Leaving the church with pastor's blessing

[harleyma64]

Okay, got a question for you. When leaving one church for another (after being at the church for MANY years as a member) with the Lord's leading, is it necessary to get the pastor's blessing? and is the blessing that is given scriptural or ritual?


Harleyma64

[Soulangel]

My husband and I were called by the Lord to move to another church after serving in one for a number of years. We were very close with the leadership team, my husband even had keys to the church. Whether it is biblical or scriptural someone else will fill you in, I just listened to what God told me to do and I emailed the Pastor and I spoke to others about what God what leading us to do. I emailed the Pastor because his time is busy and he was quite happy to let us go as the Lord directed because he knew that we have a close relationship with Him and sent us on our way with his blessings. Others we still keep in contact with because of course you make a lot of friends! and the Lord moved us to a church right out of our district!

I think what it really is called is common sense and good manners. We are part of a family, and you wouldn't do something important in your personal life without telling your blood relatives what you were going to do - okay I could get into muddy waters here if your blood relatives are dissociated like mine, but you know what I mean!!!! You need to follow the Lord, but you also need to be open and honest and say your farewell.

Hope this helps in some small way, God bless you, Soulangel

[cnw]

My husband went to the church we were leaving and got their blessing. We figured we put ourselves under the authority of that church and that authority was able to release us.
It was good because there were o hard feelings like we just disapeared or left with a grudge.

[Lorren]

We left our church a year ago. We informed our old church well ahead of time. Our pastor didn't really like the idea, didn't think that we should go, and asked us to stay to finish our year teaching Sunday school.

We stayed enough to finish the Sunday school year, then reminded him that we were leaving, and that we had continued to pray about it and that was still the answer. Then we left.

I'm not exactly sure how the feelings were about it, but I think it was okay. I send my daughter to VBS there this year and they were friendly enough.

[roadrunner570]

We left our last church after around two years to take a leadership position in a new and very small church. We told our pastor who put his arms around us and prayed over us. He also told us the doors there are always open if we decide to return.

[scourge39]

It all depends on whether you were officially a member and had a good relationship with the pastor. Unfortunately, my former pastor had it in for me because I enrolled in seminary without his express consent (I was apparently sitting under a pastor who believed in shepherding, whereby the pastor determines any major decisions that his congregants make, for 11 years without realizing it). I went back to intern there the summer after my freshman year and he made my life miserable (He is diametrically opposed to formal Christian education and seized every conceivable opportunity to let me know his real feelings on the subject). I left that Church of my own accord because of false teachings, burned the $700 paycheck I made for working there that summer and flushed the ashes down the toilet (It was blood money, as far as I'm concerned). I consider it one of the greatest decisions I ever made in my life and have no remorse even to this day.

[graceforme]

Okay, got a question for you. When leaving one church for another (after being at the church for MANY years as a member) with the Lord's leading, is it necessary to get the pastor's blessing? and is the blessing that is given scriptural or ritual?Harleyma64

There is a right way and a wrong way to leave a church. While there's nothing specific in Scripture about it, I think it would fall under the category of Christian behavior toward others in general. I suggest that you sit down with your pastor and let him know that you are leaving and why. If it is an issue that needs to be addressed concerning the church or leadership, then you should discuss it with him. If the Lord is calling you to serve somewhere else, then he should send you off with his blessing.

It's a difficult thing to leave your church, especially when you've been there so long and have probably developed many good relationships there. Hopefully, you can maintain those relationships.

My pastor wrote a very informative booklet on this issue called "The Departing Path - Can You "C" it?" I'm going to include here the page titled "Wrong Reason for Leaving" and "Right Reasons for Leaving."

WRONG Reasons for Leaving

COWARDICE - Running from problems that God would have you work through.
CORRECTION - Chastisement about sin or carnality.
CONTENTION - Rebellion against authority or leadership.
COERCION - Being influenced or drawn away by someone that has left.
CHANGE - Looking for a spiritual "lift" or just "something new." (The problem is probably with you).

RIGHT Reasons for Leaving

CALLING - To a more intense ministry involvement not available where you are.
COMMISSIONING - Sent or placed by your church to assist another church.
COMPROMISE - Non-adherence to sound doctrine or theological shifts on issues that are non-negotiable.
COMMUTE - Relocation takes you out of reasonable driving distance.
CASKET - You go to be with the Lord. (Nobody can argue with this one!)

My husband and I left a church several years ago because we felt that they compromised the Word of God. We wanted to discuss the issues with the pastor, andwe tried many times to make an appointment with him, but he was never available. This went on for several weeks. We left, only to have him tell people that we just "walked out without a word."

Many blessings to you as you begin a new phase of your Christian walk.