Before I begin, let’s get definitions out of the way. In this article, when I refer to “church” it is usually with a small ‘c’ and represents an organisation to which one belongs or a building where one attends and meets with other church goers for the purpose of religious devotion and often as a social club with religious trappings. A more meaningful definition is from the Greek word  “ekklesia”, when in Matthew 16:18 it is the word Jesus used for “church”. It is so translated in the KJV 115 times. It means “an assembly” or “a group of people who are called together for a purpose.” In NT times, it came to represent the collective people of God, followers of Jesus, often in a specified geographical location but it was sometimes used in the universal sense. Used in that context, I tend to highlight such an understanding by referring to Church with a big ‘C’.

While Church with a big ‘C’ is more interesting than church with a small ‘c’ because the former represents the Body and Bride of Christ, or spiritual building where He dwells and the latter is often more to do with religious paraphernalia, a lot of what I want to say (and often with a heavy heart) is to do with this latter, small ‘c’ version of church. The heaviness is that, in recent years especially, I have come across dedicated Christians, who for good reasons have stopped attending church, when back in the day it was seen as evidence of backsliding or that the lapsed church goer was not serious about the Faith in the first place. As a new Christian keen to follow Jesus, I was told I needed to join a church (and in my neck of the woods there was plenty to choose from), preferably a doctrinally sound one. I remember well the illustration of coals in a fire. When an individual coal (which the individual believer is likened to) is in a fire with other coals, it would burn brightly, but once taken from the fire it would stop glowing and eventually be extinguished altogether.

The nowadays phenomenon of earnest Christians stopping going to church is one that is grievous and much concerning, if for no other reason the Church is God’s main instrument for bringing about His purposes in a world that has gone away from God and desperately needs Him and to quote two Bible verses: “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;  That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” John 17:20,21 and “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints” Revelation 19:7,8.

What I want to do is to reflect why Christians, often zealous in their faith, stop being involved in church and even if they see the importance of church going decide it is not for them, and often all parties lose out as a result. Many of my findings are based on my own personal experience over 60 years in various church set-ups. I daresay other reasons could be added. I would like to end by considering what can be done about it and other ways of tackling the absence of church going. I do so believing there is a hugely significant spiritual battle going on and Satan’s strategy is one of divide and rule and a far cry from the more desirable: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” Psalm 133:1. Often, also, the wise old adage: “in essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity” is not played out, resulting in a lack of unity, liberty or charity (sometimes all three).

I have cause to be thankful that in the church in which I have been a member these past eleven years, while there have been what may be seen as non-essential beliefs about which I have disagreed concerning, the church has been gracious enough to accommodate my disagreement. I should add that when it comes to points of difference I am about to share, I may well take a view, but it is not one that I wish to share here. One other point that needs making is finding reasons for someone leaving a church and going on not to find an alternative may well go far deeper than disagreement over some issue, doctrine etc. It can be due to and often is a breakdown in relationship and the question is how that relationship can be restored and, using the Body analogy of 1 Corinthians 12, how each member of the body functions in the way its head (Christ) intends and that we see the fulfillment of Christ’s own words: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another” John 13:34.

Personalities

We cannot ignore the fact in many cases of one person leaving a church, or worse still a church splits, the main issue may not be doctrinal difference but rather one of people not getting along. This is made worse when a power dynamic is involved and those who leave feel brow beaten because the person that controls how that church operates is the one he/she takes issue with. Another related matter, affecting churches, ranging from Exclusive Brethren to some charismatic set-ups (but not confined to such), is that of heavy shepherding – when someone has to adopt a certain behaviour on the say so of those with the power to insist that they do so.

Evangelical, Liberal, Catholic

In my early days as a Christian, I was made aware of there being three different types of churches (Evangelical, Liberal and Catholic – four if you include those labelled as cults). Also, in my early days I came under the influence of the Open Brethren with their emphasis on doctrinal soundness and claiming to follow (often literally) all what the Bible teaches. The OBs would often be dismissive of the Liberals for taking away from the Bible and of the Catholics for adding to the Bible and even other Evangelicals for compromising on certain doctrines. While those joining a church would likely be aware of where it stands on some of the key doctrinal issues to begin with, often rifts occur over some point of teaching that cannot be agreed with and so in the end that person leaves.

