I’ve been thinking about switching congregations but don’t know if it is a good idea
Question:
Hey,
I have a question. I’ve been thinking of switching congregations. My reasons for wanting to leave are:
- My wife mentioned to me, she isn’t learning there anymore. I haven't been learning there for the past year in a half, but I do a lot of studying on my own. I also listen to lots of sound brethren's preachings. I'm also enrolled in World Video Bible School, so I get tons of learning outside of Sunday’s worship. The preacher at my congregation hardly ever teaches out of the Old Testament. They never teach about things such as marriage, divorce, and remarriage.
To sum it up, the entire congregation has been on milk for a long time and about 95% of the people there are spiritually weak. It’s making the church not grow. - My second reason for wanting to leave is because the congregation where I attend has still not opened the building for in-person worship because of their fear of COVID-19. I have expressed my concern to the preacher many times, telling him that phone worship is not authorized and it’s not pleasing to God, but he doesn’t listen.
- My last reason I’m thinking of leaving is that I’ve found a church of Christ near my home that is sound. I’ve visited with them for a pretty long time. It seems like a faithful, knowledgeable group of Christians. The preacher also teaches “meaty” teachings. In the past three months that we have been going here, my wife and I both like it a lot and she tells me she likes it because she actually learns something now.
I do not know what to do because one part of me says, “I think it will get better where I am eventually,” but another part of me says I should leave if I know my wife isn’t learning. Could you please give me some advice?
Answer:
Typically I discourage church-hopping because people are avoiding problems instead of solving them. For example, if you merely were looking for better teaching, I would encourage you to start teaching classes at the congregation you are attending.
However, you list more difficulties with your current congregation. They are avoiding meeting together. That might have been understandable at the start of this problem with the COVID-19 virus when we didn't know what the world was dealing with, but we are long past that point. The original request from the government was to limit the number of people you contacted so that the hospitals would not be overwhelmed with new patients. That purpose was achieved. What is currently going on is more political in nature and lacks a scientific basis. As Christians, we obey the government (Romans 13:1-7) but not to the point that it causes us to disobey God.
You found a congregation that is worshiping as they should. They have biblically accurate teaching and knowledgeable teachers to give a deeper understanding of God's Word. You are already attending there, so become active members of the church there.
