This post is a follow-up to the very popular, “What To Do When You Disagree With Your Pastor,” and yesterday’s, “When To Leave Your Church.”

Your reasons are serious and biblical. Your spouse, if applicable, agrees with you, and you have a few other local churches in mind to check out. Now,

how do you actually … leave?

The common thing to do is disappear. Just stop going, and don’t say anything to anybody.

Don’t do that.

Hopefully you can’t do that. Hopefully you’re volunteering in some capacity, or your kids are involved in the youth group, or you and your spouse are part of a small/home group – all of which would make it difficult to just stop showing up. Hopefully.

Meet with your pastor.

Call or email to set up an appointment, and get together. Calmly and humbly and honestly explain why you feel like this congregation is not a good fit for you and/or your family.  Continue Reading…

I wrote a little piece almost a year ago called, “What To Do When You Disagree With Your Pastor.” It still gets a lot of action, and people still find this site every day by typing things like,

“what to do when you don’t respect your pastor.”

The post was written from a privileged position, but I guess I had forgotten how privileged. I’m blessed to sit and work under a pastor who I know is a man of integrity, and one who hears from God.

Not everyone, I am reminded, is so fortunate.

After several heart-breaking stories in the comments on that post, I thought it needed a couple of follow-ups.

I still believe that that four “steps” laid out in that post will solve most issues, but clearly there are exceptions.

Disclaimer: As with “What To Do When You Disagree With Your Pastor,” I’m not in any way qualify to offer advice, except for my years on a church staff. I offer that, and this, advice, as an otherwise “normal” person who has seen behind the proverbial curtain.

If you’re thinking about leaving your local church. Ask yourself these questions:

Continue Reading…