The Charismatic issue

It was when I was a student that I became aware of and was caught up in the Charismatic movement. Before that, this was mostly confined to Pentecostal denominations but it began to spread in the mainline churches. While some claimed it brought in life that had been hitherto missing it, also divided many between the “haves” (the Holy Spirit) and “have nots”, as well as deciding whether or not the “sign” (obviously supernatural) gifts are for today. Some charismatic detractors then (and now) argued that such supernatural manifestations to be counterfeit. The question of whether to leave or remain in a church that did not go along with this new movement (such as the church I belonged to at the time) was a pertinent one and different positions were taken including schismatic ones. Things have long since died down but people still have to choose between being part of a cessationist church or joining a charismatic one.

The Calvinist issue

Also in my student days, I became aware of the division that sometimes arose between those who took a Calvinist position over matters like the part played by election and free will in one’s salvation and those who took an Arminian position. Church history reveals many (including fine Christians) taking up one or other position (and some even preferring not to align with either). (As an aside, I am planning on a deep dive to examine the arguments of both sides; watch this space.) Like a number of the issues we are considering where Christians take different views, it maybe the person joining a church will already know its position and so is unlikely to complain when finding the church takes a different view. Sadly, that is not always the case. Without wanting to take sides,, I can think of three families in recent days that have left my church partly over disagreement over its moderate Calvinist position.

Wokeism

One definition of woke is that it encompass progressive or left-wing attitudes or practices, especially those opposing social injustice or discrimination or, less charitably, is a toxic ideology dividing people by race, gender, vaccine status, religion, region, age, wealth, etc. In the years since I became a Christian, I have seen churches once seen as in the Evangelical camp increasingly take a greater interest in social justice issues and getting involved in the wider community outside the church in order to help the socially excluded and disadvantaged and becoming more in line with equality and diversity interests that help to shape society. This has caused division between those seeing this as a much needed corrective due to past omissions, and those who feel that by leaning toward a non-Christian woke agenda this compromises gospel endeavour.

Other issues

There are many issues, arguably mostly in the less essential category, that have caused division among Christians and continues to do so. These may cause one of the parties leave a church fellowship. While no doubt other items can be added to the list of things I have seen firsthand as leading to division, this is my list:

• Creationism versus evolution
• Ecclesiology
• Eschatology
• Ecumenicalism
• Political involvement
• Israel
• Baptism and Communion
• Styles of worship
• Women ministry
• Covid and vaccines

Persecution

I imagine many/most who read this will be living in the West where arguably there is a good deal of religious freedom. In many countries, dominated by communist and Islamist ideology for example, this is clearly not the case and when Christians gather to worship God etc. they do so in secret or not at all for fear of persecution. A survey of the history of the church in the West will show there have been many times down the ages when Christian’s have suffered persecution. Even today, with the attacks on free speech, we find Christians being punished for proclaiming truth according to the Christian message – and it could well get worse. There will be some, who rather than experience such attacks will leave churches that choose not to go along with the agenda of the powers that be as well as those who leave churches because said churches have capitulated to government censorship.

So where does all this leave us?

I have increasingly come to a view that my job is to love the Church and if at all possible to encourage the churches (High, Low and all that is in-between), even those who I happen to disagree with or they with me. We are, after all, exhorted to: “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” Hebrews 10:25. The old adage of there being no such thing as a perfect church remains forever true. Leaving a church over some disagreement that isn’t major (although I accept we need to establish what is or isn’t major) should be done only as last resort, even if it means that our feelings are hurt. Of course, it begs the question how do we decide which church to join in the first place, especially if the choice is limited (as it often is). I also counsel that when we get involved in a church, e.g. initially by attending services, whether we like the people who attend or are in charge, and regardless what they think of us, we do so to worship God, so we can give to others and can receive from Him – only when none of that is happening should we then leave. The sad truth is that it does happen, even among good, well intentioned Christian people.

That being the case – what then? It is worth remembering that the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever (according to the Westminster Shorter Catechism). This doesn’t have to happen in a church context of course, but it would help. It doesn’t have to be in a formal church setting and we do well to remember the Church that matters comprises the people of God and we do well to join with the ones or twos for the purpose of Christian Fellowship, Prayer, Bible study and Communion and also to tell others about the good news of the Gospel and all what “love thy neighbour” might entail. A day may well come (sooner than we may think) when that will be the way it will have to be anyway. While having a strong relationship with our Lord is what truly matters, doing so along side like minded believers will help and especially as we represent Him on earth.