2 Timothy 2:15
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
Americans treat church like a product to consume instead of as a family to belong. When we treat church like a product, we consume until our needs are no longer met. When we treat church like a family, we fundamentally understand there are no perfect churches. Like family, every church comes with broken people. That includes the church leadership.
Most of the time when someone leaves a church, it’s because a minor issue has grown into a monumental issue to the person or people involved.
In all my years of pastoring, I’ve never heard of someone who left a church because the pastor suddenly changed his theology and adopted snake handling worship practices. If a pastor suddenly changes his theology and tells the church to sell everything and move to the mountains for Jesus’ return (insert date here and beware of Kool-Aid), you should leave.
Too often people leave a church because of disagreement, not getting their way, or because the sermons are no longer deep enough. Often when we dig into the reason the sermons are not deep enough, it ultimately goes back to the person being offended or not having their faulty theologies endorsed from the pulpit. The same pastor who was previously deep enough becomes shallow once there is an offense. It’s incredibly difficult to hear from God in a sermon when we are offended by the person delivering the sermon.
Offenses will come. If they don't and we really want to leave and go do our own thing, we will find one. Church is a classroom, not just on Sunday morning but all week. It's doing life with the people we see on Sunday. It's laughing and agreeing at picnics. It's taking turns working in the nursery or being a chaperone at the youth bonfire or lock-in. It's when your kids, give the other kids the flu, or hand me downs, and your grateful or ticked off. But, all the while allowing God to form your character and teach you to love and forgive. It's spending years with the same people. It's going to weddings, baby showers, engagement parties, and funerals. All the while allowing God to keep you in the tumbler called church, knocking the rough spots off of you and the other guy. It's learning that people are there for you.
The church is a classroom. When you disconnect from church you disconnect from your life lessons. Soon we can find ourselves isolated and alone. We have no one to discuss the word of God and may even adopt a more selfish and incorrect doctrine.
To view the video below if it does not show up in your browser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4WcHAgafGU
Most of the time when someone leaves a church, it’s because a minor issue has grown into a monumental issue to the person or people involved.
In all my years of pastoring, I’ve never heard of someone who left a church because the pastor suddenly changed his theology and adopted snake handling worship practices. If a pastor suddenly changes his theology and tells the church to sell everything and move to the mountains for Jesus’ return (insert date here and beware of Kool-Aid), you should leave.
Too often people leave a church because of disagreement, not getting their way, or because the sermons are no longer deep enough. Often when we dig into the reason the sermons are not deep enough, it ultimately goes back to the person being offended or not having their faulty theologies endorsed from the pulpit. The same pastor who was previously deep enough becomes shallow once there is an offense. It’s incredibly difficult to hear from God in a sermon when we are offended by the person delivering the sermon.
Offenses will come. If they don't and we really want to leave and go do our own thing, we will find one. Church is a classroom, not just on Sunday morning but all week. It's doing life with the people we see on Sunday. It's laughing and agreeing at picnics. It's taking turns working in the nursery or being a chaperone at the youth bonfire or lock-in. It's when your kids, give the other kids the flu, or hand me downs, and your grateful or ticked off. But, all the while allowing God to form your character and teach you to love and forgive. It's spending years with the same people. It's going to weddings, baby showers, engagement parties, and funerals. All the while allowing God to keep you in the tumbler called church, knocking the rough spots off of you and the other guy. It's learning that people are there for you.
The church is a classroom. When you disconnect from church you disconnect from your life lessons. Soon we can find ourselves isolated and alone. We have no one to discuss the word of God and may even adopt a more selfish and incorrect doctrine.
To view the video below if it does not show up in your browser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4WcHAgafGU
ACTION STEP: Stay connected to a local church. Get involved. Maybe you're at the point in life that you can donate lots of time? Or maybe you are a the stage where you need a lot of help? It doesn't matter what stage you come into a church. What matters is that you come. Stages of life will change. You and I will change. The only thing that remains the same is the word of God, and the word of God will change us all.
Find a church and stay put. Learn something. Teach something. Become something. Leave a legacy by making memories so beautiful that your name will remain alive in the mouth of others long after you have gone.
Need a coach? Need someone to help you find your purpose and destiny? Check me out at www.renaperozich.com
I believe in you and you need to believe in yourself.
Find a church and stay put. Learn something. Teach something. Become something. Leave a legacy by making memories so beautiful that your name will remain alive in the mouth of others long after you have gone.
Need a coach? Need someone to help you find your purpose and destiny? Check me out at www.renaperozich.com
I believe in you and you need to believe in yourself.
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