Why are Christians leaving their churches?

[Dan Clarkston]

It's one of the main reasons house churches have become so popular.

House churches... are most frequently a one man show.

Those that don't agree with everything the one man running the house church says... get the left foot of fellowship right out the door.

 

[Triumph1300]

This is harder to do in a home church enviroment.

Absolutely.
More focus on people in that environment.
Less begging for money.

 

[Triumph1300]

@Triumph1300, if you compare the three lists of spiritual gifts in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4, you will discover that the gift of speaking in tongues is only mentioned in one. Therefore, a good conclusion is that the lists are descriptive of those churches' gifts and that only the church at Corinth was given it. It's not that God is "a respecter of persons"; it's that he gives his gifts where they are needed

Did you receive the gift of tongues, Bruce?

 

[shepherdsword]

House churches... are most frequently a one man show.

Those that don't agree with everything the one man running the house church says... get the left foot of fellowship right out the door.

You haven't been to the right home church. However, in most good ones, someone with kooky ideas or a desire to control the meeting will get shut down.

 

[Lambano]

Why are Christians leaving their churches?​

Because the service is over and they want to beat the Baptists to Cracker Barrel.

 

[Triumph1300]

Why are Christians leaving their churches?

Because some Christians see the garbage going on in some churches.
Many are turning into "social places", without any gospel being preached.
Some turn into political groups. Sad story.
Others have power struggles within the leadership.
And there are a bunch of them developing into religious cults.
People also leave because of sexual and spiritual abuse.
Many are greedy for money. It's called financial abuse.

 

[Dan Clarkston]

You haven't been to the right home church. However, in most good ones, someone with kooky ideas or a desire to control the meeting will get shut down.

Well, since most preaching these days contains false doctrine... that's the first reason I would not return to any church or house church.

One of the ear marks of the end times is rampant deception coming from those claiming to be serving Jesus but are actually tares who are servants of satan, wolves in sheep's clothing sent to deceive.

And on my way out the door I'd give them an ear full like Stephen did in the Book of Acts

 

[mailmandan]

You haven't been to the right home church. However, in most good ones, someone with kooky ideas or a desire to control the meeting will get shut down.

Good point. Now even though there are churches that certainly have problems and are led by false teachers, not all of them teach false doctrine and are led by servants of satan/wolves in sheep's clothing etc.. That should not be a cop out for someone to not attend church at all. In Hebrews 10:24-25, we read - And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

Some folks may simply have one or two bad experiences with church and simply throw in the towel. Then they turn into lone rangers who hide out in their sanctified cubical and throw verbal grenades at everyone else.

Folks who find something wrong with ALL churches and ALL other people need to do a serious examination of themselves. Maybe they are the problem. Not all churches promote a false gospel and not everyone is a wolf in sheep's clothing. I've had some bad experiences in the past with churches and certain folks but have had a great experience in the church I attend now and have met some wonderful people there. Our church not only does a good job of preaching the gospel/leading people to Christ, but they also have an excellent outreach for folks in need, and they also continuously stress the importance of encouraging us to live the abundant life. The name of my church just happens to be Abundant Life.

 

[Searcher]

When my wife died I had a rough time and then we got a new preacher. I got nothing from her services and stopped going. Didnt read scripture just went about life. A year or so ago I picked up the bible again and read and went to a baptist church and liked it well enough. Even went to catholic mass a couple times and didnt like what I saw. Then a few weeks ago I went to my old church 1st Christian Church btw. It wasnt the same.Only 3 or 4 people I knew and maybe 20 people there. I told the lady preacher this morning I wanted to feel the spirit move. I wanted Christ crucified and hell is hot. Was told the people here dont need to hear about hell. I said, I do and left it at that. There are more churches here to explore. Might try a pentecostal as I have two pentecostal preachers in the family. As to the OP I think there are many reasons churches are thinning out.

