SermonIndex Audio Sermons
SermonIndex - Promoting Revival to this Generation
Give To SermonIndex
Discussion Forum : General Topics : When to leave a church...

Print Thread (PDF)

Goto page ( 1 | 2 Next Page )
PosterThread
Pandarus
Member



Joined: 2010/3/25
Posts: 53
Queensland, Australia

 When to leave a church...

Hi folks,

I'm interested to know what conditions might lead one to consider leaving one's church for another.

I attend a small pentecostal church (and occasionally a baptist at nights) where the people are full of love, but there is a lack of corporate prayer and each one follows one of the well-known false prophets. I don't need to name names, you just need to turn on the TV.

There's no reproach and very little teaching. We have a Sunday morning meeting and that's it. At times there's no sermon. Just 4 pre-recorded songs, offering collection and communion. I see little if any seeking of God. I've been here for 12 months and have tried to lead by example and serve. I've seen no change. Maybe I'm not trying hard enough.

To be honest, I'm getting a little tired of Pentecostalism. There's so much wading through rubbish to obtain the treasures. Yet if I follow the bible it clearly shows gifts still operating.

I even feel bad about seeking advice on this because I feel like I'm judging the members of the church. And plus I keep hearing this whole "bloom where you're planted" thing. What is that? I'm happy to stay if that's the best thing, but I'm becoming a little tired of it all. I want to be with at least SOME people who truly are seeking God and want to be around the same. I mean, I'm a young single man in my early 30s who desires God. Not prosperity, not Word-of-faith, not chasing signs and wonders, just chasing God. Is there really so few of us?

Thankyou in advance for all your wonderful advice.

P


_________________
Nick van der Net

 2011/9/30 6:55Profile
jimp
Member



Joined: 2005/6/18
Posts: 1481


 Re: When to leave a church...

dear p, how about hosting a bible study in your home and invite the church members and you nieghbors,friends,fellow employees.once in a while have your group pick up around the church and do other menial jobs and after a while invite the pastor.pastors are sometimes afraid to do much outside a comfort zone.love is the answer.jimp

 2011/9/30 7:07Profile
Pandarus
Member



Joined: 2010/3/25
Posts: 53
Queensland, Australia

 Re:

Hi Jimp. Yup, love is the answer.

I am trying the bible study. I'm hosting this site's Simulcast event at my home. I'll invite others and see who comes. But we're so small, we have no pastor. We have visiting pastors from other churches of our denomination.


_________________
Nick van der Net

 2011/9/30 7:12Profile
andres
Member



Joined: 2005/6/17
Posts: 285
texas,brownsville

 Re:

when to leave a church?


when the gospel of Jesus is not preached anymore
I tell my congergation when we stop preaching the work of Christ on behalf of sinful men, leave this place.. If the gospel is not the center of everthing that the body does, and the elders or elder wont be corrected.. Leave..
andy


_________________
andy

 2011/9/30 8:41Profile
Solomon101
Member



Joined: 2008/4/1
Posts: 536
America's Flyover Country

 Re:

Hey Pandarus-

First of all I want to commend and encourage you in your efforts. You stated,

"I've been here for 12 months and have tried to lead by example and serve".

I want to be an encourager to a guy that is making an effort to serve and be an example. I know you do not do it for that reason. However, may I say , "Well Done". It is refreshing to see someone show that heart and attitude.

It seems to me that one of your biggest challenges is the lack of leadership in the fellowship. I may be mistaken as all I know is from your post. However, you indicate its a small number of folks that get together and sing a few songs, receive an offering, and have communion together. Of course nothing wrong with those things. They are an important part of our Christian walk.... but you are wanting and needing more.

I mentioned the lack of leadership. Obviously someone leads to some degree. Someone picks songs,obtains the tapes, counts offerings, disperses the offerings, prepares communion elements, etc. However, you specifically mentioned the lack of teaching/preaching and lack of corporate prayer.

Lets consider two things:

1. Strengths- you stated that ,"the people are full of love". THAT is a tremendous strength there. Do not underestimate that as a starting point. You also mentioned their openness to the gifts and moving of The Holy Spirit. THAT is another tremendous strength. You evidently have some folks that walk in the love of God and are open to His supernatural working in the world. THOSE are foundations that can be built upon.

