WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOUR CHURCH SUCKS?

talking about songs

Jow about The Birds "Times they are a changing" as it closer and closer to Christ calling His Church home

lol what a powerful heading, "when your church sucks" - powerful topic, good one!

And of course, ruining an otherwise effective comment, I forgot to capitalize 'He“ a few times. That's what I get for typing fast.... :(

While I agree with most of what you said above, it follows that when some people say, “This church sucks!!” it's different from when others say it. Are they as you say, slamming the specific church, or church in general?

The larger issue is, you may not be getting what God knows you need from the church you're currently at, and he's probably leading you to either, change the church, or change churches, as I suggested at the beginning of this comment thread.

And while you may think, “This church sucks!!!” Others, some who you may even know, might be thinking, “This church is great!!!” At which point, God will lead you to the correct decision that he wants you to make.

Actually a lot of what's in here bothers me. Even the title is a horribly worldly approach to the subject given that apparently genuine believers in that congregation who do thinks you don't like are the ones you are saying "suck". The church is not an organization, it is an organism and when you slam it you are sinning.

Let me commend to you Romans 12:10. You are to be devoted to one another in brotherly affection and to prefer one another in honor. This article does neither. God actually expects us to be committed to one another in such a peculiar way that people will have no explanation for it other than we are Christians. That others don't behave toward you the way you want them to in no way will stop God from holding you accountable to obey the 40 or so "one anothers" in the New Testament.

I don't disagree with the premise that ministry tactics should evolve. In fact, there are lots of things at my church that I would change but when you are so sure you are right and others are wrong you should be very careful that your pride does not overwhelm you.

Nice posting and comments. @Teresa..very profound.

I have changed a church after going to it for a year. For a year i tried to adjust with the churchs ways, just because the people were really nice. But then after praying a lot....it just came to me that I dont go to church to meet people but to meet God. If I dont feel His presence I must leave. But I will definately say one thing...we must refrain from gossiping about the pastors and the church. This is because Church is the body of church and Pastor is an annointed one from God. I am no one to just these two.

The more one gets involved in a church through activities, the more connect he/she feels......so my suggestion, before leaving try getting involved, and most importantly are the teachings of the church from the Bible!

God Bless you all :)

@teresa-Wow...you've given me a lot to think about...I do hope we can chat later:)

Thanks for the reply on my blog. as far as my lifes calling i would say that it is being shifted in three ways 1. To be a High School Teacher in the public System 2. To be an adviser/coach/consultant to Churches trying to find there niche in their context 3. Motivational speaking for School Districts and small companies. Keep us in your prayres bro! Thanks

@Randy--I agree with @Matches. Just because you've from a cchurch doesn't stop you from being a pastor. It just means you're about to be a pastor og bigger and better things:)

@CC-thanks for your words of advice. I must admit I have attempted to leave quite a few times but the Lord has always brought me back. Though I don't like what's going on there...I feel I do have a purpose there. My purpose hasn't been fully revealed...but it will be...in God's timing

Your post caught my eye--first because I was saddened by the title and the frustration you seem to be feeling--this is a very difficult topic. I grew up with a church hopper mom--and have attended enough churches across the Bible belt to have a little personal experience on these matters. I was intrigued more when I saw a picture of my pastor and last weeks message (which blew me away). Craig Groeschel stopped after promoting a new series we were all looking forward to for weeks--and said, I feel God moving me to share behind the curtains of our church and how and what we do--because it's so exciting. It is. I am thrilled that in line with that message, I find God's leading him to share this has reached out to you. That's real God at work stuff...and it thrills me to have a teeny little part in it!

I think the church is in an interesting dilemma--I fully support changing how we get the message out. I agree that many churches have lost their purpose. Lifechurch.tv excites me to be such a part of reaching so many people for Christ. I've never wanted to give more money in my life--because it goes to all the right places that God puts on my heart--to reach people that need help and solid teaching that isn't maybe available to them where they are. Trust me though, when I first heard of a church where the preacher was on tv--I laughed it off as ridiculous...(and i was about 25 at the time--not old and stodgy or anything) and missed out on attending there for 7 years because of my judgment of the church before I ever tried it. God is fun like that. :)

That said, I have an enormous place in my heart for the old ways, the old styles and the old methods of delivering the message. Being old fashioned doesn't always mean lacking purpose or vision. It just means they go about it in a slower or different way that maybe doesn't fit with you personally. I don't think there's anything wrong with either style or plan--and if I went back to a different style church--I might use the terms "bored" and "sucks" but I'm not sure that would be fair. Shouldn't my being there be about God? Worship? Learning? That might not always be as exciting as we'd like to think--but it can still be growing people in God. in my life right now, I'd be more inclined to say that God led me to the right church with the right mission that stirs my spirit. It might be a little rough to say the older church as it exists today "sucks" as maybe it is perfectly in line with where a certain group of people are in their relationship with God and their direction from God and their comfort with technology or worship music styles or whatever.

