(Why the Kingdom of God Suffers for Lack of Servers)
Mark 9:33-41
Seven Reasons to Leave a Church
August 11, 2013
1. The Preaching is heretical. The pulpit is used to preach a heretical, watered down, weak gospel. There is no excuse for weak, heretical preaching. The preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but to those who are saved it is the power of God to salvation. 1 Corinthians 1:18-31
2. Unconfessed, unrepentant sin in the camp especially in the Pastors or church leadership. No excuse for leaders who are not right with God and one another.
Solution: A millstone be hung around their necks and they be thrown into the ocean. Matthew 18:1-10
3. The church is dead and needs to be buried. Loss of passion, mission, vision, purpose. lethargy, indifference and apathy prevail to the point no one wants to make a difference in the church or community. When a church is ingrown and no longer sees the mission of the church to reach the world for Christ it may very well be the time to leave.
Solution: possibly God is calling you to stay and make a difference in the church. If it is dying and not dead maybe you can bring to it new life. Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8
4. When Christ is no longer pre-eminent and exalted as the Head of His church and people are satisfied with a gospel of peace, love, grace and harmony without any personal cost or conviction of sin then it might be time to leave the church.
Solution: Exalt Christ yourself and make sure everyone you can influence knows your passion and heart to seek for Christ to be exalted in your life and in the life of your church. Colossians 1:18
5. When a relative or friend wants to leave and promises to go to another, good, bible believing and Christ exalting church, maybe it is time for you to go as well in order to support them. Be careful that this is not a ploy of the enemy to cause you to stray from your calling to where He has put you.
Solution: Remain true to your calling above all else. Others will call you, Satan will call you, even your flesh will call out to you for change and something new and different. Where has God called you. Stay where He has called you no matter what. Don’t look out to others but look within to what God is trying to teach you through the difficulties you are going through in the present. Churches, like people go through cycles. Stay true to God through the cycles. Like a family, you shouldn’t leave your family when things are tough. That’s when they need you and your loyalty and commitment to persevere the most.
6. Sickness or Death or a change in locations. When you are called to a church there is no reason to go somewhere else unless you no longer can or God has already taken you home. Possibly you are called to move to another city or state. You obviously can’t stay anymore but have to leave. Make sure you meet with the Pastor and let him know the good, bad and ugly so everyone can grow through your experience.
Solution: If not sick or dying find another good, Christ exalting, Bible preaching church that takes the mission of Christ seriously. Add life and health to the Body where you are.
7. When your attitude becomes toxic. You may have confessed your attitude before God many times before but you continually find yourself experiencing a critical, judgmental attitude. When you start making lists and files on people, situations, wrongs done to you, then to stay is to potentially sow discord among the brethren and God hates that more than anything else. Satan’s greatest tool in his tool box is dissension, discord, gossip and roots of bitterness he sows into the hearts of people within a congregation.
Selfish Solution: When this begins to happen to you and you are unwilling to repent of it and make it right it is time to take the infection elsewhere before it infects and affects the rest of the Body of Christ.
Godly Solution: REPENT. SUBMIT. OBEY. REJOICE. Proverbs 6:16-19
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