5 Reasons I would claim to leave the church
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People keep leaving the “church” to go to house churches (which may be more of the “church” than our buildings in warehouses with pastors wearing cutoff jeans and bleaching their hair to be relevant), and now I understand why. I’m hanging in there because I think the church can sort it out… but these are the five reasons I would cite to leave the church: 5. My pastor hasn’t had a relationship with a non-believer in over 10 years 4. The leaders of my church are workaholics and I find it hard to believe they have a healthy relationship with the Lord when they don’t have the time for their family 3. I’m sick of it being about one man. Be that the pastor, or the musician or whatever, I want to see them raising up other people and sending them out, content to have many small churches instead of one mega church 2. There are 1,000 people who attend my church. I know 50 and only care about 20 of them. I attend a small group to go deeper with those I care about, but I have no reason to remember the name of the guy whose hand I shake between worship and the sermon 1. There is no place to really do ministry, the leaders will not let go of control. I want to pray for people, bless people, watch out for people, be there for people. I want to be invited to do what the Lord has called me to do. |
Comments
Re: 5 Reasons I would claim to leave the church
I worry that your (toledomudhen) response to rogermugs post is wishful thinking. Sorry, I just don’t know if I can accept easy answers like that. I can’t name a pastor I’ve ever known to visit the sick. Sounds “perfect”, if you get who I’m talking about.
Re: 5 Reasons I would claim to leave the church
I think it is tragic that you have never met a pastor that visits the sick. I must take for granted that my pastor is truly compassionate. As far as “perfect”, I don’t know who you are talking about… unless that is a reference to Jesus. I’m new here, so I can’t tell if that is a reference to something that has been spoken of in the past.
“Order your soul; reduce your wants; live in charity; associate in Christian community; obey the laws; trust in Providence.”
-Augustine
Re: 5 Reasons I would claim to leave the church
Your concerns are valid. We have always wanted an earthly king, and we still do. The prescription is simple, yet difficult.
Stop going to church.
Start being the Church.
simul justus et peccator
Re: 5 Reasons I would claim to leave the church
This article ( http://www.opensourcetheology.net/node/1535) has some insights and commentary which may be of interest to readers and contributors of this thread.
Re: 5 Reasons I would claim to leave the church
#5 is significant for me too. Your complaint reminds me of the opening passages of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Life Together. He says: “So the Christian, too, belongs not in the seclusion of a cloistered life but in the thick of foes. There is his commission, his work.” Bonhoeffer goes on to quote Luther: “The Kingdom is to be in the midst of your enemies. And he who will not suffer this does not want to be of the Kingdom of Christ; he wants to be among friends, to sit among roses and lilies, not with bad people but with devout people.”
Too many pastors sit among roses and lilies. They fail to get beyond the devout and so they comfortably settle among friends.
Great post.
Re: 5 Reasons I would claim to leave the church
I believe that this post summarizes what most people within the church feel when they have lost trust and hope in the direction of their church and leaders. The only thing that I know for sure of is that in Matthew, Jesus says that when two or more are gathered in His name, there He will be. When we are faithful to Him and continue pray for the Spirit to move in and through our lives and our leaders lives.
As my notes in my theology class states: The NT confirms that the Holy Spirit is creator and “life-giver” of the church (Acts 2:17; Eph 2:18; Rev 22:1). As members of the church we “breathe in” or “drink” the life of the Spirit and obtain spiritual sustenance (1 Cor 12:13). This biblical portrays the Holy Spirit as the church’s source of “life” (one that must be received into the body) and thereby retaining a distinct sense of “authority” that “force field” metaphorizing or “arrive at consciousness” theorizing cannot. John 3:3-8 reminds us that the Spirit provides “life” by remaining free to act as He wills.
I pray that we continue to seek God’s will for our lives and continue to serve Him wholeheartedly and pray that our lives will continue to shine through the darkness and pride that may occur in our corner of the earth.
Re: 5 Reasons I would claim to leave the church
As a former pastor who tried for almost 20 years in ministry to reform the church, and even started a church only to see it fall into the same problems, I would say that there is no reforming some churches.
But, I would say, even more, follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in this matter.
Re: 5 Reasons I would claim to leave the church
rogermugs:
I can’t help with reasons to leave the Church.
I am no longer altogether certain that any of us mean the same thing when we use the term the Church.
