them in thinking that perhaps some will accept Him. As children enjoy the annual neighborhood festival some parents bring them back to Sunday school for a time.

They have no objection to church. In fact most parents have been looking for something the family can do together that does not take up too much time. Parents often attend adult Sunday School classes while the children are occupied. Sometimes they even stay after for the morning worship service if they have nothing else to do or nothing planned. It is an enjoyable pivot to lunch.

But their motivation is wrong. Church can never be what ever time is left. It must be a priority because societal customs are strong, with kids sports and parties on weekends and the NFL on Sundays. Over time they attend less regularly and eventually simply cease to come¹.

They came for a festival². And though the Sunday and midweek services are made enjoyable, the festival is not weekly. Christianity is the serious business of life, equipping the sincere for victory in this present world. The church is where we renew our minds continually³.

Perhaps God’s church does not grow from recruitment of those from without but only from the increase of Godly offspring⁴.

1. 1 John 2:19 ^(NIV)
19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.

2.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvest_festival

A harvest festival is an annual celebration that occurs around the time of the main harvest of a given region. Given the differences in climate and crops around the world, harvest festivals can be found at various times at different places. Harvest festivals typically feature feasting, both family and public, with foods that are drawn from crops that come to maturity around the time of the festival. Ample food and freedom from the necessity to work in the fields are two central features of harvest festivals: eating, merriment, contests, music and romance are common features of harvest festivals around the world.

3.Ephesians 4:22-31 (KJV)
²² That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
²³ And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
²⁴ And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
²⁵ Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
²⁶ Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
²⁷ Neither give place to the devil.
²⁸ Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
²⁹ Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
³⁰ And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
³¹ Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

4.Malachi 2:15 ^(NIV)