Comments for Letters From Leavers http://lettersfromleavers.com/blog "Dear Church..." - stories from those that have left Wed, 03 Mar 2010 06:16:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 http://lettersfromleavers.comhttp://lettersfromleavers.com/images/feedburner_logo.jpgLettersFromLeavers.comSubscribe with My Yahoo!Subscribe with NewsGatorSubscribe with My AOLSubscribe with BloglinesSubscribe with NetvibesSubscribe with GoogleSubscribe with PageflakesSubscribe with FeedLoungeSubscribe with Live.comPeople leave churches for many reasons. Some leave frustrated and hurt. Some leave simply because they have moved out of the area. Some people even leave church because they see church involvement as a hindrance to their faith and spiritual growth. Whatever your reasons, we want to hear from you. Letters From Leavers is an open venue for those that have left to tell us their story. Comment on Invisible by sewladysew http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LettersFromLeaversComments/~3/xItJQzy5CQo/ sewladysew Sat, 09 Jan 2010 03:27:19 +0000 http://lettersfromleavers.com/blog/2008/12/05/invisible/#comment-483 I read the letter and I hated it. Not that he wrote the letter, but that he felt it was necessary to write. So, here is what I would say if he had had a cup of coffee with me. The New Testament was full of letters from Paul to churches that were in trouble. Either they were being selfish, teaching incorrect doctrine, women were bickering, and on and on. The church, the bride of Christ, the church, the body of believers that Christ loves and protects and died for, was imperfect then and still is today. But, we are to be part of that body, as imperfect as it is because He told us to. Here's the thing...going to church is not about us. It is about joining with other believers, coming together to worship God and bring Him honor and glory. We live in a day when everything is about us, our comfort, our needs being met, our happiness, our dreams. But when you read scripture, it is all about God and HIs honor and His glory, His mercy, His grace, His love and His justice. We are the blessed recipients of His grace and His mercy and His redemption. So...what to do about churches that we feel don't meet our needs. Here is what I think...since you asked. Find a body of believers where you are certain the Word of God, the Bible, is believed to be the inspired word of God and infallible and inerrant in it's original form. It is the written source of authority from God and should be the only source of doctrine. Then, make sure that the church teaches from scripture and holds to all of the basic tenants of the Christian faith, the Trinity, Jesus is the son of God and yet God and is the redeemer, the importance of the sacraments of baptism and communion, the Holy Spirit, that one must repent and be born again to be saved from eternal damnation, etc. Then decide what you want the church to look like in it's servanthood capacity. If it is lacking as the writer of the letter felt it was, then change it! Be the one to start a soup kitchen, be the one to start a ministry for singles, be the one to set up activities that include both marrieds and singles, be the one to make sure the orphans and the widows are cared for, be the one to become a missionary, be the one to start a jail ministry, be the one to start a homeless shelter, be the one to do the things you think the church should do but isn't. Why in the world do we all think someone else should be the one to do what we all think churches should do? Be the one to start it if you don't like what is missing. Stop complaining about the church and be Jesus' hands and feet to the world, to your community, to your family, to the poor and change something--if only one thing--change it if you don't like it. If you feel like they don't value your opinions, show them that you know what you are talking about and your thoughts can be respected. You see, maybe people are just too lazy to do anything and they want someone else to set everything up so they can jump in and spend an hour here or an hour there and feel good about themselves and what they did. Again I say, it is not about us and feeling important, or right, or valued! It is about God and honorig Him, not about feeling good. So everything we do and everything we say, should all be to honor Him. So we should selflessly serve one another and let it start with us! You think the church is doing it wrong? Quietly start participating and help to change it into what you believe Christ intended it to be. It will NEVER get better if everyone who sees it flaws walks away and shakes their head at it and says I am not going to go there because I am disappointed in it. Change it for Christ's sake! I read the letter and I hated it. Not that he wrote the letter, but that he felt it was necessary to write. So, here is what I would say if he had had a cup of coffee with me. The New Testament was full of letters from Paul to churches that were in trouble. Either they were being selfish, teaching incorrect doctrine, women were bickering, and on and on. The church, the bride of Christ, the church, the body of believers that Christ loves and protects and died for, was imperfect then and still is today. But, we are to be part of that body, as imperfect as it is because He told us to. Here’s the thing…going to church is not about us. It is about joining with other believers, coming together to worship God and bring Him honor and glory. We live in a day when everything is about us, our comfort, our needs being met, our happiness, our dreams. But when you read scripture, it is all about God and HIs honor and His glory, His mercy, His grace, His love and His justice. We are the blessed recipients of His grace and His mercy and His redemption. So…what to do about churches that we feel don’t meet our needs. Here is what I think…since you asked. Find a body of believers where you are certain the Word of God, the Bible, is believed to be the inspired word of God and infallible and inerrant in it’s original form. It is the written source of authority from God and should be the only source of doctrine. Then, make sure that the church teaches from scripture and holds to all of the basic tenants of the Christian faith, the Trinity, Jesus is the son of God and yet God and is the redeemer, the importance of the sacraments of baptism and communion, the Holy Spirit, that one must repent and be born again to be saved from eternal damnation, etc. Then decide what you want the church to look like in it’s servanthood capacity. If it is lacking as the writer of the letter felt it was, then change it! Be the one to start a soup kitchen, be the one to start a ministry for singles, be the one to set up activities that include both marrieds and singles, be the one to make sure the orphans and the widows are cared for, be the one to become a missionary, be the one to start a jail ministry, be the one to start a homeless shelter, be the one to do the things you think the church should do but isn’t. Why in the world do we all think someone else should be the one to do what we all think churches should do? Be the one to start it if you don’t like what is missing. Stop complaining about the church and be Jesus’ hands and feet to the world, to your community, to your family, to the poor and change something–if only one thing–change it if you don’t like it. If you feel like they don’t value your opinions, show them that you know what you are talking about and your thoughts can be respected. You see, maybe people are just too lazy to do anything and they want someone else to set everything up so they can jump in and spend an hour here or an hour there and feel good about themselves and what they did. Again I say, it is not about us and feeling important, or right, or valued! It is about God and honorig Him, not about feeling good. So everything we do and everything we say, should all be to honor Him. So we should selflessly serve one another and let it start with us! You think the church is doing it wrong? Quietly start participating and help to change it into what you believe Christ intended it to be. It will NEVER get better if everyone who sees it flaws walks away and shakes their head at it and says I am not going to go there because I am disappointed in it. Change it for Christ’s sake!

