"We Saw People Leave the Church"

"This past year affected our church in a really significant way.  

We saw people leave because they were frustrated that we weren’t meeting soon enough.
 
We saw people leave because they thought we were trying to meet again too soon.

We saw people leave as we taught the Bible in a way that didn’t align exactly with their political party of choice.
 
We saw people leave because they thought we didn’t take a strong enough stance on social issues.

We saw people leave because they thought we took too strong of a stance on social issues.
 
We saw people leave because they thought that the Enneagram was satanic.

We saw people leave because they thought we weren’t doing enough.
 
We saw people leave because they were relocating for a new job, they wanted to move to a more affordable area, or they were moving to be closer to family and countless other reasons.
 
But the bottom line is this: We saw a lot of people leave."

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This video was heartbreaking when Amber and I came across it last week.

We could relate.

We've experienced all these things + more in the past 12 months too.

This pandemic took a tremendous toll on our family and ministry.

Nearly every day I felt like a pinata full of bees.

But you know what?

I've discovered there is something beautiful that emerges in the pain.

We can choose to run to the church instead of away from the church.

We are all rough drafts of the person we are becoming.

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If you found yourself in a place far from your church home, may I gently encourage you to go back to your church home and try again?

Perhaps confession and forgiveness is your next step.

Be the bigger person.  Apologize.  Reach out.

See what God can do through you.

If you found yourself nodding throughout the video as a fellow church leader, may I encourage you?

Don't give up.

Not now.

You have too much potential and too many lives to change.

Every loss is a lesson.

Get better and get moving.

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For what it's worth, I just wrapped a live coaching call with church leaders this morning that may encourage and motivate you too.

Feel free to share this YouTube link.

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Don't Give Up!

In Christ, your best days are NOT behind you.

There is another chapter God wants to write through you.

In Christ, the BEST is YET to come!

- Jon