This past summer, one of our most popular posts was entitled “When your church disappoints you.” It was written shortly after the Willow Creek story hit the news, but the principles are equally true to many different churches going through struggle and controversy during that time in our area.
It’s not a size, denomination or doctrine issue. It may surprise you that many of the churches you pass on the way to your church are doing just fine.
- All Churches are led by sinful people, but most are led by mature people.
- Most Churches are not all about money, nor are they simply business operations.
- Most Churches are not just a show- most pastors spend time in personal ways with their people.
- Most Pastors know the majority of their people- the average church is small.
Unfortunately, some churches are led by immature, money-hungry, event-driven, detached pastors. If you go to one of those churches, you will likely get hurt before long. As a biblical counseling center, we challenge our people to embrace a biblical model of living and relationships, this impacts the way we view churches too.
In our post this summer, we didn’t do enough to clarify that we understand the pain that many have felt in their local church experience. This pain is particularly intense when they are led by immature, money-hungry, event-driven, detached pastors.
This may be the suburban American way, but it is not the model of pastor that the bible describes as worthy of leadership of his church. Again, I would repeat this is not about size, denomination, or doctrinal persuasion. This is about the humility and focus of the leadership of the church, and whether they are committed to the biblical model of shepherding the flock.
Recently, I had a conversation with a friend who has baled on church altogether. To him, most churches are led by immature, money-hungry, event driven, detached pastors. However, I don’t agree.
Our experience at Biblical Counseling Center is that there are so many good churches that are led by godly and caring pastors. They are not perfect, and maybe they can’t publish a book or headline a major pastors conference, but they don’t really care about that. They are too busy caring for the orphans, widows, and hurting to find that kind of platform a blessing.
Those pastors serve to glorify their heavenly father, not for headlines, viral videos, or platform adulation.
So if you are in a position where you are questioning if your church is what God wants it to be, spend some time reading Acts 20. Paul addresses and instructs the Ephesian Elders on how to keep the mission of God’s church central.
Don’t give up on church altogether. Instead, search for a pastor who cares about the principles listed in Acts 20 and models that in the way he conducts his weekly ministry.
P.S. This is not an easy topic, and it requires careful and deliberate effort to determine the will of God for you and your family. If this has resonated with you, we’ve written an article to help you understand practical and biblical discernment. Click the link below:
Discernment for those Considering Leaving a Church
2 Comments on “Not all churches and pastors are like that”
Hi Tim, How’s it going, prayerfully all is well. Would you be inclined to address the Biblical mandate as it relates to diversity in the Church. There appears to be a movement of God incorporating diversity in the marketplace, and the Church, and yet the Church is far behind in obeying, and being intentional in diversifying its membership. Yes, there are challenges, and yet what a powerful testimony to the world if this was the norm. Many, many more would come to Christ.
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