7 reasons why people leave church

[John81]

Just wanted to make a little point here...a few have talked about pastors exhausted in the ministry. I am of a mind that a man isn't forced to be a workaholic by outside people/forces' date=' but that he allows himself to be a workaholic. It's the man, not the jobs that make a workaholic. I think many churches have way too many "programs" these days without having enough people to fulfill the jobs. We were given a book called "Simple Church" that I think would help some churches with this problem.[/quote']



Our pastor used to handle most things himself but now that he's getting older he decided he just can't do that anymore. Our churched hired his son as pastor of youth and education. This has been a real blessing to all of us, especially our pastor who can now share part of his load with his son.

[HappyChristian]

Just wanted to make a little point here...a few have talked about pastors exhausted in the ministry. I am of a mind that a man isn't forced to be a workaholic by outside people/forces' date=' but that he allows himself to be a workaholic. It's the man, not the jobs that make a workaholic. I think many churches have way too many "programs" these days without having enough people to fulfill the jobs. We were given a book called "Simple Church" that I think would help some churches with this problem.[/quote']

Amen! And sometimes I think even some churches with enough people to have a lot of programs has too many - so the people have no time to be a family.

[John81]

That's true. My sister, who isn't even a Christian, has a daughter who is involved in a lot of church stuff at the biggest church in town (sadly, she's not a Christian either even though she was just baptised :sad ). They have all sorts of childrens and youth programs, which is what attracts so many to their church, but the children are constantly running to and from these.

Worse of all, this particular church doesn't seem to be getting anyone saved. A very high percentage of the youth who attend that church end up pregnant, boozers, shacked up, etc.

[Guest Guest]

Just wanted to make a little point here...a few have talked about pastors exhausted in the ministry. I am of a mind that a man isn't forced to be a workaholic by outside people/forces' date=' but that he allows himself to be a workaholic. It's the man, not the jobs that make a workaholic. I think many churches have way too many "programs" these days without having enough people to fulfill the jobs. We were given a book called "Simple Church" that I think would help some churches with this problem.[/quote']

In the area that I live...we don't have many IFB churches, though. I think the exhaustion is more mental than anything. Don't forget I don't exactly live in the Bible belt. In fact, I am far from it. :smile

candlelight

P.S. ~ Also, as I stated...they don't complain, they are committed to doing the Lord's work! :thumb

[John81]

Our pastor tries to spread out his vacation time so as to make sure he doesn't get overworked. Also, now that his son is our youth/education pastor, on the months that have a 5th Sunday, he does the preaching, which frees our pastor up from preaching a few days a year.

[Jerry]

I get tired of all the RCC bashing' date=' Homosexual bashing, bible version bashing, music bashing, bash only certain sins and so on stuff that is always around in the Baptist Churches I have been to.[/quote']

Sounds like the only sins you want bashed are the ones Baptists/IFBs do. Is RCC the world's largest false religion, damning billions to Hell? Yes - then why not preach against it?! Is homosexuality wrong? Yes, then likewise it needs to be preached against and exposed. As far as Bible versions and music, those are issues that many here have spent much time in studying and praying about, and therefore have very strong convictions about. Sorry, not everything goes in the Christian life. Separation is BIBLICAL.

[Behold the Lamb]

Perhaps those are the average reasons in Christendom why people leave specific churches (or leave church attending altogether). Most of Christendom doesn't practice separation. However' date=' there are many churches I have left (after visiting or attending) due to their apostasy or false teachings, or[b'] even due to their ecumenicalism.

That's a bad thing?

"That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." John 17:21-23

"Therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, "When he ascended up on high, he led captivity to captive, and gave gifts unto men." (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the of the fulness of Christ." Ephesians 4:1-13

God sounds pretty ecumenical to me.

Separation is BIBLICAL.

Separation from the world, yes. Not separation from other Christians because they worship God the way David described in Psalm 150 (he talked about stringed instruments, cymbals, dancing, loud music, etc...no piano mentioned). Not separation from other Christians because they have different convictions about dress. Not separation from other Christians because they disagree with your ideas on the book of Ruth as it relates to the red heifer and the book of Revelation. *sigh* :ooops

[lettheredeemedsayso]

That's a bad thing?

"That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." John 17:21-23

"Therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, "When he ascended up on high, he led captivity to captive, and gave gifts unto men." (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the of the fulness of Christ." Ephesians 4:1-13

God sounds pretty ecumenical to me.

