Why Have Well-Known Worship Leaders Left Christianity? Allen Parr Explores Whether These 4 Reasons Are Valid

allen parr
Screenshot from YouTube / @thebeatagp

Share

And when Parr was starting his YouTube channel, a pastor he trusted told him that no one would watch his videos. Parr said he could have been easily discouraged in his faith by these experiences and he knows many people have had similar ones. But he warned viewers against a “one and done type of mentality,” saying that few think this way in areas of life apart from the church.

For example, many people have bad experiences in their jobs or go through a negative relationship, but few decide never to pursue a job or another relationship again as a result. “Just because one member of a large organization might be evil, might have mistreated you,” Parr said, “it does not necessarily mean that all members of that organization or all organizations are bad and evil.”

He again brought the point of the discussion back to Jesus and his resurrection. Just because someone was hurt by the church, “does that mean that Jesus didn’t rise from the dead?”

The next reason for leaving Christianity that Parr examined was “disappointment with God,” which can “happen in a plethora of ways,” particularly as a result of painful and tragic life experiences. Parr said that he wanted to be clear that “I feel your pain…No one should minimize in any way what you have gone through, what you are going through.”

Nevertheless, whatever disappointment someone might suffer, whether in health, finances or marriage, Christianity still rises or falls based on whether or not Jesus rose from the dead. 

The final and most “significant reason,” in Parr’s view, for why people leave Christianity is “LGBTQ discrimination.” He went on to address two groups of people: 1) those in the LGBTQ+ community who have felt that they had to choose between God and being their authentic selves and 2) straight Christians who have rejected Christianity because of how their LGBTQ+ friends have been treated. 

RELATED: LGBTQ and the Church Podcast Series: A Conversation We Need To Have

To the first group, Parr challenged them, “You ultimately want to be your own God.” He added that a person’s feelings do not impact whether or not Jesus rose from the dead and, therefore, whether or not Christianity is true. 

To the second group, Parr first emphasized that “it is absolutely hateful and wrong for Christians—and I want to apologize on behalf of all Christians who have ever done this—it is hateful and wrong for Christians to mistreat another person.” We all have “been created in the image of God, no matter what [our] sexual preference or orientation is.” 

Continue Reading...

Jessica Lea
Jessica is a content editor for ChurchLeaders.com and the producer of The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast. She has always had a passion for the written word and has been writing professionally for the past five years. When Jessica isn't writing, she enjoys West Coast Swing dancing, reading, and spending time with her friends and family.

Read more

Latest Articles