WHY PEOPLE LEAVE THE CHURCH

Maybe I should start this off with a simpler question. What is a church? Well I’m going to be as plain as possible, a church is a building used for public Christian worship. It’s really not that complicated. Actually the Greek translation for church is ekklesia which means assemble. Basically, a church is place where people meet/ assemble. The purpose of the church is worship, communion with God and of course fellowship with other believers. Well at least that’s what should happen at church.

I personally think church should not be as complicated as it is. It should be worship, communion and fellowship, that’s all. It should be a place of rest, a place of peace, a sacred place. I’m saying it should be because it is not these things. Well for some it is but for most, it is not. The church is mostly a place of judgment, a place where this person is looked at a certain way because they did that. A place where “I should have a new outfit for next week because I already wore this one the other time”. Small things that play with how sacred the church should be.

Here are five of the most common reasons why people leave the church.

1. COMPETITION

You’ve probably been told to be like this person because of that reason. The church is no exception is this unfair philosophy. I did my homework and 20% of the people that leave the church every year to go to the next church feel “less” than the next person. instead of going to church to meet with God, one will go to church to be seen by person A so that they should be given credit. And if they do get credit person B will feel bad and start to feel like they are in a test of who does this better. The motivation to go to church is eventually lost because it is not church anymore, it is a game arena and someone should win.

2. JUDGEMENT

It is okay to correct someone if they are wrong. It is okay to give credit where credit is due, but it is definitely not okay to judge people. There is a difference. 10% of the people leaving the church every year leave because they feel judged. Instead of working to please God, person A will work to please people because person B will say something. church eventually becomes a stage, it’s all a performance, well at least until they go to the next church.

3. FAMILIARITY

Have you noticed that how much you listen to or obey someone depends on how much you know them? 30% of the people the church loses every year have/had a personal relationship with the leadership. Maybe they get too familiar and the respect just leaves because they know too much? Whatever the case, familiarity is the most common reason why people leave the church.

4. IT JUST DOESN’T FEEL LIKE HOME ANYMORE

The first time I came across this I just ignored it because it doesn’t really sound like a solid reason. Shockingly, it’s one of the most common reasons why people leave the church taking up to 30% of the people that leave the church every year. At some point people just start to feel like they don’t belong in the church and they leave.

5. DEMAND

Responsible for 10% of the people that leave the church every year is the demand. Some people just feel like the church demands too much. In terms of rules, time and sometimes even money. So they move to a church where they feel like the demand is less.

The bottom-line still remains that the church should be a shelter, a place of rest and peace. The church should be sacred for/to each person. And if it does not provide those things for you anymore, leave!