Five Reasonable Reasons To Leave A Congregation

   Something has gone wrong in your home congregation and you are thinking about packing up and heading someplace else. Should I stay? Should I go? You don't want to leave the place that has been your home, but could that be what is best?  Here are five reasonable considerations on why it might be best to go.

1.       The Church Is Unscriptural And Will Not Change

   We all make mistakes, even churches.  They use bad judgment and don’t consider the consequences of their actions.  But when we do wrong and refuse to make it right, it becomes willful rebellion.  When a church embraces something that goes beyond the Word of God, a faithful Christian can’t be part of it.  Our presence is a form of acceptance and that makes us participants in the error (2^nd John 9-11).  If we stay too long, there is temptation to give up right principles and go along.  I've seen many sound Christians pulled away because thier emotional connection to a congregation has overruled sound thinking.  Our allegiance must first be to God and his Word.  If the error can be corrected, we should stay and work to fix it, but if not, it may be time to go

2.       I’m Not Benefiting the Kingdom Where I Am At

   Every member has a responsibility to be using their God given abilities to build up the body (Luke 12:48).  Sometimes there are factors that might keep us from doing so at a given place.  If we can’t use our talents, that’s not good for us or the church as a whole.  Before you leave, try to expand your horizon to other areas but if you feel you are still unproductive, it might be time to consider a change.

3.       I Could Help Another Struggling Congregation

   Some congregations have an excess of talent.  People tend to flock there. Some congregations suffer with lack of help.  People tend to leave there. Shouldn't it be the other way around?  Instead of shopping for the “best” church we can find, how about considering where we can be of the most help.  One or two active families can make a huge difference to the work of some struggling congregation.  If it won’t hurt one place and could greatly help another, that might be reason a good reason to go elsewhere.

4.       It Would be Better for Someone Else If I Did

   The retired preacher can overshadow and intimidate the new guy.  Your children may not be growing in the environment that benefits you.  A family member needs support in difficult times and it is not available at the place you attend.  We don’t want to become church “shoppers” but it still important to consider the spiritual needs of others.  It might be more helpful to another to attend a somewhere else.  It might be more helpful to another to not attend a certain place.  Our decision will affect others as much as ourselves (Romans 14:7).

5.       I Can’t Be Faithful There

   There will be times a congregation is faithful but you might not be faithful at that congregation.  The personality of the congregation and the personality of the individual don’t fit together.  You don’t ever feel comfortable.  Your own spiritual life is suffering.  Assembling with the church is a burden rather than a joy.  Don’t fall away because of it.  Find a place you can be faithful.  Remember however this needs to be an extreme condition.  We need to be longsuffering with differences.  A few small issues is no reason to bolt.  It needs to be something that you see is becoming a dangerous temptation for you to not assemble with the saints.  Better to go to another congregation and stay faithful to the Lord than stay at a place and fall away.

  If you need to go elsewhere, do so for the right reasons.  Don’t try to burn the place down as you go.  Make sure you are making your decision based on the word of God and sound logical thinking, rather than own emotions and selfish desires.   Don’t give up on the Lord’s church because you struggle with a single congregation.  In everything, we must remain faithful and be a builder of the Lord’s people where ever we find ourselves (Hebrews 10:23-26).