Why I Don’t Like Church Anymore: But Still Believe

I don’t like church anymore.

There, I said it.

I don’t like complicated, wordy worship songs that make me feel like I need a seminary degree to understand them. I miss the days when we sang simple, heartfelt songs that lifted our eyes to Jesus instead of making us squint at lyrics on a giant screen.

I no longer like stage-centric services where 99% of the activity in the room is focused on what happens up front while the rest of us sit passively, staring at the backs of heads or a massive LED wall. The Apostle Paul described a very different kind of gathering — one where each person brings a song, a teaching, a word of encouragement (1 Corinthians 14:26; Colossians 3:16). What happened to that?

I Was Part of the Problem

As a former pastor who has seen behind the curtain, once led a large church for over twenty years, and twice worked at megachurches, I’m keenly aware that I’ve been part of the problem.

Maybe it’s my age. Perhaps it’s the fact that I’ve stepped away from professional ministry after decades of living in that world. Either way, my perspective has shifted, and my eyes have been opened in ways I never expected.

For a while now, I’ve been wrestling deep in my soul, trying to make sense of how I feel about the Church today — not just the Sunday services, but the whole way we “do church” in this modern world. It’s been a struggle because what I see doesn’t always align with what I believe the Church was meant to be.

Some of My Struggles . . .

I don’t enjoy standing in line for communion like I’m at a coffee shop. And I wrestle with the millions poured into buildings that sit empty most of the week while communities around them are hurting.

I struggle with how pastors are often evaluated more by their humor and entertainment skills than by their shepherding hearts. And yes, I’m disturbed by some of the salaries that pastors of large churches receive. As a general rule, a pastor probably shouldn’t make more than the median income of their congregation.

Sunday-focused Gatherings Trouble Me

The early church met daily, breaking bread in homes and living life together. I’m not saying we need a meeting every day, but surely the church should be more than one hour on Sundays.

As my friend and a former megachurch pastor, Brad Williams, said to me recently, “I’m not a fan of the American evangelical industrial complex.” Me neither.

And yet… I still believe in the Church.

Not the buildings, denominations, or systems we’ve built, but the people. A messy, beautiful group of people who practice the nearly fifty “one another” commands in the New Testament. That church is still the hope of the world.

I long for simpler times. For worship that stirs the soul. For people who dig deep into God’s Word, not just digging potholes but wells in the Word. For communities small enough to know and be known (probably no more than 200 or so people at the most).

This Isn’t Written in Bitterness

It’s written in concern because our culture is desperate for hope, grace, and authentic community. The world doesn’t need another performance. It needs a family of faith that looks and loves like Jesus.

So, let me be clear. I’m not suggesting you stay at home on Sunday and watch football all day because the Church is messed up. I’m not suggesting you start throwing stones at the bride of Christ. I am, however, suggesting we rethink what Church is and is not. I am passionately calling us to move forward with new life, a new paradigm, and a new (i.e., old) model.

What the Church is Not

The church is not Disneyland for kids. It is not a rock concert for fans. It is not a building. It is not a place to get a tax write-off. It is not a place to stand at a door, greet people, and call that sacrificial service to others.

I am not trying to push any buttons, but I hope to elicit your honest evaluation of the Church. The era of the “seeker-sensitive” Church, which attracts people—especially young people—has come and gone. We need revival in the West, and it will come through passionate, disciple-making, Jesus-focused individuals who truly live in a loving, grace-filled community of faith.

We Need the Church

And we need each other more now than ever.

We need the living, breathing, messy body of believers where each one matters, everyone contributes, and all are regularly cared for in ways that change lives, families, and communities.

I’ll conclude with one of my favorite quotes from a beloved leader, Francis Chan:

“For decades church leaders like myself have lost sight of the powerful mystery inherent in the Church and have instead run to other methods to keep people interested. In all honesty, we have trained you to become addicted to lesser things. We have cheapened something sacred, and we must repent.”

If this resonates with you, share it with someone wrestling with what church could and should be. Maybe, together, we can start reimagining what it means to truly be the Church.

I’d love to hear from you—seriously.

Drop a comment below and let’s start a conversation. Your thoughts matter, and they might just encourage someone else as well.

Want more stories, hope, and honest insights? You can find me on X and Facebook, or delve deeper into my heart and writing on my website.

My books are available too, if you’re curious (or just need something to read with your coffee).