tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268539650499556740.post263344886790965185..comments2023-06-29T02:51:51.236-05:00Comments on 1517: Why are so many quitting church?Todd Pruitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614293087144493430noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268539650499556740.post-13015789035468162702008-09-28T21:59:00.000-05:002008-09-28T21:59:00.000-05:00loved this line in particular..."were not getting ...loved this line in particular..."were not getting meaningful answers from their churches. In fact, they were encouraged not to talk about their pain. ..."<BR/><BR/>I think there are several reasons why people are quitting but this has to be near the top of the list...What I also find fascinating in talking to those who have quit is that they are not really influenced to any great extent by the new atheists (Hitchens, Harris, etc.)...the challenges they express come from within the church not from without.<BR/><BR/>I think the reasons people leave the church (or faith altogether) seem to fall into 3 categories.<BR/><BR/>1) View of scripture...that is an unnuanced, inflexible view of the Bible...we have to articulate a realistic view of scripture<BR/><BR/>2) Theological difficulties...that is our view of hell, OT views of God condoning mass annihilation of peoples<BR/><BR/>3) Behaviour of other Christians...that is if we are saved and have been given the Holy Spirit why is there so much evidence to the contrary.<BR/><BR/>Now I understand the answers from a biblical or theological perspective that would be given to each one of these problems...yet, if we are honest, I don't think we find them very satisfying.<BR/><BR/>These days I would rather someone be honest and tell me that they do not understand it either rather than give me an answer that they themselves are not sure they believe...have had years of that.<BR/><BR/>I think for us to move forward in this post-modern, post-christian world we have to be brutally honest with ourselves and have no fear of the truth (if we believe all truth is God's Truth)...two things I find very rare among Christians.<BR/><BR/>MikeMikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05781572223772781855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268539650499556740.post-31626223233006973542008-09-28T06:58:00.000-05:002008-09-28T06:58:00.000-05:00I think your premise is a valid one, particularly ...I think your premise is a valid one, particularly when the "ecclesia" ceases to be the "company of the called-out ones". Clearly our salt has lost its flavor -- and we in the salt shaker remain in denial.DVZhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14743839619731962961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268539650499556740.post-60082177439165250442008-09-27T05:47:00.000-05:002008-09-27T05:47:00.000-05:00Why are so many quitting church?Maybe there are so...Why are so many quitting church?<BR/>Maybe there are so few examples in America of the sacrifice of faithfulness in the church. Even the "professional" shepherd's lives are not that much different from the average American. Comfort in occupation, comfort in responsibilities, comfort in friends, comfort in income, comfort in faith. But that describes the rest of us too. Maybe the world doesn't recognize us because we look just like them? So for the nominal / the "searcher" - What difference does it make? Perhaps the "great falling away" has begun or maybe it's just ongoing in each generation? <BR/><BR/>God is good, all the time. The church is His Bride and she is His responsibility and He is faithful. There will come the Day and we will be changed, since He is faithful.Pete Morrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15856736613383334451noreply@blogger.com