Comments on: Why I left my last church

By: Robin

Robin — Thu, 24 May 2007 02:18:33 +0000

Hmmmmm… I love the bible, I really do. I have a lot of respect for it, but when I hear someone use the term “word of God” and mean it strictly about manuscripts that were collected and voted on by committee from a church that was adopted as a state religion and incorporate a lot of paganism into it, I get a little hinky. Here’s the thing: god speaks to your heart, and you feel the quickening of the spirit when something is right or wrong. It takes faith… not faith that what brother so and so told you that particular scripture means, but faith that god is always with you like in Psalm 139. god’s word is anything that you look at, read ot experience the testimony of it’s truth (or lie)is in your own heart. That is why the letter kills but the spirit gives life. Now, as for the bible… the respect I have for that collection of manuscripts is more than I can say. The truths I have seen within are sublime. There is layer upon layer of meaning and it creates a motif that is intelellectually and spiritually satisfying. As history, literature, metaphor and symbols, it is incomparable. BUT, I will not worship it, nor will I put anything in it above what my heart tells me. THAT is what makes me dependent on God’s strength.

By: beloved268

beloved268 — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 16:40:25 +0000

Hey brother. Your story strikes a chord with me, and saddens me. So many times, the “leaving church” stories come from people who evidently have been spiritually lax and are just looking for everyone to “meet their needs”. People with lots of excuses and very little personal commitment, much less a vibrant walk with Christ. But it’s very clear from your story that this couldn’t be further from the truth for you. I’m so sorry things ended the way they did. Breaks my heart. And the worst part is that the church was only 5 years old. I’m a church planter by calling, and one of the primary benefits church planting supposedly offers is freedom from the many bureaucratic evils that sink healthy churches (spiritually and/or numerically). I’m not huge into the news, but I did run across the news about Calvary Chapel. Very sad. If you haven’t read it, Christianity Today did a good article on it a few days ago, which you can read on their website.

Anyway, stay close to Christ, trust Him, dig into His word, pray with your wife, and know that He will meet your needs. Sometimes we just have to “wait it out” in faith, but He will help you find the way you’re supposed to take if you stay close. I left the church I planted to move to Chicago and attend seminary, because of the burden I have for the Church. Maybe God wants you to be a leader. If so, understanding how to interpret the Bible accurately will be the foundation for your ministry, if it is to be successful in God’s eyes. I tried doing it using the gifts and knowledge I had received and acquired through volunteer service and regular church involvement, and ended up burnt out. I just didn’t have a solid enough foundation of Scripture to truly help people understand God and His will for their lives. God very clearly spoke to me one Sunday morning and said, “Matt, leaning on me means leaning on my Word. Philosophy and history and good reasoning skills won’t cut it. You need to devote yourself to being a man of my Word, and only in doing so will you be dependent on my strength.”

By: Lily

Lily — Sat, 17 Feb 2007 05:55:42 +0000

“…since then Mark and I have led a small group of “church refugees” from that church. We meet for fellowship and support. We are not a “church” in any formal sense, and the chances are that we will probably never become an official church. Most of us have been unable to find another church home since leaving Mark’s former church. We have attended other places sporadically, but nothing really seems to fit. In fact, I wonder if I will ever find a church where I fit.”

I just wonder if you haven’t already found it? Just an observation.

Lily.