 

[mailmandan]

sometimes it's not just one or two bad experiences, it's systemic issues that push folks away. Finding a healthy congregation can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack when you've been burned multiple times. I totally get the Hebrews passage, but I think "assembling together" can take different forms depending on someone's spiritual journey and healing process. Your church sounds genuinely awesome, and I'm truly happy you've found that safe harbor where the gospel is preached authentically. Not everyone's criticism comes from being a "lone ranger" though, some people have legitimate trauma that needs addressing before they can walk through those doors again. Maybe instead of labeling people who struggle with church attendance, we could extend grace and understand that everyone's path to fellowship might look different?

I appreciate your compassionate input. I understand there are people who have been burned by people at church and have experienced trauma but with that being said I seem to run across too many lone rangers who find fault with just about all churches and just about everyone and continuously lash out at others. Pardon me if I sound insensitive towards legitimate traumatized folks who have been burned too many times.

 

[Dan Clarkston]

then we got a new preacher. I got nothing from her services

There's your first problem... siting under a woman "pastor" when the scripture specifically teaches pastors and church leaders are men.

And so you opened the door to deception by sitting under someone that does not meet the biblical qualifications the Lord gives to be a pastor.

 

[Searcher]

There's your first problem... siting under a woman "pastor" when the scripture specifically teaches pastors and church leaders are men.

And so you opened the door to deception by sitting under someone that does not meet the biblical qualifications the Lord gives to be a pastor.

I know one guy left when she came in. His wife still goes and their daughter and son in law was there last Sunday. The lady preacher is nice and all but things arnt as they were when the former preacher was there. Him and I did things together outside of church and he was a very good preacher as well.

 

[VictoryinJesus]

Well, that is pronouncing a lot of lost Christians and basically putting them on the road to perdition to say the least..

there lies the problem I think.

 

[DuckieLady]

This is interesting.. Christians Tell Why They Are No Longer Religious:

'#1 Southern Baptist​

Ever wondered why some folks who used to be really into Christianity are now saying “no thanks” to the whole faith thing? Well, we found a bunch of them on social media sharing their stories. From growing up with certain beliefs to discovering things that didn’t quite add up, these former Christians have some interesting reasons for losing their faith. Let’s dive into their tales and see what changed their minds.

“Short answer: grew up Southern Baptist. When I started getting to the age where I could think critically about things, I just started noticing some inconsistencies. Specifically, I was told that people who believed in other religions would go to hell because they followed the “wrong” religion. What?? When religion is based a lot on where you are born, I just could not truly believe that people would be sent to hell for being born in the “wrong” country.”

This user’s critical reflection on his Southern Baptist upbringing struck a chord, particularly when confronted with the notion that people of different religions could face damnation solely based on their place of birth. The recognition that entire populations could be condemned for circumstances beyond their control raised questions about the fairness and logic of such a religious perspective, ultimately leading to a reconsideration of the user’s faith journey.

#2 Mythology Class in College​

“Taking a mythology class in college and realizing all the different religions had similar origin stories of how earth and man were created and evolved, but the details differed based on the environment the people lived in and how far along they were technologically. Anything science couldn’t explain was the will of a higher power.

Not saying higher powers COULDN’T exist, just realized people are killing each other because theirs is the ‘right God’, but the people don’t realize that for all intents and purposes, they are all following the similar lessons/stories.”

In a broader context, the user’s revelation in their mythology class illuminated the commonality among diverse religions. As they explored various mythologies, they discerned parallels in the stories of Earth’s creation and human evolution. The realization that different cultures, despite varied details, shared fundamental narratives about higher powers and unexplained phenomena prompted a reconsideration of religious exclusivity.

#3 Being Told Not to Question Faith​

“Being told to not question my faith made me lose my faith. If I cannot question what I believe in to better understand it, then it wasn’t worth believing in it in the first place. Or they are hiding something they don’t want me to find out, which makes me even more skeptical of it.”

