I detest church hopping.
Yet I accept the fact that there are times when Christians transfer
church membership. But there is a proper time and way to leave a church.
What are the legitimate reasons for leaving a church? When is the
right time to leave a church? How should one leave a church to join
another?
Red Lights: Wrong Reasons for Leaving a Church
Here are seven wrongs reasons for leaving a church.
Sin. Someone has sinned. Maybe it was a leader. Is
this a good reason to leave? No. It is not promote holiness to leave
because of sin. There was gross sin in the church of Corinth. But Paul
commanded the church to deal with the sinning member, not leave the
church (1 Corinthians 5:9-13). When Paul bids the saints to “come out
from among them,” he was talking about the world, not the church (2
Corinthians 6:14-18). We should respond to sinning brothers with
restoration, not amputation (Galatians 6:1-5).
Disagreements over secondary doctrinal issues. Biblical
convictions matter. But don’t be willing to die on every hill. Contend
earnestly for the faith (Jude). But don’t break fellowship over every
disagreement about scripture. Paul advised Timothy, “Remind them of
these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words,
which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. Do your best to present
yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed,
rightly handling the word of truth. But avoid irreverent babble, for it
will lead people into more and more ungodliness…” (2 Timothy 2:14-16) Continue at H. B. Charles Jr.
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