I attend Church regularly. Before that, my family and I spent years at another church.
There was much I valued there: worship, fellowship, children’s ministry and a great deal of sound biblical teaching.
I did not leave because one sermon offended me.
I left after repeatedly watching political judgments receive the authority of Scripture from the pulpit, while conduct that violated those same biblical standards was minimized, omitted or treated as secondary.
When I explained my concerns, they eventually responded that the church had not entered politics; rather, “politics have swerved into the lane of the church.” The letter reduced my departure to disagreement with one sermon and a couple of statements, calling it an “extremely severe reaction.” It also cited another pastor’s widow agreeing with the sermon instead of directly addressing the substance of what I had raised.
That response clarified the problem for me.
My concern was about the integrity of the pulpit.
Their answer treated it as a question of loyalty to the church.
I still attend church because I believe deeply in Scripture, worship, fellowship, prayer and serving alongside other believers.
What I love is church when it points people toward Jesus and helps form their conscience.
What I dislike is when political allegiance is baptized as biblical faithfulness, and sincere questions are dismissed as disloyalty, divisiveness or overreaction.
I did not leave Christianity.
I left a church because remaining there would have required me to ignore my conscience.
I attend Church regularly. Before that, my family and I spent years at another church.
There was much I valued there: worship, fellowship, children’s ministry and a great deal of sound biblical teaching.
I did not leave because one sermon offended me.
I left after repeatedly watching political judgments receive the authority of Scripture from the pulpit, while conduct that violated those same biblical standards was minimized, omitted or treated as secondary.
When I explained my concerns, they eventually responded that the church had not entered politics; rather, “politics have swerved into the lane of the church.” The letter reduced my departure to disagreement with one sermon and a couple of statements, calling it an “extremely severe reaction.” It also cited another pastor’s widow agreeing with the sermon instead of directly addressing the substance of what I had raised.
That response clarified the problem for me.
My concern was about the integrity of the pulpit.
Their answer treated it as a question of loyalty to the church.
I still attend church because I believe deeply in Scripture, worship, fellowship, prayer and serving alongside other believers.
What I love is church when it points people toward Jesus and helps form their conscience.
What I dislike is when political allegiance is baptized as biblical faithfulness, and sincere questions are dismissed as disloyalty, divisiveness or overreaction.
I did not leave Christianity.
I left a church because remaining there would have required me to ignore my conscience.