I met yesterday with a friend who is leaving our church. We had a good conversation about his reasons for leaving (they are legitimate) and then some discussion about how he can “leave well.” I told him that, based on my experience with people leaving our church or coming to our church after leaving another one, most people don’t know how to leave a church gracefully.
How to Leave a Church Gracefully – 5 Tips
1. Have a good reason for leaving.
Before you go, evaluate whether your reasons are good, legitimate and God-honoring. Here’s a thought-provoking post exploring good, possible and bad reasonsfor leaving a church. I don’t think this list is comprehensive, but it’s good to make you think. If your reasons are good, go. If not, stay.
2. Communicate your decision to leave with the appropriate leaders.
If you’re an active part of the church, leaders will need to know you’re leaving. If you are serving, communicate it to your Ministry Team leader. If you are in a Community Group, communicate it to the leader. If you are connected with an elder or pastor, communicate it with them. Personal communication is preferable to written communication, but make sure you communicate.
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