The #1 Thing That Drives People Away From Church

If you listened to seminaries, you might think the answer was the biblical faithfulness of the preaching. If you listened to the ones who complain the most in the church, you might think the answer was the style of music or the overall decadence of society.

Several weeks ago I asked a question on Facebook: If you ever left church for a significant portion of time, what was it that drove you away? Here were the answers I got:

• [My husband] and I both were very involved in youth groups and both got a bad taste in our mouth so to speak for church due to things that happened with our youth pastors.

• As a very young Christian I think it was feeling like I couldn’t measure up. The church was very condemning and I was a babe in Christ so didn’t understand the grace of my Savior.

• After we moved back to Columbus, we joined a church and attended for 8 years. I never felt “at home” the whole time we attended. Then a situation arose that caused quite a few members to leave, including us.

• I grew up in church and was there for every event and activity as a child and through youth. But, after some stuff went down, my feelings were hurt and I resented the church.

Notice what wasn’t mentioned: preaching, style of music, stuff we obsess over. Notice what was central in each of the four comments: other church members. That’s the #1 thing that drives people away from church: church people. 

Why are there so many negative, gossiping, slandering, manipulative people in the church today? Why are there so many hypocrites in the church today? Share your thoughts below, and come this Sunday to Mt Vernon Church as we discuss this question, “why are there so many hypocrites in the church?”