When is it time to leave your church?

[Fusion!]

A friend of mine (who is on here, guess who it might be!) has come to a crossroads in his church life. He's ready to leave due to certain ministry and philosophical differences with his Pastor. When is it time to leave a church and why? Give it our best shot guys. Use scripture. Also, part of it was their difference on tithing and adherence to the church's founding principles. (A side note: but is tithing a NT idea? Ok have at it!)

[Jonathan Chan]

It's time to leave your church when your pastor is confronted with sound logic, sound hermeneutics, and sound evidence that a certain teaching is not clearly found in Scriptures, and yet he agrees that it's not found in scriptures but yet says, "it's implied so it can apply."

[Marcelino Castro]

This is a difficult question and I myself do not like to ask it. I want to see the Church united and not divided. This question has the danger of resulting in division instead of reconciliation. But there is a time when leaving a church may be necessary. I would ask are these "ministry and philosophical differences" that severe? Is there any thing that this person could learn from a different perspective? Is there room for "your friend" to explore his own perspective within a particular ministry? Is the Pastor too controlling? I seem to have more questions than answers. But when a person leaves a church, I believe that the person needs to explore these questions and exhaust every possibility before considering leaving, especially if he or she is on the Pastor's leadership team.
I only have one scripture to base these questions on (though there are more like this) and that is Philippians 2:1-11. Think of others before yourself and the needs of the church that you go to. Tithing and for example apostolic succession are by no means grounds to leave a church. Tithing as Frank said is not really found in the NT. Paul just asks the church in Corinth to give cheerfully (2 Cor 9:7). But people should give and if people need a number to help with their minimal giving then I see no problem with it. Unity is a big theme in the NT, especially among Gentile and Jewish Christians (See Romans, Colossians, Ephesians). If in the "New Jerusalem" in Revelation 21-22 those who are bit off on these topics are going to be on the outside looking in, then this could be a valid argument. But I do not think it is!
I have yet to go to a church where I agree with everything that they teach or preach but I love the church with all it's imperfection and seek unity that will be realized in the New Jerusalem. But do not get me wrong, I think there can be reasons to leave but merely teachings on tithing is not reason enough, in my opinion. There must be more reasons. That is why I begun with asking a series of questions.

[Fusion!]

Good, I think this person would add that he has seen a pattern of a ministry that has left the principles that it is supposed to be working by. At some point, differences cause division. I think of Paul and Silas. They had a sharp disagreement and this caused them to work different ministries.

[Marcelino Castro]

I agree with you, Frank. As you know we owe Paul and Silas a debt of gratitude for what they have done for our faith but they are by no means perfect in all their decision making. That being said, there is a time to move on but how is this done? Can there be a good way to leave and maintain the unity of the Church? Unity is our destiny and we need to seek means of reconciliation even if we need to move on. So I would advise anyone who is seeking to leave their church to do so in the spirit of unity and reconciliation.

Fusion! said:

Good, I think this person would add that he has seen a pattern of a ministry that has left the principles that it is supposed to be working by. At some point, differences cause division. I think of Paul and Silas. They had a sharp disagreement and this caused them to work different ministries.

[Becky]

Marcelino - leaving a church doesn't mean the Church isn't united. It is a difficult question, but it should be asked. You are not glorifying God if you are ignoring stuff and just minding your own business. Also, one person going from one church to another isn't going to disrupt the overall Unity. The problem comes in if they slander but that's a seperate issue.

If you are in a church disalign with your beliefs, someone has to be wrong and it needs to be figured out. Of course, that's only on essential issues. No point in church-hopping over nonessentials, because no church will ever align perfectly to your beliefs/opinions/preferences.

Giving is definitely NT-Biblical! Many of Paul's letters mention it.