“Frank, I’ve been at the same church 20 years. It’s just time for a change.”
Think about your statement. Now I have a question for you … Is your statement a product of your flesh or the spirit of God? Hint: Answer B is probably not right.
I understand being at the same church for decades has the potential to become monotonous. But this is not a reason to leave. Do not allow the sinfulness of your flesh to override the holiness of the Spirit.
If you believe you must change churches every two decades, you will struggle with marriage. And heaven? The eternity of heaven will be awful.
6.) I do not need the church anymore.
Alright … here’s the deal. You’re deceived. Yes, the church has imperfections. Yes, the church could always do more. But being frustrated with the lack of vision or the lack of perfection is not grounds to leave the church.
You do need the church. Despite the cultural lie, you can’t persevere through this life on your own. Satan is a roaring lion waiting to devour you (1 Peter 5:8).
Want to know how lions attack? They single out their prey. When animals stay with the group, the chances they are picked apart diminish significantly. The same is true with the church. The more community is present, the harder it will be for Satan to destroy your life.
Don’t let Satan lie to you. Don’t let the world deceive you. You need the church.
7.) A church down the road is really growing.
There is a tendency in our culture to chase the “next big thing.” But here’s the problem. The “next big thing” comes and goes. One week, this church is the “cool” place to be. The next week that church steals the “cool” label. If you run from church to church seeking the next “big thing” you will never plant roots deep enough to have an impact on your community. You will also never be known well enough to expose sin in your own heart.
Don’t run from church to church because it’s the cool thing to do. Find the community of people where you believe God has called you to plant and grow.
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Are there some other bad reasons to leave a church? If you have a comment or a question, leave it below. I look forward to your thoughts on this subject.
I love you all! To God be the glory forever! Amen!
