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		<title>Why People Leave the Church</title>
		<description>Discuss Why People Leave the Church</description>
		<link>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church</link>
		<lastBuildDate>Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:57:42 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<atom:link href="http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/component/jcomments/feed/com_content/1068" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
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			<title>Gwendolyn says:</title>
			<link>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-4108</link>
			<description><![CDATA[I and my two children recently left our church of 20 years. Not because of any issues but because the Lord was truly leading us to another place and was confirming the move. I waited almost 18 months before actually leaving. I agree with Williams Mama. Sometimes, the Lord is saying it's just time to go. I absolutely love my former Pastor but should I obey him or the Lord? God has different plans for all of us and while it may be that some may never leave the church they are in, that's okay as long as it's God's purpose for them. It doesn't mean God will work it out that way for all. I'm thankful the writer of the article added practical solutions for Pastors who experience this and hurt as a result of losing members. It's important to keep in mind the people of God belong to God. We have been in christian settings with our former pastor since my family and I left and if I don't approach and say hello or offer a hug, he walks by and never speaks. So sad. Praying for him and love him]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Gwendolyn</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Thu, 02 May 2013 19:40:01 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-4108</guid>
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			<title>Glass Half Full Pt.3 says:</title>
			<link>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-3974</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The occupant of the Office of Bishop must remain prayerful, studious, commitment to biblical standards, and open to reconciliation for the sake of the Kingdom to restore, reserve, and revive the Kingdom of God. If he fills with corruption and resentment as the leader of the congregation the members of the church almost never recover and simply leave based on how they fill based on their experiences at that church. Meanwhile, God’s church suffers a lost for Godly RESOURCES: MEMBERS = praise/worship + tithes/offers + service/servants…ultimately hindering His cause. Everyone must consider where they stand in the situation and get through your individual emotions because at the end of the day you have a responsibility and accountability to God for your office, position, and/or membership.]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Glass Half Full Pt.3</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Mon, 08 Apr 2013 21:22:50 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-3974</guid>
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			<title>Glass Half Full Pt.2 says:</title>
			<link>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-3973</link>
			<description><![CDATA[This is sad because the truth is that God’s RESOURCES have ultimately been disturbed (members = praise/worship + tithes/offers + service/servants) making it hard and sometimes impossibly to effectively and efficiently worship God the way He biblically desires man to. If you occupy the Office of Bishop, hold yourself accountable to God based on His biblical standards for the character, responsibility, and duty for the office. This will limit errors made in ministry during your occupancy of the Office of Bishop and ensure that when the errors happen (and they will – even if you cause them or not) you and your congregation are not too far removed from each other in relationship to biblically restore, resolve, and reconcile in a responsible and respectful manner.]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Glass Half Full Pt.2</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Mon, 08 Apr 2013 21:22:03 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-3973</guid>
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			<title>Glass Half Full Pt.1 says:</title>
			<link>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-3972</link>
			<description><![CDATA[The article truly expresses the emotions and mindset of one who occupies the Office of Bishop. The scenarios detailed in this article and supported by Scripture of why people leave the church/switch churches are realistic to the church. They are some of the reasons why people leave a church but are not the only reasons why people leave. They are however; examples of why/how corruption will enter the hearts and minds of church members. The one who assumes the Office of Bishop has oversight of the church and is liability to God for that local assembly’s commitment to an operation as a biblical church. All human beings are subject to error by sinful nature; therefore room for error must be assumed and accounted for by the members and the Office of Bishop. Still if corruption is not resisted, resolved, or reconciled in a biblically responsible and respectfully way between all parties involved, it will result in actions taken leading to people leaving the church.]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Glass Half Full Pt.1</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Mon, 08 Apr 2013 21:20:07 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-3972</guid>
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			<title>Dennis Reel says:</title>
			<link>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-3794</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Why does everyone always miss the most obvious reason for someone leaving? The bible is a fairy tale. It's a sad case (for the church) that people, as a whole, learn as time progresses. As we go forward it'll just be harder and harder to spread this myth. Now before you think I'm trolling you or being impolite, I seriously think that you guys are blind to this fact. You might want to consider it as a very real reason before you get too depressed about why church numbers are in decline.]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Dennis Reel</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Fri, 08 Mar 2013 19:08:55 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-3794</guid>
