Podcast Episode #601
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There are good reasons and bad reasons to move from church to church. As leaders, it is important to understand healthy practices for when members of another church visit your church.
Highlights:
- Listen to them.
- Refuse to listen to them bash another pastor or church.
- If necessary, suggest they reconcile with the pastor, staff, or members of their church.
- In some cases, contact the pastor of their church.
- Pray for all parties involved
Other Highlights:
- Leaders don’t usually know why someone is considering a church move. Leaders must listen and listen with discernment.
- Pastors have to work hard to push against a culture of complaining in the church.
- Members who are disruptive at their previous church will likely be disruptive at their new church.
- Handle criticism of another pastor as if the pastor is your friend.
- Pray for all parties involved when members of another church visit your church.
Resources Mentioned:
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Sam Rainer hit the nail on the head June-Aug Hot stove for churches for sure. LOL
Couple things I have learned…
1. Just because someone is a member of another church it does not mean they are believers or that they have been active in that church. I have had several who have a church membership that later make a profession if faith.
2. Some were children when their parents joined a church and they were added to membership because they were baptized as children.
3. Some were hurt by former churches and are looking for healing and a church home
4. Others are leaving a denomination or church that has become apostate and have abandoned orthodox Christian beliefs.
5. Some are toxic people who go from church to church and leave a path of destruction in their wake
6. All need to hear the gospel and should be shown the unfailing love of Jesus.
Our goal should be to grow our churches with conversions but I have never put roadblocks up for folks simply because they hold a membership at another church. Every church is not for every person. It is important for a church to make their beliefs, mission and core values very clear. If someone is unable to support that in good conscience… I would have a hard time telling them to stay at a former church and want them to know what our church expects from new members.
The above advice is helpful but I have never been contacted by a pastor about a former member of our church. In fact… very few churches these days contact churches when people transfer membership. Very poor communication especially if another denomination.
Love folks, teach the Bible and leave the rest to the Holy Spirit. Thanks!!
Many years ago I called a friend to tell them that I was transferring a couple’s church membership to him. This had happened before so he was surprised that I called. I simply added that his would be the fourth church in 5 years. He thanked me, chuckled, and hung up.
Bad enough idea bringing “church hoppers” into the church; a worse idea to accept a “deacon” who has been ordained by another church.
We had a 1-year waiting period and a 6-month “probation” before accepting deacons from another church in a previous pastorate.
Another bad practice.
We had 5 good men on our deacon body. They were committed to the church and open minded about change. They were generous with the pastor with raises and Christmas things.
However, one got a divorce and had enough integrity to step aside, though he did not revoke his ordination and neither did the church (another bad idea).
Two of the original of the good men we had moved to other churches.
They were partners in a business and went bankrupt; people in the church became rather concerned about them “running” the church’s business. They left. Of course, it was the “pastor’s fault” because they left.
Three deacons from a particular church came in and the two remaining ones joined in with them. Two others came from two different churches. They joined in as well.
They were then the majority on our deacon body. Those incoming ones had a gang that came and joined the church from that same other church.
You can imagine what followed. They brought their disruptive spirits (they had torn up the previous church.) Because they had allies already in the church, it was difficult to keep them out.
You can imagine what followed. As soon as they were positioned to run most of the committees in the church, everything came loose.
In the Bible, the first “deacons” were elected by the congregation to solve a problem (Acts 6), it appears that by far the majority of problems in churches today are caused by power-hungry maniacs called “deacons”.
It is risky enough to ordain “deacons” in the church, much less taking them in from other churches, particularly if several come from the same church.
Buyer beware.
How did we ever allow the “deacons” to become an often godless board of directors?