Church Hopping
1) One in four church attendees has switched churches in the past five years.
2) On average, just seven percent of new attendees are formally unchurched.
Reported at Monday Morning Insight
So, what does this mean?
If This Is Not A Place. . .
If this is not a place where tears are understood, Then where shall I go to cry? And if this is not a place where my spirit can take wings, Then where shall I go to fly? I don't need another place for trying to impress you With just how good and virtuous I am. I don't need another place for always being on top of things; Everybody knows that it's a sham. I don't need another place for always wearing smiles, Even when it's not the way I feel. I don't need another place to mouth the same old platitudes; Everybody knows that it's not real. So if this is not a place where my questions can be asked, Then where shall I go to seek? And if this is not a place where my heart cry can be heard, Where, tell me where, shall I go to speak? So if this is not a place where tears are understood, Where shall I go, where shall I go to fly? -- Ken Medema
Church Hoppers versus Lifers
ReplyDeleteIt seems the Lifers in the church get to decide who is called a church hopper.
If the Lifers want you to leave, in fact shun, discourage, and practically escort you out because they have deemed this is not the church for you, it is NOT church hopping.
If you are a major financial contributor and friends with the right people in the church, you ARE a church hopper when you leave.
The way to tell the difference is what happens when you leave. If they tell you good riddance, you are NOT a church hopper. If they sincerely want you back in the church and take proper steps to help this happen, you ARE a church hopper.
How many pastors have left their Church in the last 5 years?
ReplyDeleteI didn't marry the first person I dated is that considered spouse hopping?
ReplyDeleteWith in the first few weeks of attending a new Church it seems like they are just foaming at the mouth for you to become members. It takes a while for you to get to know a Church. If you attend just Sunday mornings at the most you will get just 52 visits per year.
I believe you need to take sometime to get to know the Church and it's congregation. After the honeymoon is over is when you really find out what marriage is all about. I don't want to be married to a woman that is ungodly, nasty, a gossip, and doesn't help me on my spiritual walk. I would not want a Church that was the same.
I wonder how many people in that last 5 years just quit attending Church.
ReplyDeleteHelpful insights here from my anonymous friends. The second stat on my post says that most churches are not growing by reaching unchurched people. Instead, if they grow, they are just getting people who have been "de-churched" from somewhere else. Of course, I believe that we should warlmy welcome everybody who comes --however, it gives me much more joy to welcome a new person who is totally unchurched.
ReplyDeleteI did not jump. I was pushed by a bunch of ungodly,nasty,gossips.
ReplyDeleteAt the time I did not have the means to travel to a new chruch if I had wanted to.
Instead of hopping I still considered it my church that I chose not to attend at the time.
I was praying for God to either change there hearts or close the church before it hurt many more people.
No one seemed to care except for a few of the good people on this blog.
I care about you, Walt, although I don't really know much about you except the things you have shared here. I pray for you, and ask God to help you, and give you strength. I'm glad you found my blog and have had the courage to enter into the conversations.
ReplyDelete