This question was posed in one of the groups I belong to on social media: How do you know when it’s time to find a new church? By suggestion of the group leader, I’m blogging my response here to share with everyone. Just so you will know, I am speaking from experience and from the wisdom Holy Spirit has given me. I had to think long and hard before I blogged about this. I really didn’t want to answer, but Holy Spirit said I must. So here goes:
There can be several reasons when it is time for you to move “church homes” or your church membership. Before I list them however, it’s important to know, YOU ARE THE CHURCH. If the problem is your heart, then wherever you go, you will find that the same problems and situations will manifest again and again. YOU MUST DEAL WITH the issues (IS YOUs) of your own heart before determining if it is time to move to another congregation. For example: if you always find yourself in disagreement with the leadership and cannot respect the authority of the Pastor/Teachers/Apostle etc, then make sure you aren’t operating in rebellion (which is witchcraft according to the Word) and manipulation. Even if you leave the original church, it will follow you to the next, then the next and so on because the problem is not with them, IT’S WITH YOU.
Also, in this day and age, we are experiencing a new normal for churches, attendance and gatherings for worship. Since we are not meeting in person, it is important for your local assembly to reach out consistently to its membership. Yet, if you feel like your church is not doing this effectively, don’t grumble and talk about leadership behind their backs. Reach out to your pastors, apostles, bishops and other elders and ask if there is anything you can do to help them in this season. They just may not realize that the congregation is looking for contact. Maybe they are overwhelmed with the sheer amount of work it takes to email or call 100, 500 or 20,000 people. Volunteer your time and talents to your local church, especially if you cannot give financially in this season. Make yourself available and of service before you assume the worse. We always see problems but take the time to become a part of the solution for your church family. Don’t let the current environment drive you away from the local house of God, of which you are a vital member.
With that being said, here are some things for you to consider seriously if two or more of these things are happening:
1. You feel the Word being taught is redundant/irrelevant. If your pastor teaches the same thing over and over again, never consistently applying the living or Rhema Word to current events or things happening in your life, it may be time to go.
2. The Word is being used to whiplash and punish your every move in life. If your leadership is using the Word to justify and condemn you and never speaks life or positive reinforcement into your situations, it may be time to go.
3. The Pastor/Apostle/Prophet of the house refuses to acknowledge you and others within the local assembly that have spiritual gifts and works overtly/covertly to stifle and suppress them/you. If you know your gifts and have talked to your leadership, but they refuse to allow you to flow in them because of whatever reasons (jealousy, power control, fear, etc), it may be time to go.
4. You feel like a number (no matter how big or small the church). If you feel like you don’t matter to anyone within the congregation, although you are involved and participate within the local community of believers, it may be time to go. (Make sure it isn’t satan making you feel unappreciated to keep you from being a blessing to your local assembly. This is a fine line point. TALK to the church before making an assumption. Many times we are appreciated but people don’t know how to show it. IF they still don’t know how to show brotherly love after the talk, then it is definitely time to go.)
5. The actions and deeds of the leadership and members are in direct contradiction to the Word of God. RUN don’t walk from this congregation. DO NOT have fellowship with this kind of “church”. The “Do as I say not as I do” mentality does rub off. What kind of fellowship can light and dark have together?!
6. Traditions, denominationalism and philosophies have replaced the Doctrine and Righteousness of Jesus Christ and His Word. If you find your pastor, denomination or church has strayed from or ignored God’s Word so they can justify keeping long-established rituals and ceremonies in place, it may be time to go.
7. Your life has not changed because of regular attendance. If you have not been challenged, provoked, prodded, enriched, enhanced, convicted, strengthened, empowered and emboldened by the Word being preached/taught, then you are wasting your time and it may be time to go.
8. Your church is more of a social/country club where people go to make connections and seal business deals. If this describes your “church” then it isn’t a church, it IS a country club. There are golf/recreation/country clubs for that sort of thing. “Church” as we know it is for an assembly of like-minded believers to come together to worship God, learn discipleship and empowerment to reach out to others and spread the Good News. If that’s not a description of your church, it may be time to go.
9. Worship and Praise is a phase of service, not a way of life for the leadership and members. If your church’s idea of Praise and Worship is a few songs at the beginning of “service” and is not acceptable if it is too demonstrative (“It don’t take all of that!” mentality), it may be time to go.
10. God has told you to move. If Holy Spirit has told you to move on, then why are you worried about what others, including the pastor, friends, family, and other congregants think? Leave as God directs you, decently and in order. Share with the pastor and others as God directs you to do, by meeting or letter. Be respectful and then leave when Holy Spirit says to leave. Although there may be objections, reservations and outright anger and indignation, God supersedes others. If God tells you to go, then it is time for you to go. PERIOD. Don’t let your feelings and theirs get in the way of doing what God wants you to do.
If you have read this list and you identify with two or more of these points, I urge you to pray earnestly for revelation and discernment concerning what God has for you to do in this season. If you are having fundamental problems with any of these things, then I suggest strongly you seek wise counsel before making sudden changes and moves. It is very important to recognize and distinguish between the voice of God, the voice of satan and the voice of your own bruised ego and emotions. While you feel a church membership is and should be based in feelings, that ideal would be furthest from the truth. Being a part of a local church should not be based in emotionalism rather your membership should be directed and led by the unction of Holy Spirit Himself.
Of course you should want to be a part of your church, but do not base your church attendance on personal comfort or your ability to fit in. Rather, make sure you are aligned with the leader, vision and mission of your church. Make a commitment to understand what direction the pastor or apostle is going in BEFORE you make any rash decisions. God may have placed you there for a season to help accomplish the goals and plans He has set for that local assembly. Being a part of a church is definitely not a one way street, rather it is a community in which the work travels both ways, with the church and the membership all seeking God and Heaven are the final destination. Before you decide to take an unauthorized exit ramp, make sure you are cleared by Holy Spirit to leave so that you won’t find yourself in the position of having to make a U-turn to course correct your journey.
