a body, not a business
Comments(11)
I find it interesting that Christians will often make big, life decisions without consulting the ones who could best counsel them. For example, if they have an issue with the church and are thinking about leaving, they don’t talk to the pastor about the issue and ask for help. They talk to the people who agree with them and then leave. It seems they treat church like a service or product being offered by the pastor and elders and they can choose when and how long they will use the product.
Although this sounds normal in our capitalistic society, the Bible describes the church differently. The church is not a product, but a body. It is a body of people of all ages who have unreservedly given their lives to Jesus Christ. The body meets together in order serve one another. In other words, Sundays are not to get your needs met, but for you to meet the needs of others. Each believer has been entrusted with a spiritual gift and the church is the garden in which these tools are used.
It seems that if someone sees a weakness in the body, he treats it like a messed-up fast food order. He is displeased and complains to those around him. He may just deal with it for a while, but if it happens week after week, then he decides to leave and never come back. He may leave without talking to anyone, but he may also ask to see the manager to give his two cents about how he thinks it should be done and then storms out.
A beliver in the church should realize that he is not being micro-managed for greatest productivity, but his pastor is keeping watch over his soul and caring for him and will one day be judged how he did so. He puts his whole heart and soul into shepherding the whole body of Christ. So why would one not go to such a leader when there is conflict, dissatisfaction, or any other issue. If for nothing else, we need our thoughts and desires tested to see if they align with the will of God and who better to test them with than the men who spend their time studying the Word, praying, and caring for souls.
It’s sad to me to see people actively a part of a church and then just disappear because they think they found something better. Although the issues are different in every case, I hope they will seek counsel from their elders, who aren’t worried that they are a dissatisfied customer but are concerned that a part of the body needs help.
So far I’m with you… but… What about the following situations:
The church leadership (Senior/Lead/Preaching Pastor and Elders) refuse to listen to your concerns? What if they tell you to keep quiet about your problems and concerns so as not to “cause division” among the believers?
(a)What if someone in leadership is the problem? Let’s say an Elder is the one who has done some sort of wrong, but the Elders refuse to deal with the problem, despite having two or more people that can verify they have done wrong? (b)How do you go about getting a second “witness” if you don’t approach someone else about the problem? (IE: “He is displeased and complains to those around him.”)
Let’s say a friend of mine approached an Elder in a biblical manner regarding a problem in the church. The Elder then proceeded to tell my friend that they were the cause of the problem and if they didn’t like the way things were being done that they should leave the church. Should my friend approach the rest of the Church leadership or leave? Should I leave as well when I verify with the Elder in question that he did in-fact verify that conversation took place?
I ask these questions because I’m wondering under what circumstance, you would recommend leaving a church?
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[...] Graduate makes an excellent case that the church is a body, not a business. My favorite paragraph: t seems that if someone sees a weakness in the body, he treats it like [...]
Great post, I love the imagery of angry customers complaining to management. Excellent analogy.
Cliff, Thanks for mentioning those scenarios. I know that often the problem could be the men in leadership and that must not be taken lightly.
First, each situation must be taken separately and no formula can be applied to them all. Second, one might consider whether leaving the church would be the best option after: praying about it, seeking counsel from spiritual leaders, and considering it in light of Scripture. Those steps may take a few months or a few days.
Some things to keep in mind:
Lastly, all the questions and situations that you put forward fall in line with what I was originally talking about in the post: namely, that people understand their role in the church and seek to biblically work through any issues they have.
But isn’t the church the whole body of believers, not the building? I feel no loyalty to a specific building or community of believers. I only have a loyalty to God and to the believers as a whole.
And let’s not pretend that we don’t seek churches that meet our personal spiritual needs. If you moved to another state, wouldn’t you seek a church you felt most comfortable in and provided the most spiritual food? I would and have no guilt over that.
Kenny, you are drawing a distinction between “the whole body of believers” and a “community of believers.” I would ask, if you have a “loyalty” to believers collectively, then how does that loyalty express itself in your life? It does not make sense to say that you attend a local church to show a devotion to the church as a whole, but no devotion to those particular believers.
In the New Testament, we see people who are committed to the whole body of believers as the gospel was spreading, but that commitment expressed itself in their deep affection and service for others in their city or vicinity. Even though I may be actively involved in a church that doesn’t mean that I am neglecting my loyalty to the whole body. Our love for God shows itself in love each other (John 13) and love cannot be pasted on a large group of people but lives in acts of service for particular people.
