Is it wrong to church hop?

[jacobritenour]

Nope it's never wrong to church hop if you prefer to. I refuse to be a member of a church anymore. None of them (and I mean not a single one) does not feel like they are trying to run some kind of business instead of a church. I already have a job and am working on my own business ... so what need do I have for a church that is a business? So, I prefer to read the Bible, live my life and treat others as I think Christ would have me do it. If I do go to a church, it's for worship and being around others for the time I'm there. That's it.

 

[WolfGate]

What a concept! Voting and "Governing rights" in CHURCH!

A common church polity - almost universal among congregationally directed churches. Some of the denominations Goodbook mentioned use that polity, so it is particularly relevant to her situation.

 

[lancey]

I congregation hopped and found three in particular that I liked among 7 that I went to. they all had their different pros and cons but the one I've chosen to be with now have something that I like and so I now attend there. then I went further into group meetings prayer meetings etc.. Took me 5 yrs to settle. So don't brood or be in doubt or feel guilty. Just go do what you're gonna do. I had times where I stayed home for a couple months and just watched sermons on you tube. I felt guilty at some stages I felt troubled with man and their teachings at times I felt angry at man for their teachings and doctrines and pushing their perceptions and interpretations on to me. If you are saved and have made Jesus the Lord of your life, the Holy Spirit is in you and will lead you. Jesus said my yoke is light. If you are burdened and feel heavy then question. Test. you can tell them by their fruits. What are the fruits Love Joy Peace Patience Kindness Gentleness Faithfulness Goodness Self control. The most important being love. People pushed holiness and righteousness on me and they were doing it but it fell heavy on me and I felt I wasn't good enough then condemned and powerless. it sort of made it like I should be like them. But my Lord Jesus said to love one another and to love God and thy neighbour as thyself. So whilst I still see my Holy friends around and still love them I mind what I take in from them. Very carefully. So don't worry and think to hard. You owe no man anything except love, as it was Jesus who done Everything for you.

 

[W_McCarthy]

I left a church recently because they weren't teaching the truth. They subtly taught that in order to be saved you had to "commit" your life to Jesus, or maybe they just weren't clear. They also taught we could be born again but then wind up in hell if we didn't keep walking with the Lord.
There were a number of other reasons that made me want to leave but the error being taught was what finally did it for me.
Personally I would much rather be a regular attendee or member or whatever of a single church. You can get to know people for a longer amount of time and you can support each other. I believe God would want it that way and If you are looking for one He will find one for you.
Find a church that preaches the gospel ( Saved by grave through faith) with absolutely no works mingled in to the message. There is a whole lot of teaching that is otherwise out there. That is honestly the most important thing and you'l hopefully find at least a few that do that, then pick from there. Otherwise like someone else on this thread said that no church will be perfect. I heard a saying once, "If you find a perfect church do go there, because you'll ruin it."

A member of the church I go to was telling me last night that 4 years ago he didn't see eye to eye with the pastor. Apparently that pastor had been saying things that were a little intense or something, I don't know, he didn't mention anything specific. But apparently eventually the pastor felt the same way about it and had to apologize and has since made a change in his sermons. He is a very good pastor, and the member I mentioned is glad that he didn't leave

 

[Beaker]

I have been a member of 4 churches in my lifetime. The first was a Presbyterian Church, for 44 years, until I emigrated and had to find a new church family. Having THOUGHT I had found one in the United Church, I found I was NOT getting ANY sustenance from it. Went to a Baptist church and found it great, UNTIL the pastor left and the associate pastor took over. It also then became a very cliquish church after the initial pastor left, where I was NOT being given any opportunity to use my gifts. Well the associate pastor had an understudy who had a domineering wife and it was she who made many of the decisions there. After a row with her i walked out, found a neighbouring church and was instantly invited to join their Easter choir AND sing specials. Been there two years and have been used more in the past two years than the 10 previous years.

 

[Beaker]

Nope it's never wrong to church hop if you prefer to. I refuse to be a member of a church anymore. None of them (and I mean not a single one) does not feel like they are trying to run some kind of business instead of a church. I already have a job and am working on my own business ... so what need do I have for a church that is a business? So, I prefer to read the Bible, live my life and treat others as I think Christ would have me do it. If I do go to a church, it's for worship and being around others for the time I'm there. That's it.

HOWEVER, Hebrews 10 24 -25 says ''And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds. 25 Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.'' So we actually DO NEED to belong to an organised church for fellowship and encouragement.

 

[daleksteve]

Church hopping is a good thing as it helps you find the right church for you. The Salvation Army has always been my church since i was a boy. I did a bit of hopping in my early twenties as i had a big fall out with somebody at The Salvation Army.

I went to a Kings church but these guy's were very pushy with tithes as i was not in sound financial position to give the 10% they insisted upon. God was not going to suddenly start paying my rent cause i have given the money to Kings Church.

After a couple of months i went back to the Salvation Army. Its where i feel comfortable and where God wants me to be, i believe in its values and aims, something i can't say about many other churches.

 

[daleksteve]

HOWEVER, Hebrews 10 24 -25 says ''And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds. 25 Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.'' So we actually DO NEED to belong to an organised church for fellowship and encouragement.