]]> http://lettersfromleavers.com/blog/2008/12/05/invisible/#comment-483 Comment on A Second Wind of Grace by A. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LettersFromLeaversComments/~3/TqaH5XcGVjs/ A. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:15:29 +0000 http://lettersfromleavers.com/blog/2009/10/09/a-second-wind-of-grace/#comment-482 Your post is encouraging. I can relate to the feeling of being shut out of the club. I believe part of it is an age thing - do you? Your post is encouraging. I can relate to the feeling of being shut out of the club. I believe part of it is an age thing - do you?

]]> http://lettersfromleavers.com/blog/2009/10/09/a-second-wind-of-grace/#comment-482 Comment on I wish for you ears to hear by jewellery http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LettersFromLeaversComments/~3/djIB_BKjurI/ jewellery Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:51:57 +0000 http://lettersfromleavers.com/blog/2007/02/22/40/#comment-481 <strong>jewellery...</strong> kinda makes you wonder.... jewellery…

kinda makes you wonder….

]]> http://lettersfromleavers.com/blog/2007/02/22/40/#comment-481 Comment on To my old home church by costumes http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LettersFromLeaversComments/~3/SbkXLFwMgcQ/ costumes Sun, 11 Oct 2009 04:28:55 +0000 http://lettersfromleavers.com/blog/2008/03/07/to-my-old-home-church/#comment-480 <strong>costumes...</strong> an interesting take on a boring subject.... costumes…

an interesting take on a boring subject….