I try to consider my membership to a church as a marriage of sorts--because we need to pick and stay committed and not just run because we heard of something cooler but truthfully, I personally found, there is sometimes a time when the right thing to do is to move to a place where God is moving in a way that moves you to God. We are a fellowship of believers who gather to worship. Church is definitely about God and less about us though--and the comments of "My church stinks" sort of hit me in a funny. It's inevitable that some churches will die out...as they will appeal to a certain crowd that if there is no outreach, that crowd itself will eventually literally "die out". Just remember, just because I watch the latest HDTV with Bose surround sound and my grandmother watches an old tube tv with a converter without the channels I like--it may be boring to me because of what I am used to or prefer, but it doesn't suck...it is the same message and she enjoys it just fine. :) (silly example but you understand the point).

I attended a wonderful church in Tulsa for about 7 years. We tried this and that, different forms of outreach, but I found myself surrounded by a group of people who were more interested in "in reach" than anything. We definitely need ministered to as well, but my heart and my passions led me to walk through the doors of a church that is set up for outreach--to reach the world for Christ. Lifechurch.tv does that in a way that makes sense to me and has expanded my mind as to the possibilities. However, the church I used to attend is maybe slower, different in style, not as focused on outreach in ways that I think are the way to go--but it is focused on things that lifechurch.tv doesn't provide as well sometimes. There are people who attend there who would never be comfortable in the forward-progressive thinking church on the bleeding edge. I think that's ok. I think both are serving God and serving God's purposes.

The reason I changed churches can be boiled down to this--God was not calling me to move in the direction this church was moving. My spirit was yearning for a different way that was more exciting to me to be part of reaching the world with the Gospel. So, I left where God was moving in one way and found somewhere where God was moving in a way that matched with where He was moving me, but I did this under much duress, and after exhausting every possibility with God of finding a way to get this church moving in this direction. It is still working on it...but not in a way that matches with the urgency on my heart.

I guess I'm just trying to say that not every church will be everything to everyone--it can't--and I think that's ok. The church exists for God alone. If you socialize things on your heart within the church and find you are in a place where God's movement in you might be better served for His Kingdom's purpose to move--then move. Sitting around and complaining and causing issues--is definitely not the way to go either. (not that you do that of course--just speaking in general terms of things I've seen).

The catch for me is that so many people leaves a church because it isn't entertaining them on Sunday morning the way they want to be entertained. So many look for what they can get out of a church rather than how they can get into a church and be a part of God's movement there. Since we look for the wrong things sometimes when we join--we can easily find ourselves bored looking for the next place to go to entertain us. That's when you need to pick and stick.

Those are my thoughts....if they help at all? :) BTW--www.lifechurch.tv has internet campuses that meet on Tuesday evenings just like a "normal" church service. There is online chat and all sorts of things. I'd be happy to "go to church" with you one Tuesday and chat. :)

Mike..first I would have to say I love that God has giving you this wonderful gift of writing. I would love to put my two cents in on this topic. Now my church was like your church...light on the top of the hill. Everyone was motivated to hit the ground for the Lord. However, along the way people moved...passed away ect. Now it's lacking something and we are not being edified. I feel that if it is a church that you love and you grew up in and you don't feel edified, you should move. Go to a church where you can grow. But never just leave you old church behind...always go back. Help the church to be better, start programs and teach what you have learned. Each one teach one.

@Phil: Doesn't dating yourself get lonely? :)

Randy, I would submit to you that you're still a pastor, however, you no longer have a church to preach in. Or, for the grammatically retentive, in which to preach.

I get the whole leaving your church to avoid falling into the suck zone, it just bothers me that in your case, you felt you had to give up your life's work.

Great post.. I am a former pastor (resigned 4 weeks ago) and we always treid to keep moving forward and not suck. It was a challange, but we did not suck. I do feel if I would have continued to pastor ther then it would have sucked and i would have sucked. Thanks for the post man!

I'm reminded of a Crosy, Stills and Nash song (boy, does that date me, or what!):

"if you can’t be with the one you love, honey, love the one you’re with.
Dit dit dit dit dit dit dit dit, dit dit dit dit dit dit dit dit, dit dit dit dit dit dit dit dit, dit dit dit, dit dit dit"

The "dit" is like a hum, but is more consonant.

Your sentiment here reminds of an article I wrote about chasing the culture rather than leading: http://www.christianarticledirectory.org/Article/Chasing-The-Culture-vs--Leading-It/1475

Phil

That's easy. If you're not going to change churches, then change the church.