2. Challenges- No preaching, teaching, challenging ones life/walk and the lack of corporate prayer.

POTENTIAL HELPFUL ACTIONS: I commend your proactive stance at hosting the simulcast. That is a great first step. Hopefully it allows you to see who has hunger and stirs it in some others. Might I also suggest talking to the key laypeople of that fellowship and asking them if they would join you in having/allowing a time of corporate prayer on Sunday mornings. Share your heart, open your feelings up to them and talk about how you long to see a genuine move of God in your community. Share about corporate prayer being key for the purpose of seeing God do a work in the community. Most genuine christians do desire to see God touch their towns, families, and friends. Many have just lost hope and need to know it is a real possibility if they will cry out to Him for it. If you can get a few fires lit with the simulcast .....and cast a vision for corporate prayer that lets folks know that God will meet them there.... then you are on a path that will be a blessing to you, that fellowship, and your community. Perhaps you might also find other little groups that would then join together with you on Sunday nights to pray for a wider moving in the area. Just some thoughts.

Blessings to you. You may well be the person called to begin pulling folks together for prayer that will be key in changing that community for good.

As a final thought may I suggest listening to some of the audio messages on the site by J. Edwin Orr. He was a tremendous revival historian. There are 68 messages in the audio sermon section from him. Give a listen to his messages that are specifically on the history of revival. You will be encouraged to find that most of them began out of circumstances not so terribly different than yours. He is particularly knowledgable about the Welsh revival and was a personal friend of Evan Roberts granting even greater insight to that one.

Blessings,

Solomon101

 2011/9/30 9:39Profile
joliboy11
Member



Joined: 2011/9/16
Posts: 208
Philippines

 Re:

check this out: http://www.cfcindia.com/web/mainpages/word_for_the_week.php?display=09_01&year=11#Submit leaders

by Zac Poonen

 2011/9/30 10:40Profile
Pandarus
Member



Joined: 2010/3/25
Posts: 53
Queensland, Australia

 Re:

Solomon101, thanks for your very helpful advice. I will put these things into action! About things getting done, a few people take turns doing things - leading singing, doing communion and offerings. Same group of people each week. I'll pray about it.


_________________
Nick van der Net

 2011/9/30 18:57Profile
SolaVeritas
Member



Joined: 2010/6/29
Posts: 156
SK Canada

 Re: When to leave a church...

Hi Pandarus, it is great to hear of your desire for God and I wish you God's blessing for your future Bible Study group.

To find an answer to your question it may be helpful to ponder some of the following:

Why are you in the church you are attending? Can you positively say that the Lord led you to it?
If the answer is yes, than should you leave unless the Lord leads you otherwise?
If the answer is no or not sure, I would pray specifically until God answers. Based on experience, as long as no answer is coming, I would take it as a no to changing churches for the time being.

And brother, consider how Jesus came not to do His own will but the will of the Father, not to please Himself but to please the Father, the Gospels are full of this example.
And we must walk as Jesus did,right? (1John 2:6)
In practice this mean that we surrender all such decisions to the Father and seek His will for us. If He wants to send us to Timbuktu, we shall go, if He wants us to spend our life in the uneventful little church, we shall stay, you see? :) Either way He can be trusted to use us if we just let Him.

 2011/10/1 23:43Profile









 Re: When to leave a church...

Leave immediately Pandarus. A guy like you will cause a lot of division in a church. Your pastor will be happy you left. How about you start your own home group church? That way you can run the show any way you see fit. Honestly I think home groups would be far more suited to you. And I'll be the first to admit that "big church" has their issues. Big church can be very cold and impersonal. Home groups are more casual and friendly and personal.

 2011/10/2 0:30
jimp
Member



Joined: 2005/6/18
Posts: 1481


 Re:

hi, leave now ezra and nehemiah for it is rediculous to have a trowl in one hand and a weapon in the other.God would not want you to suffer so.and by the way hosea about that hooker your married to ;enough is enough. do your own thing,and let her stay where she sold herself to. no my brother, stay until you hear from God and obey Him in whatever He tells you to do.jimp

 2011/10/2 5:07Profile





©2002-2024 SermonIndex.net
Promoting Revival to this Generation.
Privacy Policy