Inevitable - Week 4: How to Leave a Church

·55 min·5 clips

Pastor Mel Massengale explains why you'll never find a perfect church and how to leave one the right way.

This episode is the fourth and final installment of the 'Inevitable' series from Summit Church, delivered by Pastor Mel Massengale. The sermon focuses on the inevitability of leaving a church and provides a biblical framework for doing so rightly. Massengale begins by clarifying that the message is not targeted at any individual but is a general teaching intended for broader use. He states that no church is perfect because churches are made up of imperfect people, and leaving every time one is uncomfortable leads to fruitlessness, comparing it to uprooting a fruit tree. He shares a personal example of his parents, who were members of only two churches over 49 years, highlighting the value of staying rooted. The key scriptural foundation is Proverbs 3:5-6 and Galatians 6:10, emphasizing trust in God and doing good to the family of faith. Massengale identifies two primary reasons people leave churches: misunderstanding and misalignment. For misunderstandings, he delves into Matthew 18:15-22, detailing Jesus's process for conflict resolution—starting with private conversation, escalating to involving witnesses, and finally bringing it to the church if necessary, with the goal of reconciliation. He references theologian N.T. Wright's commentary on this passage. For misalignment, he argues that people often disagree with how a church implements its vision rather than the vision itself, using examples like pipe organs or music style. The pastor recounts a story about a church member named Carl Yeomans, who set aside his musical preferences for the greater good. Massengale then provides practical steps for leaving a church: talk with someone in spiritual authority, leave well by having conversations and not burning bridges, extend grace, and stay connected to the broader church. He shares personal experiences, including being fired from a previous church and choosing reconciliation, and mentions other pastors like John Nuzzo and Jim Hennessey as his spiritual authorities. The sermon concludes with an altar call for reconciliation with God and others, emphasizing that Jesus died for the church and believers should not abandon it.

As heard by us

A Matthew 18 sermon on changed expectations, church conflict, and the hard work of reconciliation.

Mel Massengale, one of the pastors at Summit Church, reads conflict through Jesus' teaching in Matthew 18, with grace and reconciliation kept at the center of life among the family of faith.

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Why you'd press play

When a strained church relationship has you wondering what faithfulness looks like, press play for a Matthew 18 framework.

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