Bible Study
About 24 years ago, a friend led me to my current local Church. The irony of it all is that this young lady wasn’t even a member of this Church, her family wouldn’t have her worshipping anywhere else than in their highly conservative and strict Pentecostal sect. The last time I saw in Church was the day she ‘dropped me off’. Today, I can boldly say that God led me to this Church to grow in my knowledge of His Word.
Through the years, I have seen people walk in and out of Church (as happens in other Churches). While some leave and never return, others wander in search of a better place of worship for a while only to retrace their steps back. People leave Church for different reasons. And the more I counsel with people, the more I see the need to transform this article from the draft status it’s been in for months into a published one.
Reasons why people walk away from their local Church.
A very devoted and committed Christian lady wrote me seeking counsel about how best to handle the situation she was currently facing in her local Church. She’s been believing God for her beautiful babies to be birthed, it’s almost 15years of marriage. As an old-timer in her Church almost everyone is aware of her ‘situation’ and want to almost always offer comforting nay, consolatory words or prayer (as if someone died). She was finding the situation increasingly difficult to deal with. Is this a reason to leave a local Church?
Some people don’t feel very welcome, accepted or loved in one Church, so they pack up and leave to another Church (in search of love and warmth). Some say they’ve not been able to fit into the ‘cliques’ that exist in their local Church. Others are uncomfortable with a new Church leadership style (usually following a change in Church government). For some, the Pastor and/or Church members are not ‘nice’ or caring enough (or at all).
So offence, not feeling loved, bad Church governance, disrespect from Church members, top the list of why people drift from Church to Church.
Are these good or legitimate reasons to leave a Church? Maybe we should start with understanding the purpose of the local Church.
The Purpose of the Local Church
When someone confesses Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, that same day, the person becomes a member of God’s family. Everyone in Christ Jesus is a Child of God and a member of God’s family.
“12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
John 1:12-13 NKJV
“4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”
Ephesians 4:4-6 NKJV
A family is a group of persons living together and born of same parents. Family members may be related by marriage or through adoption. Many times when people relate or cohabit successfully or for an extended length of time, they tend to identify with one another as family. The Local Church is a family and though not everyone attending a Church may have made a decision for Jesus Christ, the Church remains open to welcome everyone into its fold.
A local Church is not a building but a body (group) of people who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and who meet at a designated place for the purpose of instruction, worship, fellowship and service. The local Church is a subset of the universal Church. Jesus is the Head (Spiritual) of the Church (Colossians 1:18, I Corinthians 12:27) and He put the office of the Pastor as the administrative head of the local Church. A good under-shepherd (Pastor) should provide spiritual guidance for the sheep, and that not contradicting the Word. A Christian is only obligated to follow the Pastor who follows Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1 ERV, I Timothy 2:5 NKJV).
Summarily, the local Church exists to serve the following functions;
- To feed and nourish members with the Word of God
- Creates a conducive atmosphere for worship, fellowship and sharing in love
- To create opportunity for service in the Father’s vineyard
- To help discover and nurture individual gifts (Hebrews 10:24-25, John 4:23, I Corinthians 12:12-20, I Corinthians 12:27-31, Romans 12:4-8).
How you should leave your local Church
If you find yourself in a local Church where most (if not all) of the above needs are NOT met, you probably should be more sensitive to the leading of the Spirit. God is more interested in you being established in faith and becoming relevant in His vineyard than you are. So He will lead you to a more appropriate place of worship if need be. If and when you decide to leave, do it the right way -communicate your decision to your Church leadership, do a proper transitioning process where you appropriately handover your ministry works/commitments, leave graciously, don’t just disappear or sneak away.
Never make an emotional decision to leave a Church. Remember that just as a family binds people together through love, sharing and caring, there are also fights, misunderstandings, bickering, quarrels, insults, etc. In spite of all these, family members still find a way to stay together. That’s because family means more. Your local Church means more. And if you have been following God in sincerity of heart, He planted you in your Church for a reason.
A local Church family does not belong to any one individual but to all its members. In the place of your planting, have a high sense of family and belonging. Give and share love instead of waiting to only receive it. Be the reason why someone stays put in Church. Be relevant and serve in your Father’s House. Make yourself a blessing to the brethren so they too will in turn be a blessing to you.
“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Hebrews 10:24-25 NKJV
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Blessings & Love Always!
