When is it okay to leave a church and look for a new one?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

There are legitimate reasons for leaving a church, including its failure to uphold biblical truth (1 Timothy 3:15), denial of Jesus' divinity (John 1:1) or God’s inspiration of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17), or leadership that contradicts biblical standards (1 Timothy 3; Titus 1:5-9). However, God want His people unified. If that is possible in a church that is struggling with division and still uphold biblical truth, we can apply Paul’s appeal in 1 Corinthians 1:10 to our situation. As believers who are a part of God’s spiritual family, a key aim should be to “stir up one another to love and good works…encouraging one another” (Hebrews 10:24-25). Oftentimes, deciding to stay in or leave a church is difficult. As such, it is wise to ask for God’s wisdom (James 1:5) before making any final decisions.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• The Old Testament does not directly address the idea of leaving a church, since the church as we know it today had not yet been established. However, it offers principles that can guide our decisions. Throughout the Old Testament, God consistently called His people to remain faithful to His covenant and warned them against following false prophets or leaders who led them into idolatry or disobedience (Deuteronomy 13:1-5; Jeremiah 23:1-2). When a religious community strays from God's truth, the faithful are often called to separate themselves from corruption and return to wholehearted devotion to God.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Churches that reject Jesus as God's divine, resurrected Son (John 1:1) contradict God’s Word and are no longer functioning as a true biblical church. In that case, seeking another church would be proper.
• Paul instructed Corinthian believers to work together in harmony as much division was taking place within this church. He wrote, "I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment" (1 Corinthians 1:10). If the church we are attending is dealing with similar problems, we can take after Paul’s recommendation to the Corinthians and seek unity.
• While no person is perfect, the church is to be led by qualified, godly leaders (1 Timothy 3; Titus 1:5-9). If the character of our church leaders contrasts to what is laid out in these passages, it could be time to seek a church with biblically qualified leaders.
• The church is designed to be the pillar of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15). If the church we are attending is intentionally spreading false doctrine and not open to correcting it, this should raise serious concerns. Churches should be grounded in and promote biblical truth.
• God's inspiration of the Scriptures is clearly laid out in 2 Timothy 3:16-17. Churches that reject this are going against Scripture. This is a red flag and a valid reason to leave a church.
• God wants believers to grow with other believers. Hebrews 10:24-25 exhorts, "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." If we leave one church, we should focus on integrating into another Christ-centered church.
• If we are on the fence about leaving a church, we should address our concerns with God: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (James 1:5). Leaving a church and finding a new one is a big decision, so we would be wise to seek God’s involvement in the process.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

While there are valid reasons for leaving a church due to “red flags” in doctrine or leadership, there are also situations in which a church has done nothing wrong but we choose to serve and be used by God in a different setting. When we do so, we should be careful how we leave and the reasons why we are leaving. If we are seeking deeper spiritual growth that cannot be met at our current church, we may have a good reason to leave. Still, we should be careful that we leave on good terms, seeking to honor God and other believers by not bad-mouthing the church. We should also consider if we are leaving due to selfish reasons. If we are elevating personal preferences above matters, such as doctrine, honoring God, and biblical truth, we should really think twice about leaving the church. Preferences are subjective and will change. We can easily adapt an uncommitted, fickle consumer mentality, losing sight of why we’re attending church. This can lead to becoming disgruntled church goers who negatively evaluate factors like music style, length of the service, the charisma of the pastor, or the availability of certain programs—rather than focusing on whether the church is faithfully teaching God’s Word and fostering genuine community. This mindset can hinder our spiritual growth and lead us away from God’s design for the church as a unified body with diverse parts working together (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). Instead, we should aim to be rooted, servant-hearted members who contribute to the health and mission of the church. Leaving should not be taken lightly, and when necessary, it should be done prayerfully, respectfully, and with a commitment to remain engaged in the life of the broader body of Christ.

UNDERSTAND

• It’s okay to leave a church and look for a new one when it no longer upholds core biblical truths or doesn’t uphold biblical leadership.
• If a church is grounded in truth but struggles with division or weaknesses, we are encouraged to seek unity and contribute to its growth rather than leaving hastily.
• Any decision to leave a church should be made with prayer, wisdom, and a commitment to remain engaged in Christ-centered community.

REFLECT

• How can you determine if you want to leave your church because of a serious biblical concern or because of personal preferences?
• How are you actively building up your church community instead of focusing on what you’re getting out of it?
• When you’re unsure about staying or leaving, how do you turn to God in prayer and Scripture for wisdom instead of relying on your own judgment?

ENGAGE

• What are some biblical “red flags” that might justify leaving a church—and how can we tell the difference between a red flag and a personal preference?
• How can we encourage one another to pursue unity and servant-hearted involvement when we’re frustrated with our church?
• If we do end up leaving a church and looking for a new one, how can we leave in a way that is honoring to God and the believers there?