Also, moving to another state and looking for a biblically-sound church can still be done with the right attitude caring about the body. But it can also be done with selfish motives. You are right; there is no shame in looking for a good church, in fact, I would argue that is necessary. But in your scenario, it depends on the motive for leaving in the first place and what one looks for in the new church.
Good post. I like the analogy of the ticked off fast food customer.
I believe you need to answer the questions that cliff aksed. If you believe what you have written then you need to answer the questions.
Also, are you saying this is a sin issue. If so, don’t you have a responsibilty to go to the brother to confront them. ( Math 18) I would very much like to see you explain your answers to each of Cliff’s question in detail to further understand your stance.
My concern is you are being a bit naive as to situation of each and just how far people have gone, quietly so as not to offend, in an attempt to reconcile the differences or issues that they may have. We can’t just put a blanket statement over people leaving the church local, because then we sound like we are saying that they have left the faith.
Lastly, let me ask you to show chapter and verse for your stance. Where in the word does it say we are not to leave a local body to go and minister with another local body. I believe it says we are not to forsake the gathering of the local body.
Mike, Thanks for engaging this issue. I have a couple responses.
Here is my concern that I was originally trying to address. There are multiple reasons for why people leave churches, but they fall under one of two categories: biblical issues or preference issues. The sinful tendency is to leave a church merely for preferences issues, i.e. I don’t like the music. It is more rare to find people who leave a church for biblical reasons.
The biblical standard that the church is held to requires that its leadership is in line with 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. If the elders/pastors fail to meet this standard (e.g., they are lovers of money, they are not above reproach, they cover-up sin, they are quarrelsome), then the church would no longer be operating under biblical principles. A church member should, out of love for these men, pursue and confront them. If they remain unrepentant, then changing churches may be an appropriate option.
Do I think it is a sin issue? If they had no biblical reasons for leaving, then yes, it is sin. And yes, there is a responsibility to confront as Matthew 18 says.
As to your concern of naivety, I did not write the post to address specific issues. I agree that wisdom calls for different action in different circumstances, but all are held to the same standard set forth in the Word of God. I meant to speak of the blanket standard, not make a blanket statement. I intended only to point out the problem with people across the nation leaving churches, which has been an issue for decades. The problem is not a new one because people wanting to have their needs met is not new.
Lastly, to address your request for a chapter and a verse, I would say that there are ancient examples (in the NT) and recent examples of people leaving one church to minister in another. The New Testament examples are men who are sent to help fill a need elsewhere. Both the sending party and the receiving party were in agreement and believed it to be the best for the furthering of the gospel. Colossians 4:7-18 speaks of men who did just that. Philippians 2:19-29 speaks of Timothy and Epaphras ministering to the needs of believers outside of the local fellowship. You are right in saying that we are not to forsake the gathering of the local body (Heb. 10:24-25), but I don’t think that implies changing local bodies. If the local body is every church in the area, then I could attend a different church every Sunday and still fulfill this command and yet I am neglecting so many other things by doing that.
so many other things? if you would flower that out for me. I agree with all that you have written and just ask for one more bit of understanding. Which is the local church? who deems which one is for you or me? Is that not our Lord to lead the way. Should we not heed to our Lord if he has laid on our heart to attend else where for the building up of that body, if the need is there. Did not Paul follow as the Lor directed in his life. I believe many times people feel that if you come through 1 church door you are never to leave except for sin in the leadership. Why is that. We are there to minister to the body and at times our Lord may move us to use those gifts in other bodies. Mind you I am not advocating for church shopping, but diligently seeking our Lord in his word, prayer, fasting, and the prayer of others as we seek to follow him. Thank you so much for your patience with me. In his love Mike
Mmm. Very interesting.
I agree with so much you’ve said, Micah. I absolutely believe that God desires His people to stay in their local body of believers unless He leads their lives in an unmistakable way otherwise (job concerns causing them to move, etc. or a situation more complex, such as those already mentioned).
I would agree with others too, that often people find that it is no longer God’s will for them to be in a certain local body when they have found a significant Biblical issue, lovingly pursued a right conclusion with their church leaders, and when the church leaders refuse to see it through.
Leaving a church under these circumstances, I believe, is not only permissible, but right, however heartbreaking it may feel to uproot oneself from the very fellowship one has loved, served, been blessed by, etc. I would not–could not–leave such a local body, without such an obvious situation necessitating it. I can attest that God gives a greater grace in this circumstance, helping those who leave for biblical reasons.