Over the past few months I have ran across several articles, blogs, live videos, youtube videos, FB and twitter post where the writer is expressing the reasons why they left the church. Throughout the various post there were some similarities and a few differences. Most of it centered around church hurt, or church grievances, at times church doctrine or ideology. However in my observations the message that was told could all be summarized by saying that in someway, shape, or form the church did not meet their expectations. Ironically many of these individuals while disengaging from the church still maintained that they were spiritually connected to God.
As I sat and read through, or listened to the conversation of these individuals I grew somewhat frustrated with this claim. I begin to wonder within myself is there ever a good reason to leave the church; and perhaps even more significant is it even possible to be disconnected from the church and still be connected to God. Really think about it, if you really have a good understanding of who and what the church is, why would you ever leave it. To the contrary, I was able to find several reasons that I, a professing Christian, could never leave the church.
I'll share a few of them with you.
1.
The church is established by Christ - The church is not a man made organization that is full of tradition and man made rules and procedures. The church is not COGIC, Apostolic, AME, Baptist, and any other organization that can be listed. The real Church is the organization that Christ established. Jesus tells Peter in Matthew 16:18".....thou are Peter and upon this rock I will build
MY Church. Acts 20:28 tells us that "....the Church of God was purchased with his own blood. And finally Ephesians 5:25 lets us know that Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it. The reality is that the church was both established an purchased by God through Christ. Those of us who are a part of the church, who are "the called out," we are literally the property of Christ. The Bible speaks to us being the body of Christ (Col. 1:24, Eph. 1:22-23, Eph. 5:30, 1 Cor. 12:27). How is it then that we could even think it's possible that you can leave the church and still be in Christ when the only way to be connected to Christ is through his church which is his body. It can't be done.
2.
The gates of hell shall not prevail - In Matthew 16:18 it also says that "the gates of hell shall not prevail." against the church. When we are in, or a part of His church we are kept, we are protected we are safe in him. Just like the good husband that protects and loves, and cherishes his wife this is the approach that Christ will take with his church. This example is also given in Ephesians 5:29, concerning Christ and his church. When you leave the Church you leave the protection afforded to His church. There is safety in the church. God has given the church the victory of hell. Why would you leave a place of safety and a place of victory when you know that the only thing outside of it is death and destruction and defeat.
3.
The Church is the house of God - We've all probably heard the phrase that says, "The church is not a building, we are the church." Well that sounds really good but it's only partially true. In actuality the church is the building where the saints of God gather and come together to seek him, to praise & worship him, & to hear from him. When Paul is teaching on the order of speaking in tongues in the church he is not speaking to a theoretical or symbolic body. He is literally speaking to the gathering of worshipers in a place of worship (a building). See 1 Cor. 14:19, 23. 1 Timothy 3:15 says, "
But if I tarry long that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."(see 1 Tim. 3:5) How much more clear can the Word of God be. The church of the living God is the house of God. The place where the people of God come to learn of him and worship him. When you leave the house of God you become a runaway. How? When a child leaves the house of their parents without permission they become a runaway.
4.
The Church is the pillar and ground of truth - In John 8:32 Jesus told the Jews who believed in him, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." True freedom is derived from the liberation of the truth. Isn't it fitting that God has chosen his church, which is the house of God, to be the pillar and ground of this liberating truth. The church holds within it's hands the foundation of the truth and it is that that maintains, affirms and supports the truth. How can you have the truth when you abandon the place, the establishment where truth resides, the church.
So what is the truth. The truth is that it's not okay to leave the church and claim to be godly, connected, christian, or anything of that nature. The church was established by Christ for his body and his body for the church. Separating the two is not Biblical and it's not true, it's a lie.
Disclaimer:
There may be some very valid reasons why an individual chooses to leave a particular church. The purpose of this post is not to condemn leaving a church. I will readily admit that there are several churches, pastors, ministries, organization who neither uphold the truth of God's word nor practice it. However it is of utmost importance that we give due diligence to finding a house of God that does. Depending on location that may be difficult but it's not impossible. So in conclusion you may very well need to leave "a" church but don't ever make the decision to leave "the" church. "In all thy ways acknowledge him and he will direct thy paths."
