5 Really Bad Reasons to Leave Your Church

Interesting.

I think 3 and 4 could be valid reasons.

Obviously some doctrinal differences matter enough to cause a split otherwise a whole lot of folks would still be Catholic, right?

And while I’m a big fan of being a contributor, I do believe that there should be some reciprocity. Zion doesn’t impoverish you (spiritually or materially) to elevate your neighbor. It enriches both of you. While I could make an argument about Christ becoming impoverished to make us rich (indeed, Paul already did), I do believe that a church, if it is attempting to be a community should meet the needs of all participants to the degree it is able. Ideally, those needs should be met as part of meeting the needs of the world.

But those are just thoughts on the synopsis – I may rethink the position once I’ve read the article. LOL.

Well, the author was a pastor (which I find interesting in and of itself). I wasn’t sure I found the reasons super convincing. I agree there needs to be some reciprocity, although it occurs to me that maybe that’s partly generational. I think my parents’ generation operates much more based on duty and respect for authority than I do. I tend to operate based on my personal values and being skeptical of authority.

I don’t like #1 at all. Many of us are here because we contributed long and hard for many years and got burned out. Also #1 perpetuates the myth that if you’re not happy in the church, it’s your fault, by implication.

Also, people go through phases of being a feeder and feedee. The other thing that statement does is remove accountability to the church to provide a good experience. If anyone can show up, do a terrible job consistently, and its the member’s fault if its bad, it encourages mediocrity.

The others, maybe…i had trouble thinking about them because 1 hit me like a ton of bricks.

I pretty well disagree with every part of this article.

I think, if carried to far, all of these are valid reasons to leave your church.

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Yes, I’m always fascinated to see what other faiths are talking about in terms of retention. They all seem to be concerned about it.

#2: I always enjoyed my time in a branch. It felt more like a family, we felt more united. Sometimes I felt very insignificant in large wards. Sure we can strive to be the church of billions but it can still be organized to reach people at a more intimate level. The church does a fairly good job of this, we max out at the ward level while other churches can go the path of megachurch. Still, some people really enjoy the megachurch atmosphere. Not a reason for me to leave, but I can understand it.

#3: Hop from church to church or just walk away from all churches. I guess I don’t see much wrong with that if that’s the path one’s spiritual journey takes them.

#4: I completely disagree with #4. Jesus didn’t die for the church, he died for you and me. Part of what a church does should be to communicate that… to people with needs. #4 makes a huge mistake, #4 is assuming that people don’t have any needs at all, that people reach a point where they only fill needs. Why present it as either or? You can both have needs filled and fill needs, it should be a mutual thing because there’s spiritual benefit in both giving and receiving. Develop charity in giving, develop humility in receiving.

Also, the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath.

#4: I completely disagree with #4. Jesus didn’t die for the church, he died for you and me. Part of what a church does should be to communicate that… to people with needs. #4 makes a huge mistake, #4 is assuming that people don’t have any needs at all, that people reach a point where they only fill needs. Why present it as either or? You can both have needs filled and fill needs, it should be a mutual thing because there’s spiritual benefit in both giving and receiving. Develop charity in giving, develop humility in receiving.

Also, the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath.

I love this, nibbler. Totally agree. I think it’s telling, though, that a pastor would gloss this over, because obviously, he’s called to bolster the church. That’s the genius of Mormonism, too. We are all in the potential role of pastor. We are all called to bolster up the church. So if you aren’t getting what you need, double down and serve more. Right? Eventually people burn out on this advice, and you are right to point it out.

They haven’t fixed the toilet for weeks.

This might be good cause for inactivity, though.

The architecture of the meeting house is too bland.

We’d ALL leave the church if this was cause.