]]> http://lettersfromleavers.com/blog/2008/03/07/to-my-old-home-church/#comment-480 Comment on Out of the box by ray0408 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LettersFromLeaversComments/~3/6EA5eJPPxXo/ ray0408 Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:35:31 +0000 http://lettersfromleavers.com/blog/2009/08/17/out-of-the-box/#comment-479 Your story was very encouraging. We have a similar one. I love your analogy using the box - how true it is that in the box you don't know you are in it and you can't understand those on the outside - well said. Rachel Your story was very encouraging. We have a similar one. I love your analogy using the box - how true it is that in the box you don’t know you are in it and you can’t understand those on the outside - well said.

Rachel

]]> http://lettersfromleavers.com/blog/2009/08/17/out-of-the-box/#comment-479 Comment on Out of the box by Lms526 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LettersFromLeaversComments/~3/aBxw9bUvF7o/ Lms526 Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:52:07 +0000 http://lettersfromleavers.com/blog/2009/08/17/out-of-the-box/#comment-478 I am in a similar spiritual journey. I too, have decided to leave the institutional church and step outside the box. I'm not sure where my journey will ultimately take me, but I know this much. I can no longer in good conscience ignore the shortcomings of the institutional church. I am praying for God to lead me to a group of like-minding Christians in my area. Lms526 I am in a similar spiritual journey. I too, have decided to leave the institutional church and step outside the box. I’m not sure where my journey will ultimately take me, but I know this much. I can no longer in good conscience ignore the shortcomings of the institutional church. I am praying for God to lead me to a group of like-minding Christians in my area.

Lms526

]]> http://lettersfromleavers.com/blog/2009/08/17/out-of-the-box/#comment-478 Comment on Out of the box by tim http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LettersFromLeaversComments/~3/nahdPqvExpc/ tim Wed, 19 Aug 2009 03:44:14 +0000 http://lettersfromleavers.com/blog/2009/08/17/out-of-the-box/#comment-477 What a beautiful testimony from someone who discovered the tender hand of God while they were searching for a church community to be a part of, only to recognize the community was all around them. My family is in a similar situation and we have also recognized that God is near wherever we are. Thank you for sharing your story! What a beautiful testimony from someone who discovered the tender hand of God while they were searching for a church community to be a part of, only to recognize the community was all around them. My family is in a similar situation and we have also recognized that God is near wherever we are.

Thank you for sharing your story!

]]> http://lettersfromleavers.com/blog/2009/08/17/out-of-the-box/#comment-477 Comment on The Great Pretender by Malik http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LettersFromLeaversComments/~3/gey5LSFbpa8/ Malik Mon, 10 Aug 2009 06:59:49 +0000 http://lettersfromleavers.com/blog/2007/02/28/the-great-pretender/#comment-476 <strong>Malik...</strong> an interesting take on a fun subject.... Malik…

an interesting take on a fun subject….

]]> http://lettersfromleavers.com/blog/2007/02/28/the-great-pretender/#comment-476 Comment on To my old home church by Cori http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LettersFromLeaversComments/~3/n6glEIRDMfs/ Cori Mon, 10 Aug 2009 06:34:16 +0000 http://lettersfromleavers.com/blog/2008/03/07/to-my-old-home-church/#comment-475 <strong>Cori...</strong> once again you outdid myself... Cori…

once again you outdid myself…

]]> http://lettersfromleavers.com/blog/2008/03/07/to-my-old-home-church/#comment-475 Comment on I wish for you ears to hear by Keanu http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LettersFromLeaversComments/~3/fulH4LeKPwc/ Keanu Mon, 10 Aug 2009 05:37:21 +0000 http://lettersfromleavers.com/blog/2007/02/22/40/#comment-474 <strong>Keanu...</strong> an interesting take on a fun topic.... Keanu…

an interesting take on a fun topic….

]]> http://lettersfromleavers.com/blog/2007/02/22/40/#comment-474