How to Leave a Church (Part 3)

Let's get into some of the nitty gritty.

Exactly how should you go about leaving a church? Show maturity. What does that mean?

1. Be honest about the real reasons you are leaving. Don't hide behind surface reasons. (The number one surface reason I've heard: "I'm just not getting fed.") Don't use convenient lines such as "I feel it is God's will at this time." Truthfully, if you're not leaving because of a job transfer then there's a good chance you're leaving because of conflict. Acknowledge it. Do everything humanly possible to be at peace with everyone. Make leaving an absolute last resort, not a first response.
2. Meet with the pastor. Explain your situation and how you're feeling. Tell the pastor why you're leaving. He will probably try to talk you into staying. Then you will probably tell him politely, "No thanks," since you've made up your mind. Don't just stop attending and bypass this uncomfortable conversation. That's rude and disrespectful to the pastor and the congregation. Let the pastor pray with you and for you. And you pray for him. In this meeting, you and the pastor should develop a mutually-agreed-upon plan concerning what you will both say to the congregation and to outsiders. (If you're the one leaving, I promise you it will be harder for you to uphold your end.)