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			<title>Anonymous says:</title>
			<link>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-3657</link>
			<description><![CDATA[I will forever remain loyal to this great man of the spirits of the of the death who helped me cast a death spell on my mother in law and within 38hours my witchcraft mother inlaw died in her sleeps. You can contact him also for urgent death spell cast, instantdeathspell@gmail.com]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Anonymous</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Sun, 20 Jan 2013 09:29:39 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-3657</guid>
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			<title>Erica says:</title>
			<link>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-3656</link>
			<description><![CDATA[I will forever be grateful to this great man of the 7demons for bringing my ex back to me in just 12hours after 8months of leaving separately from each other. You too can contact him for solution to any kind of love problem, jaja7demons@gmail.com]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Erica</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Sun, 20 Jan 2013 09:24:15 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-3656</guid>
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			<title>Pastor Ayo says:</title>
			<link>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-3655</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Hello. My name is Pastor Ayo Adeleke,the senior Pastor of Apostolic Church Of Christ . I want to use this medium to ask for financial help from all meaning christians. The church wants to move to its permanent site,the permanent site is still uncompleted,we really need the help of those that truly have the work of God at heart. You can get back to us through our email address, apostolicchurchofchrist5@gmail.com Yours faithfully. Pastor Ayo]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Pastor Ayo</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Sun, 20 Jan 2013 09:14:17 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-3655</guid>
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			<title>Pastor Skanderup says:</title>
			<link>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-3652</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Before my wife and I entered ministry we attended a church that seemed to be all we looked for in a church. In a short time we discovered unscriptural (prayerful opinion) doctrines in the church. We determined to leave, but prayed first. The Holy Spirit told us: Stay and reach out in love to the (heretical) pastor & wife." We obeyed and discovered the most (lonely) precious and loyal friends anyone could ask for. They had been there for 2 years and felt unloved and alone. Often the expectation of love from pastors is grossly disproportionate to what we "mature believers" offer them. We served there 5 yrs. until released by Holy Spirit & pastor.]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Pastor Skanderup</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Sat, 19 Jan 2013 08:41:42 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-3652</guid>
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			<title>marjorie lee says:</title>
			<link>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-3616</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Read this when you have time.]]></description>
			<dc:creator>marjorie lee</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Sun, 13 Jan 2013 05:09:58 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-3616</guid>
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			<title>Williams Mama says:</title>
			<link>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-3549</link>
			<description><![CDATA[What about those trying to leave gracefully? My family is involved, always supports the Pastor. Then we feel God leading us away. Told Pastor (we do have obligations) & said we still loved him & the church. Essentially were blackmailed to stay. Agreed to give it 1 month. He was suddenly nice - said to make sure that if God is calling us, we leave b/c he was in that position once & his pastor convinced him to stay & it was wrong of him to do so...? We gave it 3 months. God has confirmed that it is time to move on. What about those being led somewhere else by God? We met with Pastor, explained we had no issues & he said b/c we missed 2 services in a two month period (3 services a week) that when he was called by our new church he would not recommend us. After 3 months, Pastor has not checked with us. Instead, he was shocked when we told him we missed church b/c we were at another. I am trying to not let this experience spill over into our next church. But I am just shocked.]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Williams Mama</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Wed, 19 Dec 2012 04:32:40 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-3549</guid>
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			<title>ANWAR N. BROOKS says:</title>
			<link>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-3250</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Why is it that when a person leaves a church congregation its because of some negative thing. My wife and I will be speaking to our pastor on Friday and resigning our membership there. We love our pastor and have no discrepancy with him or the members. What we do have is a God that has told us that our time is up there and that there is another level of understanding and spiritual accountability that he is calling us to. We have been faithful and work diligently in the ministry, but our time is up. In times past, my biggest struggle was being loyal to a man and not the voice of the Holy Spirit. Should I stay and disobey the leading of God or stay and be in opposition to his voice?]]></description>
			<dc:creator>ANWAR N. BROOKS</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Tue, 13 Nov 2012 19:19:27 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-3250</guid>
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			<title>Pete St.Jean says:</title>
