Recently I've had to use all of these gifts to decipher a problem that caused me to question the Lord. In fact I allowed a bad seed to be planted in my mind. A seed that nearly convinced me that since I did not understand a theology then I could no longer be a part of the body of believers that God had brought me to.
The purpose for attending church, to me, is to get spiritual food through praise & worship along with the preached message and to fellowship with other Believers. Regardless of whether or not I have or wish to have a "religious or spiritual" experience at church, doesn't mean that I'm not getting spiritually fed. There are times things happen in church that no one can explain. The Holy Spirit moves in and among us and things happen that are divinely inspired. Some people seek out these "religious or spiritual" experiences regularly, perhaps not feeling complete unless they received one from a usual Sunday service. Others are contented with a message that speaks to their very situation. Whatever the case may be, as long as the Lord is meeting you at your point of need then you're in the right place, among the right body of Believers. In order for me to realize that my questions were valid, normal and healthy took all my capacities, the thinking, feeling, praying, seeking, and the woman of faith. In addition to meeting with my pastors to discuss my concerns and confusion. Through all these avenues, finally and thankfully, I realized that God had brought me to this church body for a reason, and that this is where I was to stay put.
But what has me troubled is how easily it is to leave a church for this reason or much less. If it was as easy for me to question where I belong, it's easier still to move on. However, I believe this is disobedience. By all means, if the Lord has cleared the way and put up the signs and caused you to believe it's time to move on then by all means MOVE. But if you are following what a man has told you to do, or if you are seeking to leave because there are changes in that body of Believers, or if you can leave a church that God has called you to with the sway of the wind, then that leaves me grievously concerned.
I myself have said on several occasions that when I walked into the church I am at now that I could feel the tangible presence of God. After that I just couldn't go back to my usual church. But I tell you the truth, I did. I continued to divide my time between both churches while seeking God for His direction and plan. Once I knew for certain that's when we made the move.
I don't know where you're at, perhaps you love your church and have no definite plans of leaving, perhaps you're not happy or have unrest about your church home, perhaps your seeking a church home. Whatever the case, I urge you to let God be your guide and NOT man. NEVER follow a man, follow GOD. Don't fall in love with a church so much that when God says, "Go", you say, "No". Likewise, do not fall in love with a preacher so much that should he/she leave, you to follow in suit. We must be praying and seeking God's direction for us. Going any other way is disobedience. Our role is to be obedient to Christ and to seek Him first above "religious or spiritual" experience, above a preacher, beyond a church, more higher than good works or frankly anything else that would seek to set itself up against God.
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you that you have given me the wisdom and discernment to deduce that your plan is for me to stay put, knowing that you have a purpose for placing me in the body of Believers you have brought me to. Lord I lift up my sisters-in-Christ who may be struggling with this issue. Father grant them the same wisdom and discernment to know where you are leading them. Lord let them know that their questions are valid and healthy but their response to them needs to be carefully decided through prayer, faith and research. Help them to know and understand how to hear from you. Bless them and watch over them dear Lord. And Father for those sisters who haven't found a church to call home yet, I pray that you will lead them this very Sunday to the place you have selected for them. In Jesus' name I pray. AMEN.
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you that you have given me the wisdom and discernment to deduce that your plan is for me to stay put, knowing that you have a purpose for placing me in the body of Believers you have brought me to. Lord I lift up my sisters-in-Christ who may be struggling with this issue. Father grant them the same wisdom and discernment to know where you are leading them. Lord let them know that their questions are valid and healthy but their response to them needs to be carefully decided through prayer, faith and research. Help them to know and understand how to hear from you. Bless them and watch over them dear Lord. And Father for those sisters who haven't found a church to call home yet, I pray that you will lead them this very Sunday to the place you have selected for them. In Jesus' name I pray. AMEN.
I was informed of this blog post and felt I had to respond because I believe I am the one you refer to as planting a "bad seed". I know I am not only a thinking person but a praying person and I must say this post is a bit ignorant on many levels. Obviously, you are entitled to your opinion but let me address a # of items on this post. First off, what makes you think that when people leave a church it is easier than staying? It is very difficult to leave a church and the relationships formed there. You should read up on that. I don't have time to delineate all that here.
ReplyDeleteSecond, what makes you think when people leave they are following man and not God. While there may be people who make a quick decision on whether to leave a church or not, most people who are seasoned believers look at other things on when to leave. And sometimes when there is a huge exodus of believers from a particular church there is a reason for it. Most often, the truth is not discussed with people and a case in point would be when the elephant in the room is not even discussed and all that is asked is for blind allegiance and "honor". Those are symptoms and signs of churches that are cultish or on the brink of toxicity. Again, something you should read about so you can make posts that are at least informed on all sides. When you are in one it is hard for you to see the signs especially is you are only surrounded by people who are also blinded by it.
Following a preacher is not what is always done. Again, to not speak in generalities like you have done, there are some people who do that but not all. And what is wrong to expect to get fed when you attend on Sundays. What is wrong with expecting that a full time minister or someone who has said yes to the role of preacher/pastor do the work involved to bring a Word that makes sense, is encouraging or challenging and makes people feel it was worth the effort to get up on a Sunday morning or go after work to hear a Word. Seriously, these are all things that are minimally expected of those in that role.
God is interested in reaching people hungry for Him. That is why His presence is felt in even the most dysfunctional churches with the most unaware leaders...where you are now and across the globe.
I could address myriad issues indirectly referred to in this post but I would be educating for days. A word of advice, you really don't know anything that happened behind the scenes and you don't even know that some people were basically pushed out and were still praying for discernment before bad leadership essentially said "kiss the ring" or you're out of here. Remember, there are such things as politics in churches just as much as there is God's spirit, good fellowship, etc. I would suggest you keep praying for wisdom because this post shows you didn't have any.
Below is a link to rethinking church which is really what a church should be and if you read ACTS it is not even about a building so inferring that people aren't doing well because they don't go to a building that has a church name. That is a mindset that is again not schooled. A church is the people not the building. There are many meeting in church 'buildings' that do even do what they are supposed to do based on the bible.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50mqagzxU0c
For a thinking person that you consider yourself to be this was not one of your best moments. I am really saddened that you choose to judge a situation and people on an assumption. It would have been better to ask any of these people including me for the truth of the matter. BTW, we are all meeting as a church with a healthy leader as covering and we are blessed beyond measure.
Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Rios
My husband is a pastor and we have seen a lot of people that church hop a lot. Many times they leave a church over some issue that could have been resolved if they would only stay put and work out their differences.
ReplyDeleteOne time a couple came to a church my husband pastored and told him that they would like to move their membership from another church in the neighborhood to our church.
My husband told them to make sure that before they do anything to make sure it was the Lord's will. He highly recommended that they go back to their church and work with the members there to resolve the situation. They did and a couple of years later they thanked my husband.
I agree we should never do something just because a person tells us to. We should only follow what God says for us to do.
You have said it perfectly in this post and anyone that has a problem with what you have said must have had their conscience pricked. Because you never said that we should stay or leave. You simply said to make sure we are following God.
Thank you for this outstanding post, Joanne. Keep writing what God lays on your heart.