Nevertheless, I believe that there is only one Church which is the body of Christ here on earth and Jesus is its head. We are His members, His eyes, ears, hands, heart and legs. You either are a member or you are not a member.
So leaving the Church as you phrase it may mean a much more radical departure that you are envisioning. I conclude from your passion for ministry and your evident sadness that the Church is not meeting your expectations (and the expectations of many others I believe as well) that you have not lapsed into disbelief and faithlessness.
That being the case, you are sort of stuck in the Church and with the Church and, dare I say it, the Church is stuck with you. This is I think one of the most wonderful and beautiful aspects of Christ’s Church. We are pretty much stuck with each other and are forced to live together under Jesus’ authority following His example and His teachings. Once on a family vacation to the western parts of the United States, I saw a machine, a rock polisher, in action. Put in a lot of sharp, sometimes ugly rocks, a little lubricant, spin them all around, and after a while they are all smooth, gloriously beautiful and polished. Not a biblical metaphor for the Church, but one which has for me been a very good and instructive one.
I shared with my Priest (I am an Anglican by choice) that I wanted to become a charter member of the Society of Christian Misanthropes. Our motto: I don’t have to like you; I only have to love you; God says so. All kidding aside. If love is taken as the active verb it’s meant to be, then opportunities to overlook foibles and shortcomings in others (and have them overlooked in you) and ministry opportunities should abound right where you are.
So the real question is really are you willing to stay where you are isn’t it? Risky business to be sure. You, your church, the building, the people you know, the people you don’t know, those you don’t like, the pastor, the leaders, the fervent and the uncommitted occupy a tiny foothold, a beachhead on foreign territory, an outpost of eternity, Heaven’s legation here on earth.
When you all meet together to worship the Eternal God, you join in an eternal, timeless rite joined with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven singing Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, Heaven and Earth are full of Your Glory! Hosanna in the Highest! Not bad company that, fellow believers and seraphim. You could do a lot worse. Make the most of where you are. That is where, I believe the greatest growth in Christ-like virtues is most likely to develop.
Alario
Re: 5 Reasons I would claim to leave the church
I pray more wake up and see the real light as you did.
Re: 5 Reasons I would claim to leave the church
The Church as a building is dead! “It is time for a change” and I welcome it.
Re: 5 Reasons I would claim to leave the church
As I’ve read through the comments, I would challenge us to instead give 5 reasons as to why we would stay with the church. By doing so we look for the positive, instead of negative. It reinforces that what God has done for us needs to be given back to others, and we all realize the immensity and immeasurable grace that God has bestowed on us. With the wind of Holy Spirit in our sails, let us reach out to those that God had put into our path. It’s may be possible that the Church as a building is dead to some degree, but what is not dead is the breathe of God working in his church. Change may be a coming, but God is the same yesterday, today and in the future.
Re: 5 Reasons I would claim to leave the church
I’ve been in your shoes. Let me give you my reasoning against your reasoning:
5. Your pastor has a flock to shepherd. In today’s culture, your pastor is working long hours every day visiting the sick, preparing sermons, and handling church business. At the end of a long day, he prefers to be with family and friends… who are presumably members of your church.
4. Almost all leaders are workaholics. They work to be the best at everything, and should be focusing some of that work ethic on their families. These are the people who make things happen in the church. Sometimes their own families are involved.
3. The megachurch is a more cost effective model, which is why automobiles are made in large factories, rather than one at a time in mom and pop shops. Because megachurches are usually seeker sensitive, they couldn’t sustain fractioning into smaller churches. New believers don’t tithe as much as “mature” believers.
2. You don’t have to know everything about everybody in your megachurch. The fact that you know 50 people is a good thing. That you truly care about 20 is even better. Just make sure you are available to assist any of the other 980 when there is a serious need to be met… even if you assist only in prayer.
1. You can do ministry by placing your church on http://www.thecommon.org. This website puts talents in touch with needs within the church community. By heading this up, you will introduce more members to one another, which will bless people, watch out for people, and be there for people. (You still have to pray for them on your own, or start a prayer group.)
These are my comments, and not the gospel truth.. but like I said, I have been in your shoes. Put yourself in the shoes of the pastor and those around you. There is plenty of ministry to be had. You can become a ministry specialist, or a jack of all trades. The church will be happy to have your enthusiasm.