Let’s face it, it is one of the bummers of being in ministry – or for that matter, of being a part of a church. While death and taxes may be among life’s inevitables, sadly, if you are part of a church, so is periodically watching people go out the doors.
With the Wal-Martization of the American church the contemporary mindset seems to be: “What’s the big deal?” Which makes sense. I’d be a bit perturbed if I got attitude from the manager and/or employees of Wal-Mart simply because they learned I had recently been frequenting Target. So what if someone decides to “shop” at First Church of What’s Happenin’ Now instead of the congregation in which they had taken vows to “support the work and the worship to the best of their ability”?
I get it. I just don’t agree. The church is not supposed to be like a Wal-Mart. It is supposed to be a Covenant Family. But not all church members see it that way; not all churches either, for that matter. So there is not much those left behind can do about it. Despite the revolving doors local congregations just need to press on.
But what if an opportunity presented itself to say something to one of God’s wayward wanderers? What would you say? What should you say?
In a recent article for 9 Marks blog by Jonathan Leeman muses:
Let’s face it: there are better and worse reasons to leave a church. Are you moving to another city? That’s a good reason. Are you harboring bitterness toward someone who has offended you? That’s a bad reason. Does the church neglect to preach biblical sermons weekly? A good reason. Do you not like the church’s style? Probably a bad reason.
The question is, how should you respond to a fellow member who is leaving for what sounds like a bad reason?
I really appreciated Leeman’s, thoughtful, Biblcial, practical, suggestions. To read the rest of Leeman’s post, click: What to Say to Church Members Leave for Bad Reasons.
GRACE & PEACE 