For this user, the very act of questioning was essential for a deeper understanding of his beliefs. When this exploration was stifled, it raised doubts about the authenticity and solidity of the faith. The suppression of questions created a perception that there might be hidden aspects or inconsistencies that authorities sought to conceal. This lack of transparency and the inability to engage in an open dialogue eroded the user’s confidence in the faith, as genuine belief, for them, required a foundation built on inquiry and understanding.

#4 Unfulfilled Prayers​

“I was in a hard time for me and I started praying, attending catholic activities and doing lots of other things like these. I wasn’t feeling better. Years after I gave up doing these things and started taking care of me by myself and now I’m happy. So the faith gradually went away. I’m not fully an atheist though, I may be an agnostic but I’m not sure.”

In this instance, the user’s experience revolves around a personal struggle where traditional religious practices did not provide the expected relief or improvement. The subsequent shift towards self-care and the positive outcome generated skepticism about the effectiveness of religious rituals. The realization that personal agency and self-care contributed more significantly to their well-being than religious practices prompted a reevaluation of faith......https://milliondollarsense.com/christianity-to-atheism

Because the elderly people are passing on and the younger generations aren't growing up in traditional homes and they're taught in public settings where they're not allowed to talk about "that."

We live in a generation where Christianity and Jesus are inappropriate, being a Christian is "sheltered" and socially wrong. Believe me, you'll be judged as a parent.

But if their teenagers are smoking pot, have a drinking problem, getting pregnant, sleeping around, getting in abusive relationships, and that's normal because "they're teens."

No, that is the direction they pushed them into, ignorantly stating Jesus wasn't appropriate for public conversation.

"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"

 

[Bruce-Leiter]

Well, since most preaching these days contains false doctrine... that's the first reason I would not return to any church or house church.

One of the ear marks of the end times is rampant deception coming from those claiming to be serving Jesus but are actually tares who are servants of satan, wolves in sheep's clothing sent to deceive.

And on my way out the door I'd give them an ear full like Stephen did in the Book of Acts

If you search hard enough, I think that you will find a church like mine that sticks very closely to the Scriptures in their preaching and teaching.

 

[Bruce-Leiter]

There's your first problem... siting under a woman "pastor" when the scripture specifically teaches pastors and church leaders are men.

And so you opened the door to deception by sitting under someone that does not meet the biblical qualifications the Lord gives to be a pastor.

I agree with you; I found a church with only male pastors and elders based on the Bible's teachings.

 

[Dan Clarkston]

But if their teenagers are smoking pot, have a drinking problem, getting pregnant, sleeping around, getting in abusive relationships, and that's normal because "they're teens."

And of course the OSAS churches say their children are still saved when doing sin like this.

Lots of churches have kids doing these same things and they cannot correct the children after having told everyone one it's not possible for someone to lose their salvation and telling everyone that all out future sins are already forgiven.

When a teen hears this level of false teaching, they think it's all good they can live in sin and it's automatically forgiven.

 

[Dan Clarkston]

 

[Bruce-Leiter]

And of course the OSAS churches say their children are still saved when doing sin like this.

Lots of churches have kids doing these same things and they cannot correct the children after having told everyone one it's not possible for someone to lose their salvation and telling everyone that all out future sins are already forgiven.

When a teen hears this level of false teaching, they think it's all good they can live in sin and it's automatically forgiven.

If teens think that they can live in sin and continue to be saved, it's a clear indication that they weren't saved in the first place. We can never be sure who is saved and who isn't. In the Reformed, biblical tradition, we believe that the Bible reveals a stage after the initial salvation: guilt, grace, GRATITUDE. If they don't live a grateful life, they need our prayers all the more.

 

[Dan Clarkston]

We can never be sure who is saved and who isn't

That's not what Jesus said... He said we would know them by their fruits

Are you fruity?

In the Reformed, biblical tradition, we believe that the Bible reveals a stage after the initial salvation: guilt, grace, GRATITUDE. If they don't live a grateful life, they need our prayers all the more.

Ah yes, ye olde reformed twisting of scripture pops up yet again