Separation from the world, yes. Not separation from other Christians because they worship God the way David described in Psalm 150 (he talked about stringed instruments, cymbals, dancing, loud music, etc...no piano mentioned). Not separation from other Christians because they have different convictions about dress. Not separation from other Christians because they disagree with your ideas on the book of Ruth as it relates to the red heifer and the book of Revelation. *sigh* :ooops

I believe that you have taken John 17 out of context.

[heartstrings]

That's a bad thing?

"That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." John 17:21-23

"Therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, "When he ascended up on high, he led captivity to captive, and gave gifts unto men." (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the of the fulness of Christ." Ephesians 4:1-13

God sounds pretty ecumenical to me.

Separation from the world, yes. Not separation from other Christians because they worship God the way David described in Psalm 150 (he talked about stringed instruments, cymbals, dancing, loud music, etc...no piano mentioned). Not separation from other Christians because they have different convictions about dress. Not separation from other Christians because they disagree with your ideas on the book of Ruth as it relates to the red heifer and the book of Revelation. *sigh* :ooops

Sir, I am a musician.....and a piano is a stringed instrument. :lol

"Unity of the faith" is not speaking about all the denominations yoking up together. If a Pentacostal, a Catholic, or any other "christian" is trusting in his own works for salvation instead of in Christ and the finished work on Calvary, I can have no unity with him because we don't have the same faith. But the faith IN the Lord Jesus Christ WILL bring unity among true believers if we are walking close to God.

[speerjp1]

That's a bad thing?

"That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." John 17:21-23

"Therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, "When he ascended up on high, he led captivity to captive, and gave gifts unto men." (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the of the fulness of Christ." Ephesians 4:1-13

God sounds pretty ecumenical to me.

Separation from the world, yes. Not separation from other Christians because they worship God the way David described in Psalm 150 (he talked about stringed instruments, cymbals, dancing, loud music, etc...no piano mentioned). Not separation from other Christians because they have different convictions about dress. Not separation from other Christians because they disagree with your ideas on the book of Ruth as it relates to the red heifer and the book of Revelation. *sigh* :ooops

So, why don't you just join up and be in unity with us? If you can join with everyone else, why are we left out? :puzzled:





Sorry... couldn't resist. :cooldude:

[Guest Guest]

Hi speer! I would rather have Behold the Lamb be in "unity" with us, too. :smile :thumb

candlelight

[John81]

So, why don't you just join up and be in unity with us? If you can join with everyone else, why are we left out? :puzzled:





Sorry... couldn't resist. :cooldude:

Yes, and therein is the crux of the matter. Those who cry for unity demand that we change our stances and standards to join with them yet they are unwilling to change their stances and standards to join with us.

[Guest Guest]

:praise: I guess having come out of the RCC...I just don't see what the problem is that people have with the IFB churches? The truth needs to be told! AND if it hurts? Then, so be it. I expect chastening from my Heavenly Father when I need it. Just like my dad punished me when I was young. Hebrews 12:6...FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVETH HE CHASTENETH, AND SCOURGETH EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVETH. KJV 1611 AV.

candlelight

[Guest Guest]

Yes, and therein is the crux of the matter. Those who cry for unity demand that we change our stances and standards to join with them yet they are unwilling to change their stances and standards to join with us.

Why cant some IFB's and IFB churches change and better themselves to become more like Christ in a more personal way? Instead it seems that we want everyone to walk through the door and just accept us for who we are instead of listening to people and changing some things that make us look like the bad guys. Not biblical things but attitudes etc... Ever had a preacher carry on about womens dress while his wife has short hair? That is the kinda stuff that turns people away from fundamentalism. Why accept something that bears little meaning in winning souls just to push people away. Why should I wear pants and a tie to church when it is 100 degress out and the PAstor is to cheap to turn on the air conditioner and frowns if you ask to? Its easy for me I wear shorts and a nice polo so I can focus on the Spirit and not how hot it is. If someone is unsaved and listening to you harp on little meaningless things like a perfect suit and tie or hair length or a new Christian who has tats and has to hear how bad it is,,, Those are the things that push people away why. When Hyles was preaching times were different but we hold so much into the traditions and standards of those days but when he was preaching those were none the less new ideas new ways for that time. When will there be new ideas for Fundamental Independant Bible Believers today? You come into church how wever you want when you leave the main goal should be the salvation of a lost soul.

[Guest Guest]

Good evening Tank. :smile Do you mind if I pray that the Lord leads you into a wonderful IFB church, such as the one that I am in? I am blessed. :thumb

candlelight