Recently there has been an exodus of folks from a large popular church here. People who were staunchly committed to a certain ideology found that the temperature had changed and some foundational beliefs were now considered to be out-of-date. In response, a group of long-time members picked up and went elsewhere for their divine guidance.
Those who were left felt comfortable with changes that seemed welcoming and loving—a move to a more Christ-like approach to the world. So, who is right and who is wrong? If you ask ten people to list the most important tenants of their faith, you'd most likely get ten very different lists. Is everyone happy now? No, and the negative community impact of a church split is great and enduring, not to mention sad.
Tom Ranier is a former pastor and seminary dean who writes a blog called Church Answers. He says church splits are more likely to occur in "country club" churches where some of the members have a sense of entitlement instead of an attitude of service. If they don't get their way on every issue, they may sow seeds of dissension that lead to a church split. Or, church division can be caused by a pastor who is led to change course by a power group in the congregation, upsetting an otherwise happy flock.
Whatever the issue, church splits have led to the development of more than 33,000 protestant denominations and at least 35,000 non-denominational churches in the U.S. alone. It reminds me of the man who was found by a sailor on a remote island. The sailor asked, "Why are there three huts?" The man replied, "One is my house, one is my church and the other is the church I used to go to."
'THE CHURCH' is changing. While we might hope that it does change, or hope that it doesn't, our hope should not be in institutions, interpretations or in being right. Our hope might be more correctly placed in the Savior who taught us that in order to live with Him, we first have to die to self, to our egos, and the thought that whatever we believe is the only right path. Love is the one great commandment—it will lead us to the right decision every time.
But always, your personal relationship with God is paramount. They say, "If the horse you're on is dead, dismount." If you find no satisfaction or fulfillment in a church you once relied on, supported, and loved, by all means, leave it. Just don't try to take the posse along with you.