			<link>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-3079</link>
			<description><![CDATA[:sad: In our tenth year, we are down to just a half dozen members, The tiny town we are in shows no interest in us. Does having a WOMAN pastor play a big part. My wife (* the treasurer) and I have hung on all along...and HATE the thought of closing the doors!]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Pete St.Jean</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Mon, 27 Aug 2012 20:08:00 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-3079</guid>
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			<title>Tammy1 says:</title>
			<link>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-2999</link>
			<description><![CDATA[You left one out. Sometimes people leave a church when they realize their pastor is a narcassist. When the sermons are about him and his life and how you should be more like him. We've watched over 300 people come and go over the last 3 years and what's happened is that they realize who he really is. Key people, good people, leave and he bashes them for leaving in a sermon and saying God doens't lead his people away from a church and that they are being disobediant. We have repeatedly watched this over and over. Knowing he's only human, praying he'll turn from his ways. We've watched how he turns things around in his head he truly believes he's the offended. Any decisions to be made, he makes them. He listens to no one and he talks about others as if it's no big deal because he's the pastor and it's ok. It's not always the congregants.]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Tammy1</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:13:26 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-2999</guid>
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			<title>Pastors Wife says:</title>
			<link>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-2855</link>
			<description><![CDATA[I appreciate your paragraph to simply "let people go" that want to go. As pastors, we naturally want to see the best in people. We love them unconditionally, marry congregants, dedicate their children, visit them in the hospital, council them in their greatest times of need, and perform funerals for them and their loved ones. The Holy Spirit has had to remind me over and over again that Jesus and His diciples were persecuted too. My fellow pastors and pastor's wives, forgive those who leave your churches, continue to love them, and let them go. This will keep the enemy from stealing your joy, focus, and vision. Keep focused on those left in your congregation because they need you and your leadership during these times. One day we will all stand before God and He will be proud of you for staying and fighting the good fight. Rebellion is as witchcraft and see their departure as a pruning that had to take place in order for God to fulfill His perfect will in your local church.]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Pastors Wife</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:00:02 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-2855</guid>
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			<title>Pastor Barry says:</title>
			<link>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-2836</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Just found this article. In 17 years I have found as Pastor the people who take the most from the Church and the Pastor are the ones who leave first. I have had several congregants who would have said they were a "best friend". In my home trusting family with them only to have them "get mad" when they decided that this guy not only talks the walk he walks the walk. When I would not compromise or when "counseling" did not go as they thought. Not only left but will not acknowledge my existence. You are correct the pain and mistrust that comes from this is more then anyone not Pastoring can comprehend. Most of God's sheep want to be babied to death. Feed me feed me feed me, but please do not expect me to reciprocate. Just recently coming out of a building program, three men who had promised before God they would be in it to the end left when the building started. Supposed mature Christians who could have cared less what their actions did to anyone else, even their won families.]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Pastor Barry</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Sun, 18 Dec 2011 04:47:21 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-2836</guid>
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			<title>Miriam says:</title>
			<link>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-2242</link>
			<description><![CDATA[I recently left my church because I did not agree with pastor's theology and doctrines. His messages were only focused on material gains and nothing to do with relationship with Jesus. He never preached about discipleship, never called for an altar for those who want to give their lives to Jesus, no baptismal classes or new believers' classes never had him preach against sins....etc. In the end, it was just too much for me to stomach. I left and never wanted him to contact me again.]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Miriam</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Wed, 29 Sep 2010 04:35:12 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-2242</guid>
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			<title>Hugh and Sandra Southon says:</title>
			<link>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-31</link>
			<description><![CDATA[And perhaps a 6th reason: That they do not necesarily receive the love and attention in dificult times that Jesus demanded and Paul wrote one of his greatest pieces on Corinthians 1 Ch 13 . This article appears to suggest this love is a "given" in churches when very often it isn't. There's a view from pastors they should be allowed to talk into people's lives ...perhaps that comes after they have shown the sort of extreme love Jesus spoke of]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Hugh and Sandra Southon</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2009 08:42:43 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/ethics/1068-why-people-leave-the-church#comment-31</guid>
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