In a sense yes, but there is no point in being part of a church you don't want to be a part of. Your Christian faith can't grow if you don't like where you worship.

 

[PanDeVida]

like go from one church to another. Say theres several different congreagations in your area. You want to try them all. How will you know if you dont try?
Or are you just meant to always stay in one church forever.

Or is it only wrong to church hop according to the pastor. If you pledged as a member do you have to keep that pledge? What if you didnt?

What it theres an issue with a church member or a teaching, or the pastor or preachers preach correct doctrine but dont actually practise what they preach?


Goodbook, Truth is Jesus Christ never wanted there to be more than One Church founded on Rock. Won't you agree that there being one more church than the first, is one to many, and not of Christ. If you truly want to stop church hopping, read the lives of the early Church Fathers and find were they attended and then you will find the one and only Church Christ established. Amen Amen

 

[Albion]

In a sense yes, but there is no point in being part of a church you don't want to be a part of. Your Christian faith can't grow if you don't like where you worship.

I agree that the particular church one belongs to has to be a good one, or else a change is warranted.

When someone says "church hopping" that suggests to me that the person is making a lot of changes and for trivial reasons. That wouldn't be a good policy, but if a change is really called for, certainly it's good to make it.

 

[mikeirvan]

Here are my thoughts on this: do what you feel led to do. I have a great church home that I been a part of since I rededicated my life in 2012, I love the people there but sometimes I get bored. One thing you don't want is to get bored with worshipping God. We don't have as many activities as I wish we would, so lately I feel led to start visiting elsewhere so I can keep my love for God alive.

 

[Belledandy]

Me and my husbandare currently church hopping. We were at our last church for three years, there we got confirmed and married and built up a great group of friends. But as the yearsun went on the services were the same week in week out and we found we weren't growing spiritually. Plus in came a new curate whof to me chose the wrong career path. After months of debating we chose to leave and now we are scouting around for another church. The last was Anglican and we have been to another Anglican and an elim since then. What we seem to struggle with is that churches these days don't seem to stick to the bible. They bend things and dismiss things as it doesn't fall right with the wold nowadays, although I musthink say the elim church was very good at that, but the pastor we like is leaving. We want to find a church where we can grow and help others grow, but I want one that sticks to the bible. Are they really that hard to find? I think if God is nudging you to move on and you arent growing as a Christian then you must move on. But we are certainly the same at the moment we can't seem to find a church that offers it all... I don't know if that really exists anymore....

 

[ml5363]

I do believe it is hard to find a good bible preaching church...but when you find the right one for you you will know...church is suppose to be a place where we grow...not just a place keeper on a pew...sometimes if we have outgrown a church sometimes God wants us to move so we can continue getting fed spirtually...we can't stay baby christians forever only taking in milk..we also need some meat as well..

 

[Albion]

Nope it's never wrong to church hop if you prefer to. I refuse to be a member of a church anymore. None of them (and I mean not a single one) does not feel like they are trying to run some kind of business instead of a church. I already have a job and am working on my own business ... so what need do I have for a church that is a business? So, I prefer to read the Bible, live my life and treat others as I think Christ would have me do it. If I do go to a church, it's for worship and being around others for the time I'm there. That's it.

Church hopping may not be wrong. Abandoning the idea of assembling together with other believers for all the reasons that the New Testament commends to us could be wrong, however.

 

[HittitesA-muk]

hi Not many can church hop! In fact its better not to discuss such a thing; many churches throughout the land are the same type of church; and no one would really find it beneficial to swap from one to the next .

 

[Albion]

hi Not many can church hop! In fact its better not to discuss such a thing; many churches throughout the land are the same type of church; and no one would really find it beneficial to swap from one to the next .

Denominationally speaking, that's not true of most areas from which our posters hail. I wonder if you have another way of looking at this. That 'churches are all about the same when you get beyond the doctrinal profiles' or something like that, perhaps?

 

[Goodbook]

Are they all the same then. I dont know, the ones I been too were all different. Well had different people at various stages of maturity.

Sometimes its the people like the elders who are the best example of christlikeness not necessarily the person preaching.

 

[biblicalbro]

Currently dealing with a similar situation, check it out
http://www.christianforums.com/threads/finding-a-new-home-church.7966810/

 

[Soyeong]

like go from one church to another. Say theres several different congreagations in your area. You want to try them all. How will you know if you dont try?
Or are you just meant to always stay in one church forever.

Or is it only wrong to church hop according to the pastor. If you pledged as a member do you have to keep that pledge? What if you didnt?

What it theres an issue with a church member or a teaching, or the pastor or preachers preach correct doctrine but dont actually practise what they preach?

Who really wants to stay where they not wanted and dont belong?

There are good and bad reasons to church hop and I think wanting to try other churches is not a bad one. If you're looking for a pastor that teaches only what you agree with, then you're not going to find one. However, it might be possible that a problem has more to do with the person hoping churches than with the churches they are hoping from, and they might be hoping church to avoid addressing that problem without learning how to get along with those that they disagree with.

 

[Goodbook]

What if its a bit of both. Should you try sort the problem out before you leave or just leave if its really bad.
I suppose its like job hopping you dont want to be doing that either and just encounter the exact same problem again.