It was the most unusual message I had ever preached as a pastor. A pastor preaching on how to leave a church properly - are you kidding? But after 32 years of being a pastor, I have long sensed such a message is necessary. I firmly believe that not leaving a church properly can result in spiritual issues from one may never recover without repentance and restoration.
Coming and going is at an all time high in churches today. I believe this is mainly due to three reasons:
- Mobility - simply we live in a more mobile society where driving 20-30 miles to a church is no problem. This has resulted in churches seeing themselves as in "competition" with other churches for the mobile church member.
- Music - people will choose a church over the music they like or don’t. While music is very important in a church, it is seldom (may be one percent or less) a valid, single reason to join a church or leave a church. There are far more important issues.
- Me - the American culture is now one that is totally built around “me.” That creeps into the church and people choose a church if it “fits me and my family.” There is no consideration of what this churches teaches or their doctrine....they just "like it." The church is to be a different culture than the world and persons joining a church should have different criteria in choosing a church.
Tomorrow I will share more.
